Voices of Change: Korean Students, Art, and Democracy

Mar 22, 2025

53:47

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Episode notes

보도지침 (Media Guidelines) is a satirical work that critiques the media landscape and the influence of government or corporate power on Korean journalism in the 1980s. It explores themes such as censorship, the manipulation of public opinion, and the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. The play is known for its sharp wit and critical perspective, often using humor and irony to highlight the challenges and compromises that media professionals may face.

More and more young Koreans are bringing this play to the stage—not as a history lesson, but as a statement about their own reality. So, I spoke with four university students who recently performed 보도지침. They shared why this play matters, how it connects to the present, and why art remains a powerful tool for democracy and social change. If you care about free speech, activism, and the role of art in shaping society, this conversation is for you.

Read more about it in Korean here: https://namu.wiki/w/보도지침(연극)

Go Minjeong, Lee Seoyeon, Nam Sumin, and Park Hayeol are members of the Seoul Women's University theatre group.

Their Insta page: https://www.instagram.com/swutheaterart/

David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr.

Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/L9azQpXZ2Rc

Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos

Thanks to Patreon members: Hee Ji Jacobs, Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell

Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873

Discussion Outline

0:00 Introduction

3:00 보도지침 (The Play)

9:30 The Parents' Generation

15:00 Reactions to the Play

26:30 Communism and North Korea

33:00 The Importance of Theatre

42:14 Reflections on Korean History