Siren Eun Young Jung Revives Korea's Radical Yeoseong Gukgeuk in Stuttgart

South Korean artist Siren Eun Young Jung has brought the history of Yeoseong Gukgeuk to a European audience. Her 'theatre' trilogy is now on display in its entirety at the Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart. The exhibition explores gender through the lens of this groundbreaking Korean theatre movement. Yeoseong Gukgeuk emerged in the late 1940s as a bold theatre tradition where women performed all roles, including male ones. It thrived in the 1950s and 1960s, challenging patriarchal norms in the arts. Actresses from the movement recalled powerful experiences, such as one who still felt like a man long after playing a male part. Another even performed as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet while heavily pregnant.

Jung, born in 1974 in Incheon, has transformed this history into a modern contribution to gender discussions. Her trilogy’s final piece, Resistant Theatre, includes the video Sick Seoul. This work blends footage of protests against South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol with staged scenes of a traditional dance troupe.

The Stuttgart exhibition will also feature a live performance. On July 10, Kirara, a celebrated electro-pop and trans* musician from Seoul, will take the stage. Jung’s trilogy offers a new perspective on gender and performance. The exhibition presents Yeoseong Gukgeuk’s legacy to a global audience. It also highlights contemporary artistic responses to social and political issues.