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By Andrew Lim, Playwright and Theater Director
Photo Credit: Charlie Chaplin Actor in Korea, Choosungwoong - Photo via Naver
Have you ever come across the term 'Catharsis'? Many might think, "It's been a while since I heard about catharsis." Yes, it is that catharsis. It’s a word likely encountered during middle or high school language classes. What is catharsis? Is it something one eats? Don’t worry if you’re unsure—this article serves as your guide to the concept.
The concept of catharsis, as discussed in high school literature classes, refers to a 'purifying action'—a cleansing of emotions. Though correct, it may feel somewhat vague and complex. For a more tangible understanding, the original meaning of catharsis stems from the Greek word for 'expulsion' or 'purging' (it was even a name for a laxative). Aristotle first introduced the term in his book Poetics, explaining catharsis as the state of emotional cleansing achieved through feelings of pity and fear when witnessing the inevitable tragic fate of the protagonist in a drama. For over two millennia, this book served as a guide for Western theater, with Aristotle asserting that theater ultimately offers catharsis to its audience.
In order to maintain brevity and avoid jeopardizing the next issue of my column, I shall succinctly highlight the issue at hand. Catharsis presupposes empathy, which largely originates from perceiving drama as reality. This drove artists to create plays that audiences might mistake for reality. Success in making audiences perceive plays as reality seemed visible for some time, notably during the era of "realistic theater," which gave rise to the concept of the "fourth wall." Consider the stage structures on Broadway or in Daehakro today—they resemble framed pictures. The transparent wall assumed between the audience and stage is termed the "fourth wall." Audiences thus watch plays as if peering through a transparent wall or keyhole into real-life events.
However, the advancement of technology has not left theater unaffected. The advent of cinema dealt a critical blow to realistic theater—the notion of mistaking a play for reality. No matter how realistic a theater set appears, how can it compete with a film that captures and displays reality? Nowadays, computer graphics create virtual worlds that one can mistake for reality; indeed, 3D films allow viewers to experience images seemingly leaping from the screen.
Television dramas illustrate this phenomenon as well. Housewives may chastise or weep at villainous in-laws or unfaithful husbands during soap operas. Empathy and catharsis are fully achieved. Even the most implausible plots—marked merely by a dot on an actor's face—do not impede emotional absorption.
Could it be that Aristotle’s poetic theory finds completion in Korea’s wildly dramatic TV shows? Are these globally popular Korean dramas the consummation of Aristotle’s Poetics? Furthermore, if plays were truly overshadowed by film, and Korean dramas constituted the embodiment of Aristotle’s theories—albeit tongue-in-cheek—why do audiences still flock to Broadway and Daehakro?
The obvious reason is that theater continues to offer unique pleasures. Beyond empathy and catharsis, theater provides joy that films or television dramas cannot replicate.
This column aims to guide you to uncover the distinct pleasures inherent in theater.
Before concluding, here’s an intriguing anecdote concerning the legendary stage actor Choosungwoong. During a major classical production at the National Theater, Choosungwoong’s initial appearance required him to emerge from a small window atop a set-constructed mansion, without lines. Upon his debut, the overwhelming sight of a packed audience elicited an impromptu ad-lib: “Wow, this feels great!” As his head emerged from the tiny window, the unexpected exclamation delighted the audience. The actor continued this ad-lib in subsequent performances, each time eliciting laughter. Yet, when Choosungwoong attempted the same ad-lib in a film, the response was indifferent, puzzled, and cold.
What made the same ad-lib amusing in theater but not in film?
Future columns will explore this question—the unique amusement theater offers, the kind that exists solely within theater.
Confession of Red Peter by Actor Choosungwoong
By Andrew Lim
Playwright, Theater Director, Critic, and freelance contributor. Resident Director at MAT Theater Company. Studied at Chung-Ang University and NYU Graduate School, specializing in Playwriting and Theater Direction.
