A Study on Strategic Measures for Traditional Performing Arts - Focusing on Samul Nori -

Korean traditional arts that have been designated as intangible cultural heritage are facingthe demand for change towards modernization in accordance with the amendment of relatedlegislation. In particular, “popularization” and “modernization” are becoming more emphasizedin traditional performing arts under the growing importance of culture and the influence ofcultural industries since the 2000s.In response, this study seeks strategies from the perspective of cultural contents in order topresent measures to popularize and modernize performing arts designated as intangiblecultural heritage.Traditional performing arts designated as intangible cultural heritage include nongak andNamsadang Nori , which reflect the culture and lives of the common folk. Samul nori emergedduring the late 1970s based on the two art forms, and has since become an established genreamong the traditional performing arts of Korea, amassing symbolic significance and popularappeal over the past 40 years to become a representative form of Korea’s traditional music andculture, both in Korea and abroad. As such, samulnori is noteworthy in terms of the modernevolution and creative transmission of tradition.This study examines samulnori as a case study of cultural contents from the perspective ofmodernization and popularization. As a result, this study discovered aspects such as theemergence of non-verbal performance through interaction with other genres, the phenomenonthrough which the term samulnori became a proper noun, the introduction and utilization ofrelated educational programs, and strategic overseas activities.By exploring such aspects, this study was able to identify the following: (1) varioustransformations in response to popular (consumer) demand; (2) development of anindependent cultural brand; (3) acquisition and establishment of a dedicated consumer base; and (4) strategic measures targeting the global market. In addition, the adequacy and utility ofthe aforementioned strategic measures were verified through their application to performancesother than samulnori that have received critical acclaim.This study presented a systematic response for the popularization and modernization oftraditional performing arts, and thereby expanded the scope of the related academic field,which had been limited to a focus on institutional improvements.