The Journal of Culture Contents ISSN:2287-2256(Print) 2671-7026(Online) 문화콘텐츠연구

Since the birth of Korean contemporary opera 65 years ago, more than 110 operas have been performed. These operas are written by Korean composers to reflect traditional stories and various aspects distinctive to Korean culture. Yet, it is uncertain whether these works can be deemed timeless classics and still remains relevant in the arena of the performing arts. Korean contemporary operas have a conventional and lackluster reputation which brings with it numerous obstacles. Amongst these is material which is subjective to prejudice, therefore, causing limitations. Due to these obstacles, it is inevitable that the development and potential growth in popularity of Korean opera will face challenges if it is to survive. These characteristics and limitations of Korean contemporary operas can be divided into three areas; oral literature, historical figures and fictional heroes or the great names of past ages, as well as religious characters. First, oral literature such as folk tales and legends shared throughout generations as well as classical written literature are often used as the subject for opera material. This repetitive storyline often leads to the perception that Korean contemporary operas are old-fashioned and mundane leading composers to also follow a similar linear mindset to coincide with classical materials. Second, historical figures and tales of heroes, great men, often are the subject in Korean operas due to the fact that these characters are easily identifiable and familiar to the audience and general population. Third, often religious characters appear in numerous Korean contemporary operas which reflect the composer’s religious convictions. These operas appeal to a niche group due to its religious content. To overcome these characteristics and limitations, there must be a diversity of materials and a wider scope of creativity amongst composers. This also applies to musical parts, orchestral instrumentation, and organization of the stage in order to reach harmony between music and drama. Like the Korean wave which has proliferated trendy Korean culture throughout the world, Korean contemporary opera has an opportunity to spearhead a new type of wave bringing it to the forefront of cultural content and performing arts.