This thesis analyzes the historical plays of Young Song and Se-deok Hahm that were performed during the war footing period of general mobilization (1937~1945). A historical play in this period was revealed to be a tool to rationalize the colonial rule of the Japanese Empire rather than contribute to inspiring desirable national consciousness. Especially, the historical plays of Song and Hahm were acted as a memorial service internalizing so that the colonial people accepted the realities of a colony naturally and distorted the history of Korea. Song stimulated a colonial people's feeling of defeat by decrying respected historial figures of Korea such as Byeong-yeon Kim and Saimdang Shin, and rationalized the colonial ruling strategy of the Japanese Empire as the result. Hahm also obstructed a critical reflection of pro-Japanese logic embedded in a performance that distorted the historical event of ‘the fall of Baekje Dynasty’ and the story of ‘the Divine Bell (Emille Bell) of Bongdeok-sa (Temple)’ in a romantic and lyrical way. In conclusion, historical plays in the war footing period of the general mobilization was popular plays that were used as merely a tool to propagate the colonial strategy of the Japanese Empire and to instigate the draft rather than its own function of inspiring historical awareness. Popularity of a historical play in this period should be examined much more closely so that historical plays were mobilized in order for the colonial people to internalize the colonial strategy of the Japanese Empire. The reason of this is that the popularity in the war footing period of the general mobilization can be a frame of reference to determine whether or not they were pro-Japanese in the field of culture and arts.

This thesis analyzes the historical plays of Young Song and Se-deok Hahm that were performed during the war footing period of general mobilization (1937~1945). A historical play in this period was revealed to be a tool to rationalize the colonial rule of the Japanese Empire rather than contribute to inspiring desirable national consciousness. Especially, the historical plays of Song and Hahm were acted as a memorial service internalizing so that the colonial people accepted the realities of a colony naturally and distorted the history of Korea. Song stimulated a colonial people's feeling of defeat by decrying respected historial figures of Korea such as Byeong-yeon Kim and Saimdang Shin, and rationalized the colonial ruling strategy of the Japanese Empire as the result. Hahm also obstructed a critical reflection of pro-Japanese logic embedded in a performance that distorted the historical event of ‘the fall of Baekje Dynasty’ and the story of ‘the Divine Bell (Emille Bell) of Bongdeok-sa (Temple)’ in a romantic and lyrical way. In conclusion, historical plays in the war footing period of the general mobilization was popular plays that were used as merely a tool to propagate the colonial strategy of the Japanese Empire and to instigate the draft rather than its own function of inspiring historical awareness. Popularity of a historical play in this period should be examined much more closely so that historical plays were mobilized in order for the colonial people to internalize the colonial strategy of the Japanese Empire. The reason of this is that the popularity in the war footing period of the general mobilization can be a frame of reference to determine whether or not they were pro-Japanese in the field of culture and arts.

historical play, Young Song, Se-deok Hahm, the war footingperiod, popularity, pro-Japanese play.