신극’의 지속을 위한 모색과 화두로서의 ‘중간극’

Abstract

This study tries to elucidate the discourses brought on by the ‘middle-theater’ that appeared as an agenda for the Chosun theatrical world in late 1930’s. The middle-theater referred to the eclectic theatrical works appeared in Japan. But Park`s claim for middle-thater was similar to the popularized way of the Shin-hyup and the second period of the Keuk-yeon. Meanwhile, the Keuk-yeon had no option but to take a doubtful position about middle-theater. This is because the maintaining the cultural capital included in the sign ‘new-drama’ was a way to unify the existing audience of the Keuk-yeon - the intellects. Moreover, as the value of the new-drama had been formed through a distinction from commercial plays, Keuk-yeon could not help denounce the play of Chungangmudae as nothing but a commercial play. But there were complaints about the monopolistic cultural capital of the Keuk-yeon, and it was hard to identify an actual difference between new-drama and middle theater. Therefore, the extension of new-drama was expanded as new-drama world that included the middle-theater group. Moreover, the new-drama group had become gradually differentiated in adopting different position about middle-theater. Afterwards, the term of middle-theater disappeared from the field of discourse, but it’s critical consciousness was succeeded by the term ‘attraction’ of the new-drama. This had relevance to the audience pool that displayed a tendency of a class mixing. Finally, the existing dichotomy to divide new-drama and middle-theater according to commercialism was no longer useful in late 1930’s. In other words, the new-drama group was given the task of proving its value of existence. Therefore, focus must be centered around the fact that the theoretical criticism produced at this time was the result of earnest effort to find the survival plan of new-drama.