Since ancient times, Korean people have been recognised for their love of music, including Pansori Epic Chant. With its passionate mournful sounds, this unique performance has stirred the hearts of Koreans for generations.
Originating from 17th-century shamanistic music during the Joseon Dynasty in southwest Korea, Pansori was initially enjoyed by farmers, but as time passed and skills improved, it became more popular among nobles.
The 19th century was deemed the golden age of Pansori with more sophisticated literary content available and was well-liked among the urban elite. However, during the Japanese occupation and modernization of Korea in the 20th century, its popularity decreased until it nearly vanished after World War II. At the height of the Joseon Dynasty, there were twelve texts (madang) that formed the Pansori repertoire and were passed along orally. Today, there are only five.
The name Pansori is derived from Korean. Pan means "a place where many people gather" and sori means "noise" or "sound". A Pandori performance usually consists of a singer (sorikkun), either male or female, who is the central figure, and a drummer (gosu). Each wearing a traditional Korean outfit. As part of an eight-hour performance, a singer intertwines rural and erudite literary expressions while accompanied by a barrel drum.
Throughout the performance, the singer sings, speaks, uses gestures and a fan to describe scenery, to depict character expressions, and so on. Meanwhile, the drummer plays in rhythm while encouraging the singer. Pansori's complex and expressive singing, rhythm, and melody distinguish it from other forms of chant.
When learning Pansori, a person needs a strong voice that comes from the stomach. To master the broad range of distinctive vocal timbres and master their intricate repertoires, Pansori singers undergo lengthy and rigorous training. Many virtuosos have developed their own original interpretations and are famous for their particular presentation of episodes.
As a result of Korea's rapid modernization, Pansori was designated a National Intangible Cultural Property in 1964. The action resulted in generous institutional support, which in turn facilitated a revival of this tradition. While the number of Pansori performers has increased significantly in the 21st century, the genre has struggled to attract broad public appeal. Now Pansori audiences tend to be older people, traditional music scholars or students, and the elite. In some ways, the original spontaneity of Pansori has been lost.
The reason for this recent evolution is ironically due to the preservation process itself, as improvisation is becoming increasingly stifled by the increasing number of texts. There are fewer singers today who are able to successfully improvise, and contemporary audiences are less responsive to Pansori's traditional impromptu creativity and language.