"Lee provides a comprehensive insight into important topics within modern Korean theatre and conducts an in-depth evaluation of the major discourses that shaped Korean theatre during the 20th century. The book adopts a topical approach to explore modern Korean theatre through a more focused lens. Examining key subjects such as Korean adaptations of Shakespeare, the National Theatre, Feminist Theatre, and the intercultural potential of a Far Eastern Theatrical Bloc, it provides a rigorous understanding of the evolution of Korean theatre during the 20th century and explores the chronological history of theatre and the moments of rupture and innovation within. A vital resource of interest to scholars and students interested in East Asian culture and theatre, specifically Korean culture"--

Lee provides a comprehensive insight into important topics within modern Korean theatre and conducts an in-depth evaluation of the major discourses that shaped Korean theatre during the 20th century. The book adopts a topical approach to explore modern Korean theatre through a more focused lens. Examining key subjects such as Korean Playwrights. Korean adaptations of Shakespeare, the National Theatre, feminist theatre, and the intercultural potential of a Far Eastern theatrical bloc, it provides a rigorous understanding of the evolution of Korean theatre during the 20th century and explores the moments of rupture and innovation within the chronological history of theatre. The book is a vital resource of interest to scholars and students interested in East Asian culture and theatre, specifically Korean culture.

Lee provides a comprehensive guide that traces the transformation of Korean theatre from traditional to modern theatre and examines the impact of the introduction of Western plays to Korean society. Important changes in Korean theatre are discussed chronologically from the beginning of the modernization: Sinpa Theatre, Singeuk Theatre, Theatre of Ideology, The Little Theatre Movement, Madanggeuk, experiments for modernizing traditional Korean theatrical arts, and transitions to postmodern theatre. These changes happened rapidly and coupled with Eurocentric globalization. By the end of the century, the reinterpretations of Western drama like Shakespeare's plays had reached a point where they received attention from the Western world. Today, Korean theatre keeps pace with the world theatre and strives to contribute as a member of it. A vital resource for scholars and students pursuing Korean studies and East Asian theatres. with an authentic Korean perspective from a Korean scholar who has lived and researched in Korea.

"Korean Theatre: From Rituals to the Avant-Garde is the most comprehensive book on Korean theatre which covers from ancient rituals to the modern theatre. It is an essential book for anyone who is interested in theatre or Korean theatre . . . The research that went in to make this book possible can only be described as phenomenal." Alyssa Kim, Ph.D. Hankuk University of Foreign Studies "The book has a clear, understandable organization. Professor Cho’s prose is succinct, readable, and void of fashionable academic jargon. I find the chapter beginning-historical context very useful, most especially those surrounding and shaping Korean theatre since the ‘50s. The early chapters on masked-dance plays and puppet theatre provide important information about Korean culture and the later chapters on Madanggŭk and North Korean proletarian drama shed light on area little known or understood by Western students of Korea. This book promises to be a singular contribution to English-language materials on Korean theatre, one written by a scholar with an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject." Richard Nichols, Ph.D. Emeritus Professor of Theatre Pennsylvania State University

In Corporeal Politics, leading international scholars investigate the development of dance as a deeply meaningful and complex cultural practice across time, placing special focus on the intertwining of East Asia dance and politics and the role of dance as a medium of transcultural interaction and communication across borders. Countering common narratives of dance history that emphasize the US and Europe as centers of origin and innovation, the expansive creativity of dance artists in East Asia asserts its importance as a site of critical theorization and reflection on global artistic developments in the performing arts. Through the lens of “corporeal politics”—the close attention to bodily acts in specific cultural contexts—each study in this book challenges existing dance and theater histories to re-investigate the performer's role in devising the politics and aesthetics of their performance, as well as the multidimensional impact of their lives and artistic works. Corporeal Politics addresses a wide range of performance styles and genres, including dances produced for the concert stage, as well as those presented in popular entertainments, private performance spaces, and street protests.

Carefully selected and represented, the plays in this collection showcase both the fantastic and the realistic innovations of Korean dramatists during a time of rapid social and historical change. Stretching from 1962 to 2004, these seven works tackle major subjects, such as the close of the Choson dynasty and the aftermath of the Korean War, while delving into trenchant cultural issues, such as the marginalization of students who rebel against mainstream education and the role of traditional values in a materialistic society. Longtime scholar of Korea and its vibrant, politically acute theater, Richard Nichols opens with a general overview of modern Korean drama since 1910 and concludes with an appendix describing theater production and audience attendance in Seoul. He chooses works that aren't just for Korean audiences. These texts confront universal themes and situations, tackling the problem of ambition, the trouble with fidelity, and the complexity of sexual and interpersonal relationships. Nichols situates each work critically, historically, and culturally, including brief biographies of playwrights and extensive notes. A bibliography also provides alternative readings and the titles of additional plays currently available in English. Primed for production, these skillful translations provide Western directors with exciting new material for the stage. At the same time, they offer students and scholars a sophisticated survey of the modern Korean dramatic tradition.

Modern Asian Theatre and Performance 1900 – 2000 is a ground-breaking survey, tracking the advent of modern drama in Japan, India, China, Korea and Southeast Asia. It considers the shaping power of realism and naturalism, the influence of Western culture, the relationship between theatrical modernisation and social modernisation, and how theatre operates in contemporary Asian society. Organised by period, nation and region, each chapter provides: ·a historical overview of the culture; ·an outline of theatre history; ·a survey of significant playwrights, actors, directors, companies, plays and productions. With contributions from an international team of scholars, this authoritative introduction will uniquely equip students and scholars with a broad understanding of the modern theatre histories of Asia.