Asian Theatre Journal

Abstract:

Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's Porgy was performed in colonial Korea in 1937. This paper explains the process of performing Porgy, in connection with the strategy to popularize the singeuk (new drama) by Yoo Chijin, a playwright and director who argued that one could popularize singeuk by promoting performance of colonial Korean dramas. Yoo's strategy encountered great difficulties because of opposition by members of the Research Association of Theatrical Art and strict Japanese censorship. Yoo tried to overcome these problems pertaining to realistic plays such as Slums and The Cow; however, his efforts were in vain. Therefore, Yoo undertook a new strategy of adapting the traditional The Story of Chunhyang, a play of "romanticism based on realism," which bypassed censorship by expressing the reality of the era metaphorically and amused the audience of the grand theatre with songs and dances. Porgy's songs and dances influenced The Story of Chunhyang. Although the audience responded favorably to The Story of Chunhyang, critics found fault with the fact that Yoo was a playwright who followed the practices of commercial theatre. Yoo tried to refute their criticism by producing Porgy, a performance of "romanticism on the basis of realism." He argued that The Story of Chunhyang reflected the latest theatre trends in the United States.