Once Upon a Time explores themes of the past by introducing iconic Korean traditions such as the costumes, instruments, and stories that have shaped Korea’s ancestral culture. The group utilizes traditional Korean cultural items such as gat (horsehair hat), hanbok (traditional clothing), and janggu (hourglass-shaped percussion instrument) to create and present a new kind of theater experience with imagination and humor. Goblin Party’s artists also present classic Korean tales such as Simcheong-ga, one of five surviving stories of the traditional storytelling musical genre pansori. By creating a unique combination of physical movement and instrumental music, channeling ancestral voices through song, Goblin Party breaks the boundaries of performing arts.

 

This performance strives to present new ways of thinking about traditional culture, but viewers will also experience a drifting sense of time across a single stage, as the artists reflect on things forgotten, unbound by tradition. Ultimately, Once Upon a Time offers a new interpretation of traditions through curiosity and imagination in understanding Korea’s iconic cultural artifacts. It not only suggests a new way of inheriting traditions, but a new view of what traditions mean for each of us.