Old Stories Turned into Books and Performances, Traces of the Stage from That Time

National Library of Korea and National Theater Joint Exhibition
'Stories Take the Stage - Performing Arts Through Books and Archives'
Exhibition Until March 31 Next Year

The pansori “Simcheongga,” which depicts the devoted filial piety of a daughter who sacrifices herself for her blind father, is praised as one of the best-structured among the five pansori narratives passed down to this day. It is unknown which came first between the novel “Simcheongjeon” and the pansori “Simcheongga,” but there are over 80 known versions of the story. Lee Haejo, an author active during the Japanese colonial period, presented a chapbook adaptation titled “Gang Sang-yeon” in 1912. Chapbooks were books printed with modern movable type printing presses in the early 1900s, named for their colorful covers resembling children’s playing cards. They were about 50 pages long and sold at an affordable price.

Writer Lee Haejo, who was active during the Japanese colonial period, adapted "Simcheongjeon" in 1912 and published it as a ddakjibon titled "Gang Sang-yeon"
[Photo by Seo Mideum]

Books and performing arts centered on such traditional Korean stories have come together in one place. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s National Library of Korea and the National Theater of Korea are jointly hosting the exhibition “Stories Take the Stage ? Performing Arts Seen through Books and Archives” at the National Library of Korea until October 31. From November 14 to March 31 of next year, the exhibition will move to the National Theater of Korea.

The exhibition is divided into three parts. Part 1, “Old Stories Sung on Stage,” showcases pansori performances and literary works that embody the joys and sorrows of the Korean people, including Chunhyangga, Simcheongga, and Heungboga. It introduces pansori, pansori-based novels, and changgeuk (a form of Korean opera developed from pansori), displaying related books, performance posters, scripts, and stage design drawings.

Inside the exhibition "Stories Take the Stage - Performing Arts Seen Through Books and Archives"
Photo by Seomideum

Part 2, “Old Stories Unfolding on Stage,” introduces performances and books based on folktales. Folktales here encompass myths, legends, and folk narratives, and this exhibition features stories such as Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo, Prince Hodong, and Jikwi. Through posters, costume and stage design sketches, and books used during performances at the National Theater, the exhibition explores the history of adaptations and creations across various genres including theater, dance, ballet, and opera.

Photo by Seomideum

Part 3, “Performing Arts Stories Seen through Archives,” presents performing arts records such as videotapes, film reels, and photo albums. It reveals archival materials documenting the 70-year history of the National Theater, established in 1950. Exhibits include film reels capturing the live performance of the National Dance Company’s 1990s production “From the Sky to the Earth,” mini discs of performance music, performance posters, and newspaper scrapbooks containing performance details.

This exhibition was co-planned by the National Library of Korea and the National Theater of Korea. Joo Juhyun, director of the National Theater Performing Arts Museum, said, “Books and performances share the commonality of dealing with ‘stories,’ which led us to prepare this exhibition. It will be a special opportunity to experience K-traditional stories embedded in our culture through book materials and performing arts archives.” Additional costume materials that could not be moved initially will be displayed when the exhibition relocates to the National Theater on November 14.

Jo Seolhee, head of the International Exchange and Public Relations Team at the National Library of Korea, stated, “Through the collaboration between the National Library of Korea and the National Theater of Korea, we have prepared a place to experience our traditional stories with diverse and rich materials. We hope this will be a cultural experience where people can encounter K-traditional stories from a new perspective.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.