Chunhyang, Orpheus, and Other Myths
The Song of Chunhyang: A Korean Myth
The Song of Chunhyang is neither a novel nor a play, but a p’ansori: “an epic singing narrative native to Korea and perhaps the most minimal theatre form in the world … that requires many hours to perform.”1 As such, it poses many challenges for film and television adaptation. But, simply put, Chunhyang is Korea’s Romeo and Juliet. This passionate love story between Mong-nyong, the teenage son of a governor, and Chunhyang, the beautiful young daughter of a former courtesan – interwoven with passages of their servants’ ribald comedy and tragedy as the lovers are torn apart – is universal in its appeal.
According to Kim Chong-Un and Richard Rutt, “the oldest datable ...
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