Cho Young-sook, a holder of Intangible Cultural Heritage for "baltal" or traditional Korean masked foot play, speaks in an interview with The Korea Times at her office in Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai

While watching the popular TV drama, "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born," which is based on the traditional Korean all-female theatrical performance known as "gukgeuk," Cho Young-sook, a 90-year-old master of the art, shared that she saw herself mirrored in the main character of the show.

The webtoon-based drama, set in the aftermath of the 1950-53 Korean War, follows the story of Jeong-nyeon (Kim Tae-ri), a young singing prodigy, on her journey to master gukgeuk.

Cho, a first-generation gukgeuk master who provided advice for both the original webtoon and the drama, vividly recalls how, as a tomboyish girl with short hair, she fled from Wonsan, North Korea, during the Korean War. In 1951, she joined Lim Chun-ang's Women's Gukgeuk Company, marking the beginning of her career.

Just like the heroine of the drama, Cho's first role was "Soldier 1."

"I only had to utter two lines: 'General, flee quickly! The enemy is upon us!' Despite their brevity, I chose to burst onto the stage, breathless and in a rush, as if fleeing for my life. Clad in a makeshift armor of clinking tin cans, I raced behind the stage," she recalled during an interview with The Korea Times at her home and studio in the northeastern suburb of Seoul, Thursday.

"Back then, the stage sets were simple and makeshift — just wooden frames covered with rough cloth, painted to resemble walls and trees. Unaware at the time, my frantic dash across the stage and the clattering of my armor shook the entire set, earning me a scolding for the disruption."

The gukgeuk master remains a passionate advocate for this traditional art form, believing that its true essence lies in live performances and the deep emotional connection they create with the audience.

"As the house lights dimmed and the curtain rose to reveal a packed theater, our performance captivated the audience, evoking both joy and sorrow," she said. "It was remarkable that, amid the chaos of war, people found solace and comfort in our story."

Her ability to portray male characters, especially the comical Bangja, a male servant in the "Chunhyangjeon," — one of Korea's most famous love stories and folk tales — became legendary.

She explained that each time she performed the role, she deliberately played it differently. Since it was a fun character with lines that weren't critical to the plot, she would bring a lively energy to the role, moving with bouncy, spring-like steps and improvising something new or humorous each day.

"The sight of people bursting into laughter at my comedic acting gave me a real high," she said.

Cho added that her teacher, Lim, the owner of the troupe, not only allowed her the freedom to improvise but also praised her, which boosted her confidence and encouraged her to push her acting even further.

Cho said women's gukgeuk was incredibly popular during that period, even surpassing mixed-gender changgeuk (tranditiona Korean opera). This was largely due to its superior performance quality, as it placed a greater emphasis on acting and visual elements compared to male-dominated changgeuk, which often prioritized vocal skills.

"Gukgeuk is deeply rooted in traditional musical performance, particularly 'pansori' (traditional Korean musical storytelling). But it combines elements of theater, music, singing and dance. Gukgeuk stands as the quintessence of all Korean theatrical arts," the master said.

Despite its immense popularity in the 1950s and '60s, gukgeuk rapidly declined as actors transitioned to film and broadcasting. While pansori was preserved after being designated an intangible cultural asset, all-female gukgeuk was left out of such protections, leading to the severing of its lineage.

Cho Young-sook, recognized as a practitioner of Intangible Cultural Heritage for "baltal" — a traditional Korean masked foot play — and a performer in gukgeuk, the all-female Korean theatrical performance, poses in this 2012 file photo. Korea Times file

She was also designated as a practitioner of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012 for "baltal," a form of Korean puppet theater recognized as one of the country's Important Intangible Cultural Properties. This unique technique involves manipulating the puppets with the feet rather than the hands.

Cho, head of the Baltal & Traditional Theater Preservation Society, has dedicated 73 years of her life and personal funds to preserving women's traditional Korean theater. Calling it the "hope of my life," she has faced numerous challenges, including being scammed by others. Despite these setbacks, she remains determined to ensure that this art form is preserved for future generations.

In 2022, she authored a book titled "The Forgotten World of Women's Gukgeuk" and a documentary featuring her work is set to be released soon. The Women's Gukgeuk Studio, founded in 2020 by two of her disciples, is continuing the tradition of the art form. To date, they have staged 13 performances.

Looking at Kim Tae-ri, the star of the drama, "Jeongnyeon," Cho said she was deeply moved by the actor's performance. Kim is known to have studied gukgeuk in order to portray her role in the drama.

"In my eyes, people who are good at acting are the most beautiful. Kim has been so dedicated. She completely threw herself into her role. I'm so grateful. She performed the tough role flawlessly without any hesitation. She's so, so, so beautiful, I really want to give her a hug," she said.