National Living Treasure
January 18, 2018 DOI: 10.4324/9781315198156-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Treasure Archaeology |
| Key points | Argues that Korean shamanism, historically persecuted, is experiencing a revival and gaining public recognition, particularly as its rituals are revived as theatrical performances within the performing arts and tourism industries, reflecting a broader revaluation of traditional culture in the globalization era. |
Abstract
Korean shamanism, subjected to control and persecution by state authorities for centuries, is experiencing a startling revival. It was also a moment when anthropology and shamanism gained public recognition in Korean society. In contemporary Korea, where the performing arts industry is large and well established, many people make their living in various areas such as dance, drama, movies, music, and visual arts and so on. In contemporary Korea, traditional values, which were a target of the modernization campaign only a few decades ago, have been re-evaluated in various areas according to the new demands, such as cultural conservation and tourism, of the so-called ‘globalization era’. Shamanism is no exception. It has become a valuable indigenous cultural tradition in the areas of folklore, literature, visual arts, drama, music and tourism, in all of which shamanic ritual is revived as a form of theatrical performance.