A popular work that caused a boom in female Korean opera in Korea!
A unique world of a 1950s female Korean opera troupe, rare even for Koreans! It’s like a musical version of ‘Glass Mask,’ of famous Japanese comic, depicting the story of two genius girls in song and acting.
Even Koreans who are unfamiliar with it are instantly captivated by the world of all-female ‘Gukguk’ (Korean musical drama). Thanks to this drama, the popularity of all-female ‘Gukguk’ has skyrocketed, with tickets selling out every time, and it’s said that new productions are being actively announced.
Her,Heroine Kim Te-ri, unbelievable singing ability, recognized for both her acting and star power in the movie ‘The Handmaiden’ and the drama ‘Revenant,’ and the competition and growth of the genius girls make each episode fly by. Korean all-female ‘Gukguk’, which is different from Takarazuka of Japan, is truly interesting.
Recommend for
・Those who love musicals
・Those who like Asian historical story
・Those who like stories about the competition and growth of geniuses
Synopsis
A. This is a story about the short but brilliant heyday of Women’s Gukguk (Women’s National Opera), a genre forgotten in history.
Beginning with the organization of the Women’s Gukguk Society in 1948, a new genre called Women’s Gukguk, comprised entirely of women, emerged. Women’s Gukguk quickly captured the hearts of the public, and its popularity did not wane even during the Korean War. It reached its peak after the Korean war ended.
However, with the rise in popularity of new media such as film and television, the dazzling golden age of Women’s Gukguk came to an end all too soon.
Today, there are not many who even know of its existence, but it certainly existed in our history and enjoyed overwhelming popularity. I want to depict Women’s Gukguk, its actors, their joys and frustrations, laughter and tears.
B. A coming-of-age story about Jeong-nyeon and Yeon-seo, two Gukguk prodigies, set against the unique backdrop of a Women’s Gukguk troupe.
Jeong-nyeon has never been formally taught by anyone, but her innate talent for singing, acting, and more is so outstanding that she catches the attention of many. With no background or resources, Jeong-nyeon learns Gukguk through trial and error. Yeon-seo, on the other hand, is the epitome of a chosen elite.
With a famous soprano as her mother, Yeon-seo is an elite who has grown up learning to sing from a master called a “Guksang” since she was young.
Yeon-seo is constantly tense and anxious about Jeong-nyeon’s prodigious talent, which seems to threaten her. Jeong-nyeon, too, is surprised to find that just when she thinks she is one step ahead of Yeon-seo, Yeon-seo is already two steps ahead.
Because everything about them is different from the start – their personalities, upbringing, and temperament – Jeong-nyeon and Yeon-seo are constantly at odds. But at some point, they realize that they have been able to grow constantly because of each other. They’ve come this far because of each other. I want to focus on depicting the story of the two geniuses’ conflict.
C. A story of brilliant people who never give up and pursue their dreams.
In the late 1950s, Seoul, immediately after the Korean War, fostered hope and vitality to heal the wounds of war in every aspect of daily life, even amidst despair.
It was a dark time, but then, as now, hope always began to sprout as people dreamed in their daily lives. Ironically, Women’s Gukguk blossomed in the mid-to-late 1950s, immediately after the war. Even in that time, thought to be dark and despairing,
There were people who chased their dreams. I want to write a story about brilliant people who never give up and pursue their dreams in any moment.
Story
Post-Korean War, 1950s. Jeong-nyeon, a girl selling fish in Mokpo, captivates people with her natural talent as a Pansori singer. Her mother deeply dislikes Jeong-nyeon singing, but one day, Moon Ok-gyeong, a major star of Korean traditional opera (Gukguk), happens to hear her singing on the street and recognizes her extraordinary talent. Ok-gyeong personally takes Jeong-nyeon to an audition held by the Maeran Gukguk Troupe. Having received the recommendation of a major star, Jeong-nyeon experiences difficult times due to the envy and jealousy of her peers.
There, Jeong-nyeon meets Yeon-seo and Ju-ran, absolute masters referred to as genius girls. Yeon-seo, with a different upbringing and singing style than Jeong-nyeon, is an elite who strives constantly to gain recognition from her mother and family.
Yeon-seo, who possesses a skill level that has never encountered a rival, begins to feel jealousy and competitiveness toward Jeong-nyeon’s sudden emergence. The two are wary of each other, yet they grow together, conscious of the other’s presence.
In the “Chun-hyang Jeon” performance by the trainees, Jeong-nyeon flawlessly performs the role of Bang-ja (Servant of Hero) despite the obstruction and various difficulties from her colleagues, surprising everyone. A new Gukguk star was born.
