And now it's time for our final Arts & Entertainment segment of the week with our very own Lee
Tae Ho.
Good Afternoon Tae Ho.
Good afternoon Conn-young
Now, I hear that you want to tell us about a musical that you saw recently?
Yes, indeed But it wasn't just any musical.
What I experienced was something called a "ga-mu-geuk" , which, simply stated, is a
Korean musical.
She was a historical Korean empress who to this day remains shrouded in mystery and she
is the subject of a new production at the Seoul Arts Center called "The Veiled Empress
of 1895."
The story follows Queen Min, also known as Empress Myeongseong, the last queen of the
Joseon Dynasty.
There are no existing pictures of Empress Min.
But the story of her past, her life and her demise is a story deeply rooted in the hearts
of many Koreans.
It is also the perfect backdrop for a gamugeuk.
What is a gamugeuk, you ask?
Well, when each Korean character in the word is translated into English, it means "song,"
"dance" and "theatrical play."
Simply put, it is a musical.
But it is different from a typical musical, though I wasn't sure exactly how.
Is it the music, the acting, or the performance itself?
I was so curious I decided to find out for myself.
I was met at the Seoul Arts Center by the music producer of "The Veiled Empress of 1895"
and I asked him what the difference between a typical musical and a gamugeuk is.
This is part of his response:
"The biggest difference is that in a musical, the story is told solely through the music,
but in a gamugeuk, Korean dance is also used to express the drama of the story."
That's a good answer.
But I also wanted to hear it from the performers' side, and I had the wonderful opportunity
to speak about it with actor Cho Pung-rae, who plays the nephew of the veiled empress.
This is what he had to say about the difference between performing a typical musical and a
gamugeuk:
"For instance, there is a character in the production who has no lines and only dances
named Jung Bong-jung.
I think that in a typical musical, the character and the empress would interact through dialogue,
however in our production that interaction is portrayed solely through Korean dance."
Although the story of the veiled empress is considered very dark and emotional, crowds
have been drawn to the fact that the production is not strictly a typical musical, but a production
expressed with more Korean flavor through the extensive use traditional Korean music
and dance.
"...I came because I felt that a gamugeuk would be different from a typical musical
and with the hope that it would include more of a Korean element.
The atmosphere at a recent performance was alive with anticipation.
And then, it was finally time:
The strongest impact of the show is the way Korean dance is used to tell the story.
But there are also elements of Korean culture woven into the design of the set, props and
costumes, which are a traditional Korean garb called hanbok.
The energy is certainly that of a typical musical, but the elements of traditional Korean
music and dance that are included give it a strong Korean flavor unlike that of any
other kind of production.
And that distinction was evident to the audience as well:
"This was the first time I've seen a gamugeuk.
I've only seen traditional musicals before, but the elements of Korean dance and the re-telling
of a famous story from Korean history made it very enjoyable."
"The Veiled Empress 1895" is certainly a wonderful combination of culture, song and dance, but
this weekend will be your last chance to enjoy this marvelous production, so don't miss your
opportunity
What an interesting twist on the traditional musical.
It really is because a gamugeuk is akin to the historical dramas produced here in Korea.
There are traditional and conventional dramas with modern-day settings that could also fall
into the category of musical theater, while a historical drama
would be considered a gamugeuk.
That certainly seems to be the case.
So a gamugeuk could almost be considered a Korean-style musical.
And that is exactly what I would say it is.
And with the story of the performance revolving around the empress, it has an even stronger
Korean flare to it.
Well, thank you very much, Tae Ho, and we'll see you again next Monday
You're very welcome, and have a wonderful weekend