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A study on the performance Shunkōjoden(春香女傳) of Geijutsuza in Japan

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1일본 오차노미즈 여자대학 비교사회문화학

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study aims to introduce and analyze the performance Shunkōjoden(春香女傳) that was performed by a Shinpa(新派) troupe Geijutsuza(藝術座) in Tokyo Takarazuka(宝塚) Theater in 1941. Shunkōjoden is adapted from Chunhyangjeon(춘향전), a Korean classical novel. Actually, in 1938, Chunhyangjeon was dramatized by Shinkyogekidan(新協劇團) as a title of Shunkōden(春香傳), which was the first dramatization of Chunhyangjeon in Japan. Shunkōden was performed in Tsukiji(築地) Theater and various places in Korea. That's because Murayama Tomoyoshi(村山知義), a director of Shunkōden, produced it for Korean people in Japan and Korea. On the contrary, Shunkōjoden was written for the Japanese public and played with the confidence of great success. However, until now, Shunkōjoden was never referred on both two countries, Japan and Korea. It is supposed that this performance is a Shinpa play which was emphasized a commercial aspect. Besides it is certain that Shunkōjoden has typical characters and includes scenes like sob stuff and tear jerker. But that was the dramaturgy of Shinpa, and Mizutani Yaeko(水谷八重子), the heroine of Shunkōjoden, acted Shunkō(春香) magnificently as a Shinpa character. It means that Chunhyangjeon of Korea was arranged to the most popular drama-style in Japan, nevertheless in a period of Japanese imperialism. Especially, it is worth noticing that Shunkōjoden was an adaptation with music and dance as a comprehensive entertainment by the most popular writer, Takada Tamotsu(高田保), by the most popular company, Geijutsuza and by the most popular theater, Tokyo Takarazuka theater at 1940s in Japan. Therefore, through this performance, it remains to be seen in what ways such a transformation of Chunhyanjeon would be evaluated as a data of comparative study on the dramatization of Chunhyang story in Japan and Korea.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.