The Transformation of the Perception of “School” in the Pansori School Presentation
Authors: Song Mi kyoung 
Published: November 2021

This study focuses on the Pansori School Presentation held by the Pansori Conservation Research Association 50 times between 1971 and 2020, examining the background of the Pansori School Presentation and the perception of the Pansori School. After dividing the transition patterns into seven periods and considering them in detail, we find that the intangible cultural heritage system was a factor that drove changes in the perception of the school in the Pansori School Presentation. On January 31, 1970, pansori holders, researchers, and lovers founded the Pansori Conservation Research Association with the aim of preserving the art and reputation of pansori. Yoo Ki-ryong, who led the establishment of the group, proposed that a commemorative performance be held. Lee Bo-hyung planned the performance for the 200th anniversary of the birth of master singer Kwon Sam-deuk, and Yoo Ki-ryong named it Pansori School. The school as it appeared in the 1st-3rd presentations (1971-1973), which represent its early stage, emphasized “je” as the concept of the musical style. In the 4th-6th presentations (1974-1976), the name of the event was changed to Pansori Gojo Research Conference and Pansori Gojo School Presentation. However, this was not reflected in the actual contents of the performance. In the 7th-9th events (1977-1979), the branch of tradition was diversified through an attempt to connect the Batangsori and the “je” (musical style) within the concept of the school. In the 9th-17th presentations (1980-1987), the content overshadowed the name of the event: The Pansori “School” “Presentation” did not show a deep concern for the perception of the school. From the 18th to the 22nd events (1988 to 1992), the Pansori School Presentation emphasized “je” as a school concept and moved toward strengthening the pansori tradition centered on the Badi, which was designated as cultural property. In terms of school recognition, the 23rd-44th presentations (1993-2014) did not significantly differ from those of the previous period, but the use of terms such as “je,” “pan,” and “ryu” was mixed and a unilinear lineage of transmission was increasingly emphasized. The 45th-50th presentations (2015-2020) formally included repertoires that were on or beyond the boundaries of the Five Major Versions, such as creative pansori, changgeuk, Yeoseonggukgeuk, and English pansori. The intangible cultural heritage system was the main factor driving these changes. While pansori as a single event became a designated intangible cultural asset and the holder of the Five Major Versions was secured for each Batangsori, the Pansori Conservation Research Association presented the concepts of non-single waves and waves in their own directions. In the process, emphasis was placed on the “Gojo” (old style) and the original form. This coincided with the establishment of the intangible cultural heritage system, which focused on preserving the original form. However, during this period, holders and their disciples were relatively free to announce additional Badi, which had previously been designated as intangible cultural property. At the time of the 9th-44th presentations, the pansori event holder was continuously recognized not only for the central national intangible cultural property but also the local city and provincial intangible cultural properties, and a gap emerged between the Pansori School Presentation and the intangible cultural property system. The relationship then became increasingly close. In terms of the perception of the school, rather than trying to establish its own direction from the perspective of the subject of pansori transmission, it merely accepted and emphasized the school and “je,” which had been designated as cultural assets. In this way, “school” in the Pa