Characters
Yoon Jeong-nyeon (Kim Te-ri)
19 years old, research student at the Mae-ran Korean Opera Troupe
“Even if Mom kills me for it, I have to do what I want to do now.”
A prodigy of Pansori (Korean narrative song). With a naturally gifted timbre, rich volume, a wide vocal range that freely manipulates high and low notes, and heartrending emotional expression, she possesses all the fundamentals of a true *Sorikkun* (storyteller through song). Jeong-nyeon has loved singing since she was a child. The ability to produce the sounds she wanted and the reactions she got from people who listened to her songs were both thrilling and satisfying.
However, for some reason, her mother, Young-rae, vehemently hated Jeong-nyeon singing. Every time Jeong-nyeon sang, she would scold her until she cried, hit her shins, and deprive her of meals. Still, Jeong-nyeon loved to sing and did so in secret, away from her mother’s eyes. Moreover, she could even earn a bit of pocket money by singing in the market, so why did her mother hate it so much?
She’s not just good at singing. She’s also known as a resourceful person who is good at digging up clams and selling fish. Whatever she sets her mind to, she does it thoroughly. She possesses a frightening survival instinct and tenacity that would allow her to survive being dropped in the desert ten times over. She also has a bright personality and a remarkable ability to befriend anyone. Until the age of 19, Jeong-nyeon’s world was limited to Mokpo, and her only wish was to eat three proper meals a day. This small world of Jeong-nyeon’s is turned upside down when she meets Ok-kyung, who comes from Seoul.
Through Ok-kyung, a leading national opera actor of the time, Jeong-nyeon watches a Korean opera performance for the first time and is captivated by a world she could never have imagined. After many twists and turns, Jeong-nyeon joins the Mae-ran Korean Opera Troupe in Seoul. Her goal is singular: to become a male role actress in the opera troupe like Moon Ok-kyung. As soon as Jeong-nyeon enters the opera troupe, she becomes the target of everyone’s hatred because she is said to be favored by Ok-kyung, the opera troupe’s “prince.”
Amidst all this, only Ju-ran treats Jeong-nyeon kindly. Regardless of whether those around her hate her or not, Jeong-nyeon endures it all with her innate survival instincts and tenacity. However, there is one person she just can’t seem to handle: her roommate, Yeon-seo, who is destined to be her rival! A cold, haughty, and arrogant girl like a blizzard.
Yeon-seo herself is an elite who has followed the formal route under a renowned master. She blatantly ignores Jeong-nyeon, seeing her as just some girl who sang in the market. Jeong-nyeon is furious, but she can’t say anything because Yeon-seo’s skills are outstanding. She had always been confident in her singing, but after listening to Yeon-seo’s song, Jeong-nyeon is taken aback. “Well, she has every right to be so proud…”
Jeong-nyeon also has another talent that she herself was unaware of: acting. She can immerse herself in any role to a terrifying degree and deliver a performance that captivates the audience. Just as this talent begins to blossom, and she is about to emerge as a dark horse to rival Yeon-seo, Jeong-nyeon encounters an unexpected obstacle and suffers a setback…
Heo Young-seo (Shin Ye-eun)
19 years old, Trainee at the Me-ran National Theater Company
“It’s only because my skills as your partner were good, not because you were skilled!”
A proud and aloof ice princess. She never opens her heart first, nor does she easily trust anyone. She wears pride and arrogance like impenetrable armor. The harder things get, the more painful it is, the higher she raises her head, refusing to bow or yield to anyone. The members of the National Theater Company call Yeon-seo “a true blue-blood.”
Her father is the president of a medical university, her mother a famous soprano singer, and her older sister, Yeong-in, is also a rising soprano star, making theirs a family blessed with wealth, fame, and refinement. Yeon-seo also studied vocal music from a young age but realized early on that she could never surpass her sister in that field. She feared that if she remained in her sister’s shadow for life, she would never receive her mother’s affection.
Yeon-seo gave up vocal music and learned Pansori under a renowned master. After relentless effort, she developed skills recognized by her teacher. Around that time, she encountered national theater and became captivated by its charm. Her mother vehemently opposed it, but Yeon-seo stubbornly joined the National Theater Company anyway. However, Yeon-seo is still not free from her mother’s influence.
Even now, she desperately craves her mother’s approval and longs for her warm words of encouragement. She envies and resents the fact that her sister, a vocal prodigy, receives so much of their mother’s love as she grows into a famous soprano singer. She wonders if, one day, when she plays a male role in a national theater production, her mother will look at her with the same warmth and pride as she looks at her sister. Yeonseo lives fiercely every minute and every second, solely for that day.
