대중가요에 나타난 이주와 이산: 초창기에서 1980년대까

Abstract

The present study shows images of the above mentioned period with an analysis of such themes as the emigration and the dispersion within Korean popular songs, especially those of nostalgia. As Japanese gramophone record companies opened their branch offices in Korea since the beginning of 1930s, Korean ones were founded also. With those changes began the heyday of popular songs in Korea, of which main themes were concerned with the emigration and the dispersion of Korean people. Due to the forced mobilization of Koreans in a series of wars, such as the Manchurian Incident, the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Pacific War, appeared songs of nostalgia. With the increase of Korean emigration into Manchuria, which was to the considerable extent forced by promoting migration policies of the Japanese governor-general in Korea as well as those of the 'Manchukuo', a Japanese puppet state in Manchuria, came on the stage songs of nostalgia such as 'Jjil-le-kkot' (찔레꽃 White Wild Rose or Rosa polyantha). As far as the Japanese mainland was concerned as a destination of Koreans' emigration, songs of nostalgia could be hardly found. It was due to Koreans' awareness of the oppression from the part of Japan and the consequent restrictions of expression about their own negative mind and emotion toward Japan. The anguish from dispersion could be only implicitly expressed in those songs about Shimonoseki-Pusan ferry (關釜連絡船). It was not until the National Liberation of Korea in 1945 and after that popular songs about suffering emigration and tragic dispersion under Japanese colonial rule appeared. Such songs could be hardly composed before the National Liberation due to the restrictions on open and free expression, though there had been already the Japanese seize of agrarian lands in 1910s~1920s and the consequent massive emigration of Koreans into Manchuria, and exploitations of human resources in the form of requisition, conscription, even kidnaping of girls for sexual slaves ('comfort women') during the end period of the Pacific War. The pleasure of the long waited National Liberation was short lived due to the division of Korea into South and North. Koreans' deep sorrow at that time was expressed in popular songs such as 'Ga-Go-Ra-Sam-Pal-Son' (가거라 삼팔선 Go away The 38th Parallel North). The South and North division led to the Korean War, the greatest tragedy in the contemporary history of Korea. Grievances from refuges, sorrow of losing family members, homesickness over leaving one's own birthplace lasted in popular songs even after signing the Armistice Agreement. Furthermore followed the repatriation of Japanese Koreans to the North Korea, although most of their birthplaces were located in the South Korea, for the purpose of reconstruction of the North Korea, which was heavily devastated during the war. Sorrows of dispersions were expressed in the popular songs of those days also. An economic development project in the South Korea began to be realized by the military government since 1961 coup. This project gave rise to the tremendous social changes such as the dissolution of traditional peasant societies, rapid industrialization and urbanization, massive emigrations from villages to cities. Shocks from immense visual changes in birthplaces, stresses from harsh conditions of strange urban life, nostalgia that never calmed down, exciting mind of revisiting birthplaces during traditional holidays, all these consequences of domestic emigrations were described in popular songs. In the mid-1970s there were massive homecomings of overseas Koreans including the Pro-Pyongyang Japanese Koreans and other Koreans of the hostile countries owing to special visiting project. This social atmosphere was also the precondition that brought out famous popular songs such as 'Dol -A-Wa-Yo-Bu-San-Hang-E' (돌아와요 부산항에 Come back to Pusan Port). In 1971, the first Red Cross talks between North and South Korea were held for the reunion of divided families. On July 4, 1972, the North-South Joint Statement was issued. In 1983 KBS hosts a ‘Campaign to Reunite Ten Million Divided Families’ telethon that attracts millions looking for their divided families. This social atmosphere was also reflected in popular songs of these days. Since the mid-1980s, however, we can hardly find popular songs concerning emigration and dispersion. Many changes such as the liberalization of overseas travels in Korea, the treaties of amity with the Soviet Union as well as China, dazzling advancement of transportation and communication have shortened distances between everyone's present place of residence and one's own birthplace and also softened feeling of lonesomeness and isolation which caused from emigration. This means almost the end of popular songs about emigration and dispersion.