Narrative
The Tale of Chunhyang
춘향전
Anonymous · 1750
Synopsis
In Namwon, Yi Mongryong, the magistrate's son, falls in love at first sight with Chunhyang, the daughter of a former courtesan, beautiful and gifted for poetry. They marry in secret, but the young man's father is summoned to Seoul and Yi must follow him. The new magistrate, Byeon Hakdo, wants to force Chunhyang to become his courtesan. In the name of conjugal fidelity, she refuses, and she is thrown into prison.
Context
The text, by an unknown author, took its present form between the late seventeenth and the early nineteenth century and is one of the twelve tales of the pansori repertoire. It sets love against class barriers, denounces abuse of power and features a woman who turns Confucian principles against the man who wants to coerce her. Translated into French as early as 1892, it appeared with Zulma in 1999 in the translation by Choi Mikyung and Jean-Noël Juttet, based on the version known as wanpan.
Who it is for
A lively, sung narrative, accessible to any reader; it is the most famous love story of Korea.
Prizes and reception
The tale has inspired many adaptations, in Asia and beyond, including television series.