Driven by the desire to gain her mother’s approval as soon as possible, Yeon-seo constantly feels like she is being chased by something. She has a solid foundation in singing, dancing, and acting techniques, lacking in none, but she has been aware of her weakness for some time. It’s her inability to fully immerse herself in a role and to enjoy being on stage.
Jeong-nyeon relentlessly stimulates this complex of Yeon-seo’s. It wasn’t just Jeong-nyeon’s outstanding singing ability; it was her acting! Watching Jeongn-yeon’s acting felt like being struck in the back of the head. Jeong-nyeon’s performance was as if she had become one with the character she was playing. Yeon-seo, who had never experienced such immersion and concentration, was witnessing Jeong-nyeon achieve it, despite being a newcomer to the national theater.
Yeon-seo tries her best to ignore Jeong-nyeon, but the more she does, the more anxious she becomes about Jeong-nyeon’s terrifying talent. And the more resentful she feels. Is the weight of my effort truly meaningless in the face of Jeong-nyeon’s innate talent? However, Yeon-seo is yet to discover even half of her potential.
Kang So-bok (La Mi-ran)
Age 43, Director of the Maeran National Theater Troupe
“I don’t force anyone who doesn’t want to be taught. Not everyone is cut out to be a performer.”
She possesses a cool charisma. Over a decade ago, when she was renowned as a leading female singer, she gathered female *gukgeuk* performers and boldly founded the Maeran National Theater Troupe, defying the mockery and doubt that said, “Women doing *changgeuk* together?.” With a relentless schedule of regular performances, national tours, trainee performances, and special performances, they are currently the most popular female *gukgeuk* troupe. She has a strong-willed personality and can’t offer insincere flattery.
She is clear about saying yes or no. She is strict with her disciples, but even stricter with herself. She is so rigidly earnest that she’d rather break than bend, like a split bamboo. This personality makes it difficult for her to keep up with current trends, but it also makes her a reliable support for the troupe members. She cares deeply for the members of the *gukgeuk* troupe, but doesn’t show it much.
As a child, she learned to sing from Im Jin, who was known as a *gukchang*. Choi Gon-seong was studying with her at the time. Seo Bok, a prodigy who was confident in her singing, began to feel increasingly inferior in the face of Gon-seong’s suddenly apparent genius. She resented Gon-seong for instilling inferiority and despair in her, but ultimately had to acknowledge Gon-seong’s talent.
After the day she cried listening to Gon-seong’s “Chasing the Moon with Love,” she could no longer hate Gon-seong. The two later became close friends, but one day Gon-seong, having lost his voice, left Seo Bok’s side, and Seo Bok continued down the path of a performer alone. Now, many years later, a child named Jeong-nyeon appears before So Bok.
Moon Ok-gyong (Chung Eun-chae)
34 years old, a member of the Meilan National Drama Troupe.
“You know? I hate being bored more than anything.”
She is the leading male role in the Meilan National Drama Troupe and considered the greatest national drama prince of modern times. More like a crown prince, really! She’s always relaxed and has a poker face that makes it impossible to know what she’s thinking. Even her closest companions, Hye-rang and the sharp-eyed Sobok, can’t fully read Ok-gyeong’s mind. Before becoming a national drama actor, she was a gisaeng. When she was addicted to opium and drifting from one opium den to another, Sobok, who had always recognized Ok-gyeong’s talent, suggested she try national drama. Ok-gyeong used this opportunity to quit opium and dedicate herself to national drama.
Ok-gyeong has achieved great success as a national drama actor, so much so that there are rumors she’s raking in money by the mat-load, captivating countless female fans. Because of Ok-gyeong, several female fans have run away from home or even attempted suicide. At one point, she even took wedding photos due to the desperate pleas of a fan who wanted at least a fake wedding ceremony. Those who see her on stage forget that Ok-gyeong is a woman, as she perfectly embodies male roles.
She is particularly skilled at delicate melodrama acting. Female audience members imagine themselves as Ok-gyeong’s partner on stage, feeling their hearts flutter with each glance and gesture, unsure of what to do. Although she reigns as the top star in national drama thanks to her outstanding acting ability and star power, Ok-gyeong has, for some time, felt an endless sense of boredom and emptiness. With repeated repertoire, similar characters, and no rivals, Ok-gyeong is no longer stimulated by anything and has lost interest in national drama. Her greatest enemy is precisely that boredom.
She becomes bored with familiarity and stability, and boredom suffocates her. Whether it’s a person or national drama, she has a cold-hearted side, abandoning anyone she loses interest in without a second thought. The only person in the national drama troupe who piques her interest is Jeong-nyeon, whom she is extraordinarily interested in. Meeting Jeong-nyeon has made Ok-gyeong feel un-bored for the first time in a long while. She hopes that Jeong-nyeon will one day threaten her position as prince and opens up the world of national drama to him.
