영화 <춘향전>(1923년 작)의 지향 - 원작 고소설과의 연관성을 중심으로 -

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine what variant was the source of <Chunhyangjeon> produced in 1923, the first silent movie in the Japanese colonial era, among a number of printed books of Korean old novels distributed back then. Since no original film or scenario of this work remains at present, the details are unknown. There are secondary data available such as articles in newspapers and magazines, and some existing researches reflect the cultural historical situations during those times, but the relation between the original novel and the film has been out of the picture even though examining the relation specifically can be an alternative to approach the work's substance with no original text remaining. Accordingly, examined were newspaper articles and statements of movie figures who acted back then as clues about the variant that was the source of Hayakawa(早川)'s work, on which existing researches did not pay attention. Additionally, achievements of Hayakawa are briefly considered, and examined were variants that were distributed in time of his film production among Japanese translations of <Chunhyangjeon> that he as a Japanese living in Joseon was most likely to obtain. Based on the result, the contents of four variants in Japanese which were highly probable of becoming the source of the film were compared. In all of the four variants, the section of the bridal night of Chunhyang and Mongryong was deleted. Omitting this sensational scene weakened Chunhyang's image as a Korean geisha and highlighted her grace and idealized character as a virtuous woman. This trend was in common among all <Chunhyangjeon> variants released in the 20th century including <Okjunghwa(獄中花)>, and it was further strengthened in these four Japanese translations. In addition to comparing variants, examined were newspaper advertisements, most of which used the statement: "a story of Chunhyang, an unparalleled virtuous woman(萬古烈女)." In the market of printed books of Korean old novels, various types titles were used to decorate the story of <Chunhyangjeon> such as "an absolutely beautiful woman(絶大佳人)", "a beautiful woman in prison(獄中佳人)," etc., and it is noteworthy that the expression, "an unparalleled virtuous woman," was chosen, which indicates the image of Chunhyang that Hayakawa wanted to show cinema audiences. To Hayakawa, Chunhyang was a character of "a virtuous woman," and thus the film <Chunghyangjeon> did not focus on representing a Korean geisha, as discussed in existing researches but certainly intended to highlight her image as a virtuous woman.