In the traditional pansori “Simcheongga,” the story of a daughter who sacrifices herself for her blind father, one of the most arresting moments is her leap into Indangsu, the fabled sea, as an offering to appease the waters in exchange for rice promised by sailors.
In the lead-up to that scene, Simcheong encounters a chorus of lamenting spirits, many drawn from Chinese folklore. In a new production, the director Nam In-woo reimagines them in a contemporary Korean setting. Here, the spirits are Korea’s own: independence activists and young workers killed in industrial accidents.
The shift reframes Simcheong — long seen as the embodiment of filial piety and a victim of patriarchal ideals — as a symbolic figure who consoles the unjust and sorrowful deaths.
Speaking at a group interview on Wednesday, Nam said she had grappled with how to preserve the distinctive musical and narrative qualities of pansori while making its themes resonate with contemporary audiences.
“I wanted to create a work that pays tribute to those who, like Simcheong, have suffered unjust deaths,” she said.
She recalled a news report from two years ago about a 19-year-old factory intern who died while supporting himself and his family. “I felt there was a parallel with Simcheong’s story,” she said, noting that both figures bore the weight of responsibility at a young age. “With this perspective, audiences may see the traditional ‘filial daughter’ in a completely different light.”
Musically, the production blends tradition with experiment. Five musicians guide the performance through improvisational sinawi, or shamanism-inspired ensemble music, while in the Indangsu scene, a cello and loop station underpin a soaring arrangement of Mozart's "Requiem," creating a modern, monumental elegy.
The production is part of the “Peerless Pansori” series by the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, which has, since 2021, showcased contemporary reinterpretations of pansori by a younger generation of performers.
This latest and sixth installment will be performed on April 24 and 25 at the National Theater of Korea's Daloreum Theater, featuring company members Choi Ho-sung and Kim Woo-jeong.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
