본 논문은 일제강점기 관객 수용을 통해 한국 연극의 대중성에 대해 살펴본 것이다. 이에 본 논문은 크게 세 가지 측면에서 논의해 보았다. 먼저 대중극단들의 막간극이 어떻게 관객에게 수용되었는지 살펴 보았다. 막간극은 막과 막 사이 관객들에게 단순한 흥미를 주고자 올린 연극 형태이다. 그렇지만 이러한 형태는 오히려 본 연극보다 관객들에게 호응을 얻었으며 이를 보기 위해 극장을 찾는 이가 있을 정도로 파급 효과가 컸다. 이는 관객들을 퇴영적 도피성에 젖게 만든다는 단점이 있지만 끊임없는 공연을 통해 다양한 흥밋거리를 제공하였다는 점에서는 그 의미가 있다. 두 번째는 1930년대 ‘극예술연구회’와 대중극단들의 관객 수용 양상이다. 극예술연구회는 대표적인 사 실주의 연극 집단이었지만 1936년 <춘향전> 공연 이후 대극장을 통한 대중성 확보에 힘쓰게 된다. 또한 대중극단들은 이전의 단순하고 퇴영적 모습에서 벗어나 잘 짜인 연극을 통해 더욱 두터운 관객층을 수용 하게 된다. 그렇지만 1940년대 초 이른바 국민연극 시대에 와서는 노골적으로 일본정신을 심는 국책극 만이 남아 관객은 하나의 도구로 여겨지기도 하였는데 한국 연극사에서 가장 큰 변화 양상을 보이는 시 기로 기록된다. 일제강점기 대중들은 여러 측면에서 제한적 위치에 놓여있었지만 공연예술을 보며 집단적 체험을 통 해 時代苦를 잊고 문화를 향유하는 집단으로 거듭난다. 또한 여러 장르의 변화 과정 속에서 수용, 소비, 생산주체로 참여하여 다양한 변형 발전에 참여한다는 점에서 그 의미가 있을 것이다.

The author in this study investigated the popularity of Korean dramas during Japanese colonial rule from the view of audience reception in three aspects. First, the ways of audience’s reception of interludes provided by popular dramatic companies. Interludes are a type of drama in order to simply arouse an interest in audience between acts. However, interludes were more popularized than main dramas, and some even visited theaters just to see interludes. Despite the fault that audience were indulged in retrogressive avoidance, interludes are significant in that their constant performances provided various interesting subjects. Second, the author identified ‘the Society of Research for Dramatic Art’ in 1930s with the mode of audience reception of popular dramatic companies. The Society of Research for Dramatic Art (극 예술연구회) was a representative dramatic company for realism, but after the performance of ‘Chun-hyang-geon’ in 1936, it began to focus on securing popularity through performances in grand theaters. Also, popular dramatic companies grew out of simple, retrogressive dramas and received more wide-ranged audience through well-formed dramas. However, in early 1940s of so-called an era of ‘the National dramas,’ only national dramas for openly promoting Japanese spirits, audience were regarded as a tool. It was recorded as the time of the biggest change in the history of Korean dramas. The audience during Japanese colonial rule were limited in various aspects, but they were reborn to be a

The author in this study investigated the popularity of Korean dramas during Japanese colonial rule from the view of audience reception in three aspects. First, the ways of audience’s reception of interludes provided by popular dramatic companies. Interludes are a type of drama in order to simply arouse an interest in audience between acts. However, interludes were more popularized than main dramas, and some even visited theaters just to see interludes. Despite the fault that audience were indulged in retrogressive avoidance, interludes are significant in that their constant performances provided various interesting subjects. Second, the author identified ‘the Society of Research for Dramatic Art’ in 1930s with the mode of audience reception of popular dramatic companies. The Society of Research for Dramatic Art (극 예술연구회) was a representative dramatic company for realism, but after the performance of ‘Chun-hyang-geon’ in 1936, it began to focus on securing popularity through performances in grand theaters. Also, popular dramatic companies grew out of simple, retrogressive dramas and received more wide-ranged audience through well-formed dramas. However, in early 1940s of so-called an era of ‘the National dramas,’ only national dramas for openly promoting Japanese spirits, audience were regarded as a tool. It was recorded as the time of the biggest change in the history of Korean dramas. The audience during Japanese colonial rule were limited in various aspects, but they were reborn to be a

Audience, Japanese colonial rule, Korean dramas, Interludes, Popular dramas, National dramas