Performing Korea

This book offers anexploration of the intersection of Korean theatre practice with Westernliterary theatre. Gangnam Style, K-Pop, the Korean Wave : who hasn’t heard ofthese recent Korean phenomena? Having spent two years in Korea as a theatricaland cultural ‘tourist’, Patrice Pavis was granted an unparalleled look atcontemporary Korean culture. As well as analyzing these pop culture mainstays, however,he also discovered many uniquely Korean jewels of contemporary art andperformance.

Examining topics including contemporary dance,puppets, installations, modernized pansori, ’Koreanized’ productions ofEuropean Classics and K-pop and its parody, this book provides a framework foran intercultural and globalized approach to Korean theatre. With the firstthree chapters of the book outlining methodology, the remaining chapters test –often deconstructing and transforming in the process - this framework, usingfocused case studies to introduce the reader to the cultural and artistic worldof a nation with an increasing international presence in theatre and the artsalike.