Here is a story from some 300 years ago, when pansori was regarded as something that only lowly clowns did to entertain commoners. A young boy from a noble family in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do Province neglected his studies and devoted all his time to learning pansori. His name was Kwon Sam-deuk (권삼득) and he was punished severely by his enraged older relatives for sullying the family name. The elders ordered the young boy to be rolled up in a straw mat and beaten. It was a harsh penalty, as some people died from being punished this way, but it was also a socially accepted form of disciplinary action at the time when family honor was more important than a person’s life. Believing that he was doomed to die at the hands of his own family, Kwon pleaded with them to give him one last chance to sing pansori to his heart’s content. Taking pity on the young man, the elders allowed him to sing one last time, but when he did, his singing moved the hearts of so many people that the elders were persuaded to just kick him out of the house, instead of beating him to death. Afterwards, Kwon became a legendary pansori singer whose fame survived to this day. He also created a unique style of singing, which expresses people’s casual behaviors in a musical way. Even now, traditional Korean singers give credit to Kwon when singing in this manner. It is their way of protecting Kwon’s copyright and demonstrating their love and respect for the master artist.
Music 1: An aria from Heungboga/ Sung by Oh Jeong-sook
That was an aria from pansori “Heungboga” in which the greedy Nolbo goes off to hurt a swallow. It was sung by Oh Jeong-sook. Another master singer, Song Heung-rok (송흥록), was applauded as the “king of songs.” When he was young, he was invited to perform at a big party. Everyone was amazed at how great he sang, but only one person, a gisaeng named Maengryeol (맹렬), was not impressed at all. When Song asked her why, she answered that his singing may be technically flawless, but there was much room for improvement. Nursing his wounded pride, Song vowed to improve his singing and practiced relentlessly until he at last moved Maengryeol’s heart and even ended up marrying her. It turned out that Maengryeol played a pivotal role in shaping Song into the king of songs. But it wasn’t easy for a pansori singer to settle down at one place, for he had to travel to wherever he was called to perform. Maengryeol also wasn’t a devoted, selfless wife, who patiently waited for her husband to return home while taking care of the family. One day, when Song arrived home later than planned, Maengryeol got really mad and packed up to leave him. He should have gone after her and begged her to come back, but the first thing he did was to sing a song.

Maengryeol, Maengryeol, fare thee well.
If you are going to leave me, take your affection with you.

Having heard his mournful singing, she changed her mind and followed him home. The melody is said to have survived in the song “Heungtaryeong (흥타령)” of the southern region.
Music 2: Heungtaryeong/ Sung by Ahn Sook-sun
That was the southern folk song “Heungtaryeong” sung by Ahn Sook-sun. Today’s last story is about master singer Lim Bang-ul (임방울) who rose to fame during the Japanese occupational period with his rendition of “Ssukdaemeori (쑥대머리)” from pansori “Chunhyangga (춘향가).” He was so much in love with a woman named Sanhoju (산호주) that he even abandoned his singing career. After about two years of living together with Sanhoju, he suddenly realized that he could not give up on singing and left her to study singing without telling her. After her beloved had left, Sanhoju fell ill and, realizing that she did not have much time left, she went out to search for him. She finally found him practicing in a cave, but the master singer refused to see her. It was his friends who persuaded him to be with her at her deathbed, so Lim left the cave to see her. But alas, he was too late. The requiem he had sung, while cradling her cold body and weeping his heart out, was titled “Reminiscence,” which is sung today by Han Seung-seok with Jung Jae-il at the piano.
Music 3: Reminiscence/ Sori by Han Seung-seok, piano by Jung Jae-il