A Study on the Anti-Carnivalesque Characteristics of <Gangneung Maehwa-Taryeong>

<Gangneung Maehwa-Taryeong>, one of the twelve renowned Pansori performances from the 19th century, has been known as a work that warns against sexual indulgence by punishing the character Golsaengwon, who is obsessed with sexual desire. However, the purpose of Golsaengwon’s punishment remains unclear. Additionally, the relationships between the characters involved in the deception are loosely constructed, which raises questions about the narrative structure aligned with the theme. Furthermore, it is essential to explore why this work eventually loses its identity as a Pansori. This study analyzes the relationships among the characters within the narrative progression of <Gangneung Maehwa-Taryeong> and examines their characteristics based on the festive nature of Pansori. Unlike traditional Pansori, which aims to realize the ideals of freedom and equality, <Gangneung Maehwa-Taryeong> focuses on the unilateral degradation and ridicule of the protagonist, Golsaengwon. This work fails to embody the core principles of grotesque realism in Pansori's aesthetic style, such as degradation, materiality or corporeality, and joyful relativity. It also fails to establish equal relationships among the characters, ultimately losing its inherently festive nature. In the narrative, Golsaengwon is subjected to one-sided degradation, and the discrimination imposed upon him violates the egalitarian principles underlying laughter in Pansori. Moreover, the governor’s authoritative commands and the suppression of laughter repress the essential freedom of the festival, reducing the work to a monophonic space. This anti-festive structure played a significant role in <Gangneung Maehwa-Taryeong> losing its identity as a Pansori, leaving it as a work skewed toward the pursuit of pleasure derived solely from the sexualized corporeal imagery. Consequently, <Gangneung Maehwa-Taryeong> lost the fundamental aesthetic qualities of Pansori.