How did Western realism influence Korean theatre in the early 20th century?

In the early 20th century, Western realism significantly influenced Korean theatre through the "new drama" (singgug) movement, which emerged as a departure from traditional performance styles.12

This influence manifested in several key ways:

• The "New School" (Shimpa): Beginning around 1908, troupes performed sentimental melodramas known as shimpa, a style adopted from Japan that introduced audiences to more modern, Western-influenced theatrical conventions.1
• Institutional Study and Translation: In 1931, the formation of the Society for the Study of Dramatic Art marked a pivotal shift. Members focused on studying and staging translations of modern European plays, moving away from traditional forms toward contemporary Western dramatic literature.12
• Social and Political Protest: By 1940, approximately 100 amateur groups were utilizing realistic "new drama" as a deliberate vehicle for social and political critique. This reflected a broader shift toward using theatre to address contemporary reality rather than relying on the stylized, nonrealistic conventions of classical Asian performance.13
• Original Playwriting: The movement encouraged the creation of original Korean works that embraced these realistic techniques, such as Yu Ch’ijin’s T’omak (1933).2