How did pansori develop from shamanistic chants into narrative performance?

The development of pansori from its roots into a narrative performance is a complex evolution. While many scholars point to muga (shamanic songs) as the ultimate origin of the genre—citing melodic similarities between pansori and the shamanic music of the Jeolla region—it was not a singular transition.1

Instead, pansori emerged from a synthesis of these ritualistic chants and broader public entertainment traditions known as pannoreum, which encompassed song, narration, dance, and dramatic gesture. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries, this form was transformed from a ritual-based performance into a secular vehicle for treating popular customs and everyday life.12

Professional entertainers known as kwangdae adopted this developing form as their livelihood, performing in open venues like markets and public squares. As the genre evolved, it incorporated satire to critique contemporary society while promoting traditional virtues. Over time, these oral narratives were recorded and expanded into written fiction, solidifying pansori as a cornerstone of Korean oral literature.324