Miso II

Given that South Korea also boasts of a dynastically rich history and culture, efforts to portray them artistically abound. Theatrical plays are common in the country, and most of them showcase Korean history, dynasty, culture, and tradition as general themes.

I got the chance to watch MISO II (춘향연가) at the Myeongdong Theatre today. The play only runs from November 26 to November 29, and was lucky enough to be invited by a friend who shared her two free tickets with me. It is actually a musical, and a sequel to the equally successful play, MISO. While both are love stories, the characters introduced in each of the plays are different. I was not able to watch the first MISO, but I would like to believe that this sequel showcased more traditional dances aside from South Korea's native songs that were present in both.

In MISO II, there was the popular Five Drum Dance (오고무) that totally rocked for me because they were played by women in colorful hanboks. I simply liked how the women synchronized the very strong drums beats and maintained such graceful stances as they went up and down to reach the drums on their sides.

I would nevertheless want to give the men some credit with their excellent rendition of the traditional percussion quartet (사물놀이). I sure got high with the men as they went head-banging while hitting on their different percussion instruments.

 

Anyway, here is the summary of the play. Special thanks to the leaflet that I got from the venue. Teehee.

Prologue: Chunhyang and Mongryong, now in their old age, appear on the stage to perform a lovers’ dance. As they dance, they transform into the young Chunhyang and Monryong, and the curtain opens, unfolding the memories of their past.

Scene 1: Dano Festival: Ritual for Peace and Prosperity
To signal the beginning of Dano Festival, a parade of folk musicians is staged, followed by a shaman and a singer. The folk musicians take on the role of accompanists as the sharman raises the floral flagpole and the exorcism rite begins to pray for peace and prosperity in the village. The shamans lead the audience through fun and games.

Scene 2: Traditional Wrestling, Swings, Maidens’ Circle Dance
The festivities kick off with male dancers showing off dynamic moves borrowed from traditional Korean martial arts, followed by a wrestling match between Mongryong and Magistrate Byeon Hakdo. When the two men see Chunhyang on the swing, they are both enchanted. Chunhyang throws her pendant at the two men as a gesture of love. The festival reaches its climax with the Maidens’ Circle Dance.

Scene 3: In Praise of Love: Five Drum Dance
Magistrate Byeon longs to see Chunhyang again, while Chunhyang and Mongryong long to meet each other. Their love triangle is expressed through a series of drumbeats that touch our hearts: the beat of harmony; the beat of interference; the beat of emotion.

Scene 4: Faithful Encounter: Signs of Destiny, Waterplay Dance, Lovers’ Dance
While the entire stage is surrounded by a backdrop of water images, the village women appear carrying lanterns. The scene is reminiscent of that depicted in Shin Yun-bok’s genre painting, “Dano Scenery.” The lovers’ dance performed by Mongryong and Chunhyang expresses their yearning.

Scene 5: Banquet: Sword Dance, Courting Dance
At the banquet, the double sword dance begins without Chunhyang and Magistrate Byeon performs his courting dance alone, expressing his love for Chunhyang. One by one the noblemen join in his dance, and the number turns into a group dance.

Scene 6: Love and Parting: Wedding Night, Lovers Part
Once again, we return to the love story between Chunhyang and Mongryong. Villagers gather around to get a peek of the couple’s wedding night through the paper screen doors. The two are very much in love, but circumstances soon separate them. Their dance expresses the pain of despair and parting. They pledge eternal love by breaking Chunhyang’s pendant in half for each to keep.

Scene 7: The Passing of Time: Traditional Percussion Quarter
Music from traditional percussion quartet, depicting the changes of the season and the passing of time following the parting of the lovers.

Scene 8: Eye of Dano Festivities: Singing Accompanied by Gayageum
Magistrate Byeon hosts a drinking party for a group of noblemen, featuring delightful singing accompanied by gayageum.
It is followed by a bamboo fan courting dance by Magistrate Byeon, then by Chunhyang’s dance expressing her unchanging love for Mongryong. The magistrate offers her a pendant as a sign of his love, but Chunhyang keeps declining and ends up throwing the pendant to the ground. The magistrate turns furious and orders here to be put in pillory.

Scene 9: Dream, Dream, Song of Lament, Dream Comes True, Reunited
Magistrate Byeon moves ahead with the banquet, calling more entertainers to the stage. While mingling with mask dance performers, the magistrate challenges one of them to a dance competition, not knowing the performer is actually Mongryong. In the end, when Mongryong reappears without a mask, the magistrate is arrested. Mongryong and Chunhyang put their pendant halves together and deliver their love and joy through the song “Arirang”.

Scene 10: Auspicious Occasion: Wedding, Finale
Their wedding is held, a traditional rite with its elegant, dignified charms. The rite moves on to a series of performances— folk music, dish spinning, ribbon spinning, tightrope walking, small drum dance— ending with the finale.