IKS Workshop: Kim Tae-Hoon, "Korean Mask Dance Drama Workshop"

Member of the Korean Gugak Center Dance Troupe

Heir of the Dance of Cheoyong, designated as Intangible Cultural Asset No. 30 (1971) and UNESCO Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (2009)

 

Kim Tae Hoon flyer.pdf

 

Talchum, “mask dance,” is a satiric amalgam of music, dance, and dialog illustrating the seriousness of social injustice through the hilarity of caricature. Evolving through several dynasties of 

strict social hierarchy, Korean mask dance theatre developed as a channel of subversion for the oppressed. Talchum entertains while hearkening its audience to the social injustice occurring within the community. It addresses the absurdity of class hierarchal system, patriarchal gender inequality in the premodern Korean society. The main characters delineated with specific masks and costumes include half-baked nobility, disgraced Buddhist monk, saucy servant, the lecherous man-wife-concubine trio, and fickle shamaness/prostitute. Rooted in the indigenous Korean spiritualism, it was performed as part of well-wishing or exorcism for the community. The performance would begin in the evening by a bonfire, and continue until next morning early. In the case of Pongsan T’alch’um, the masks worn during the play would be burnt at the end, symbolizing all the troublesome spirits are extinguished. Outside the venues for traditional performance, t’alch’um’s liminal boundary-breaking, dynamic movements, satiric prowess, and incendiary verbiage are a source of inspiration for many postmodern and radical theatrical productions in Korea.