Seo Hae-rang (Kim Eun-hae)
34 years old, member of the Mae-ran National Opera Troupe.
34 years old, a member of the Mae-ran National Drama Troupe.
“I guarantee it. Yun Jeong-nyeo will self-destruct in the next performance.”
The undisputed leading female role (oyama) of the Mae-ran National Opera Troupe, and considered the troupe’s princess. Her dancing is unmatched, and her demeanor is elegant and graceful. She is sharp-witted, with a cunningly quick mind. She lived in the same gibang as Ok-gyeong. When Ok-gyeong joined the National Opera Troupe, she also left the gibang and joined the troupe.
At the time, she didn’t genuinely want to perform national opera like Ok-gyeong, nor did she have great ambitions. However, she also possessed talent as a performer and quickly rose to prominence as a national opera actress. Now, national opera has meaning for her only because she can be with Ok-gyeong. The Mae-ran National Opera Troupe without Ok-gyeong is just an empty shell to Hae-ran.
Therefore, the leading roles in the Mae-ran National Opera Troupe should always be Ok-gyeong and herself, and no one is allowed to threaten their positions. She is wary of any talent who seems even slightly threatening to Ok-gyeong and secretly crushes them. Lately, every time she sees Ok-gyeong’s eyes occasionally lose their light and turn vacant, her heart pounds anxiously.
She quickly recognized Yeon-seo’s weaknesses and limitations and judged that she would not threaten Ok-gyeong’s position, so she pretends to support Yeon-seo outwardly. She also believes that Jeong-nyeon has clear limitations and will struggle to improve, but she dislikes that Ok-gyeong finds Jeong-nyeon interesting and shows her attention, so she is instinctively wary and jealous.
Hong Ju-ran (Woo Da-bi)
19 years old, Meilan National Opera Troupe Trainee
“Someday, you’ll be the male lead, and I’ll be the female lead, and we’ll perform opposite each other on stage.”
She appears introverted and timid, but once she makes up her mind, she’s surprisingly brave and strong-willed. Ju-ran’s family is poor, and her sister suffers from a lung disease. Ju-ran should have been earning even a little to help with the household expenses and her sister’s medicine. However, after seeing a performance by the Mae-ran National Opera Troupe, Ju-ran leaves home, determined to become a national opera actor.
She worries about her struggling parents and her sister with lung disease, but her desire to perform opera outweighs her guilt. Although she joins the opera troupe, she can’t escape the bottom ranks. Having left her family behind, she feels pathetic and loses confidence because she can’t even get a single line.
Still, she secretly hopes that if she works hard, the day will come when she can become a star in the opera troupe like Helan, and she devotes herself to practice every day. Then one day, she meets Chunyan. While everyone envies and is jealous of Chunyan, Julan is the only one who treats her warmly. She liked Chunyan’s carefree and bright personality, and she envied her active and brave attitude towards everything, which was different from her own timid nature.
Inspired by Jeong-nyeon’s acting, Ju-ran gradually begins to discover her potential as an actor, a potential she didn’t even know she possessed. Just as she was about to transform from an insignificant ugly duckling into a swan, Ju-ran makes a choice that no one expected.
A kind of shocking drama… It’s surprising that a drama with such high artistic merit and unique theme would come out, and even more surprising that it wasn’t produced by Netflix, which usually provides the strongest production funding.
While her acting skills and star power were acknowledged, no one imagined Kim Tae-ri could pull off such a difficult role. Kim Go-eun, the heroine of the drama ‘Goblin,’ showcased her singing voice on various shows, even leading to programs centered around her vocals, but Kim Tae-ri’s singing talent was something no one had ever imagined.
Her singing voice is so beautiful that you might think she’s using a stand-in. Kim Tae-ri and Shin Ye-eun (the child actress who played the villain in ‘The Glory’) confidently and flawlessly perform, even earning praise from masters of Korean traditional song ‘Pansori’ for their god-like abilities. Especially Kim Tae-ri; through this drama, her brand transformed from one of a promising young leading actress to an actress on another level with outstanding acting skills.
Besides Kim Tae-ri, another person whose image has positively and dramatically changed through this drama is Jung Eun-chae. After several infidelity allegations tarnished her image, she is now recognized for her androgynous charm and acting skills through this drama. Despite the negative image, she quietly continued to show different sides of herself in numerous projects with small roles (such as ‘Son: The Guest,’ ‘Anna,’ and ‘Pachinko’), and it’s finally paying off.
The final episode, which reached a national viewership rating of 17%, was so popular that various predictions about its ending were overflowing in entertainment news and on YouTube weeks in advance.
We love Korean Dramas! Thank you for enjoying!
XOXO
