Korean Pansori as Voice Theatre
Authors: Park Chan E. , Hossain Adnan , Grange William , Fletcher Judith , Pietropaolo Domenico , de Bruin Hanne M. , Stenberg Josh , Moran James , Dean Joan FitzPatrick , Griffiths Trevor R. , Schechter Joel , Hammond Brean , Pamment Claire , Roy Jeff 
Published: December 2023

This book introduces readers to the historical, performative, and cultural context of pansori, a traditional Korean oral story-singing art.

Written by a scholar-practitioner of the form, this study is structured in three parts and begins by introducing readers to the technical, aesthetic, and theoretical components of pansori, as well as the synthesis of vocal and percussive elements that stage the narrative. It moves on to reflect on the historical contexts of pansori, alongside Korea’s transformation from Joseon monarchy to modern statehood. It argues that with colonial annexation came modernist influences that Korean dramatists and audiences used to create new genres of performance, using the common thread of pansori.

The book’s third part explores the interplay of preservation and innovation, beginning in the post-war period and continuing with developments in the 20th and 21st centuries that coincide with Korea’s imprint on cultural globalization. Along with Korea’s growth as a world economic center, a growing enthusiasm for Korean culture around the world has increased the transmission and visibility of pansori. This study argues that tradition and innovation are not as divergent as they are sometimes imagined to be and that tradition is the force that enables innovation. Drawing on Chan E. Park’s ethnographic work and performance practice, this book interweaves expert knowledge of both the textual and performative aspects of pansori, rendering legible this dramatic tradition.

Pansori as voice theatre examines the practice of pansori, Korean oral storysinging, in its historical, performative, and cultural context. There are three sections to the text. Section One analyzes technical, aesthetic, and theoretical components of pansori. Using translated samples, the book explicates the synthesis of vocal and percussive elements that, together with the listening ear, stage the narrative. Section Two critically reflects on the historical contexts of pansori alongside Korea’s transformation from Joseon monarchy (1391-1910) to modern statehood. In the case of pansori tradition, the posited strict class hierarchies of Joseon were in fact porous, as attested by the patronages and collaborations over generations. With colonial annexation (1910-1945) came modernist influences that Korean dramatists and audiences localized into distinct new genres of Korean performance using the common thread of pansori. Section Three examines the dynamic interplay of preservation and innovation, beginning in the post-War designation of national performance art (gugak) and continuing with off-mainstream, fusion, and hybrid developments that coincide with Korea’s imprint on cultural globalization (hallyu). Along with Korea’s growth as a world economic center (late twentieth century to present), a growing enthusiasm for Korean culture around the world has increased the transmission and visibility of pansori through institutions of popular culture. Ultimately, tradition and innovation are not as divergent as they are sometimes imagined to be. Rather, a study of pansori suggests that tradition is the centripetal force that enables innovation for the collective theatrical imagination.