How many traditional pansori stories have survived in both written and folk forms?

While it is often cited that there were originally 12 madang (song cycles) in the pansori repertoire, only 5 of these traditional stories have survived to be performed in the 21st century.1

These five surviving song cycles are:

• Chunhyangga: A love story between an upper-class man and the daughter of a kisaeng.1
• Simcheongga: The tale of a woman who sacrifices herself to restore her father's eyesight.1
• Sugungga: A witty, satiric story about a hare in a sea kingdom.1
• Heungbuga: A narrative concerning the struggle between good and evil within a brotherhood.1
• Cheokbyeokga: A story based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms that depicts the Battle of the Red Cliff.1

Performers today rarely present these cycles in their entirety, as a full performance could last up to 10 hours. Instead, they often select specific episodes or variations known as deoneum.1