La Vague Coréenne

Be-Being’s second project is on Korean masque music. Mask cultures are universal phenomena generated and developed worldwide for quite a long time, even before history was recorded. Korea also has its own tradition of mask play inherited and preserved from antiquity until now in various forms around the country. The mask is called Gwang-dae, Chorani, Tal, Talbak, or Talbagaji in Korean, and also written as Myun (面), Gamyun (假面), Myunguh (面具), Daemyun (代面), and Gaduh (假頭) in Sino-Korean words. The title of the project, Yi-myun-gong-jak (裏面工作), refers to an activity or action behind the scene, wire-pulling in the background. It suggests the symbolic power of mask and masquerade, and the whole activities happening in front and back-stage of Korean traditional masque performance.

​

Korean masque music project Yi-myun-gong-jak consists of Be-Being’s original music and bodily performance, both of which are based on reinterpretation of various mask play appointed as the Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea. Especially the mask dance, played by guest performer Dae-Chon Ahn and Hyun-Ho Yun, refers to Jultagi of Jain Palgwangdae (eight clowns’ tightrope dancing in Jain area), Geosa Chum of Bukcheong Saja-nori (monk’s dance, as a part of lion dance in Bukcheong area), and Saja Chum of Bongsan Talchoom (lion’s dance, as a part of mask play in Bongsan area). All the music part is composed by Young-Gyu Jang in reference to the traditional masque art and played by Be-Being’s other members—Ji-Yeon Koh (Gayageum), Won-Il Na (Piri), Joon-il Choi (Janggu), Seung-Hee Lee (Pansori), and Ji-Yoon Chun (Haegeum). As for stage art, installation artist Hyung-ju Lee mixes her original design and the traditional masks, attire, and props in harmony.

Since the pre-historic era, Korean masque culture has been developed around the country with its own tradition as well as outside interference. It is not only a traditional art form including theater, dance, costume, music, and mask, but also a ritualistic ceremony of favor seeking, praying, healing, and exorcism, in which the traditional way of thinking and living are inscribed. Following its growth, decline, and survival in the history of Korea, Be-Being attempts to communicate the profound tradition to the contemporary audience.