The Idea of Motherhood in the North Korean Minjok Gageuk Chunhyangjeon : The Gendered Role of Wolmae

Abstract: This study deals with the character of Wolmae, who underwent major alterations in the North Korean Chunhyangjeon (The Tale of Chunhyang) in connection to North Korea’s political milieu and idea of motherhood. The motherhood ideology refers to a system of ideas or beliefs that fundamentally confined women’s lives by assuming that women have mental and physical instincts as mothers. In the original pansori Chunhyang-ga , Wolmae was a snobbish and rough gisaeng who faced many hardships in life. In the North Korean adaptation, however, she is portrayed as a maternal Korean mother who is heartbroken over her daughter Chunhyang’s fate. At the same time, she is also a strong mother who confronts the irrationality of class differences. This modification in Wolmae’s character is closely related to the ideal mother figure, designated as a legal code of conduct in North Korea, and her image is highlighted through the play’s libretto, performance, and music. North Korea’s political system is based on the traditional patriarchal system, and within this framework of state familism, women are forced to perform traditional gender roles. Within this framework, women are positioned as well-educated mothers responsible for educating their children and for contributing to national development as revolutionary subjects.