Answer:
One event that hindered Koreans' construction of cultural and performance identities in the first half of the 20th century was the period of Japanese colonial rule over Korea, which lasted from 1910 to 1945. During this time, Korea was under the control of the Empire of Japan, and the colonial authorities implemented various policies and practices aimed at assimilating Koreans into Japanese culture and suppressing Korean culture and identity. This had a significant impact on the development of Korean cultural and performance identities.
Here are some ways in which Japanese colonial rule hindered the construction of Korean cultural and performance identities:
1. **Suppression of Korean Language and Culture:** The colonial authorities implemented policies that aimed to suppress the Korean language and promote the use of the Japanese language. This had a direct impact on literature, theater, and other forms of cultural expression, as many Korean artists and writers were discouraged or prohibited from using their native language.
2. **Censorship and Control:** The Japanese colonial government tightly controlled cultural and artistic expression in Korea. They censored works of art, literature, and performance that were deemed to be critical of Japanese rule or that promoted Korean identity. This limited the creative freedom of Korean artists and performers.
3. **Forced Assimilation:** The colonial government encouraged Koreans to adopt Japanese customs, dress, and names, which further eroded Korean cultural distinctiveness. Traditional Korean art forms and performances were often marginalized or modified to fit the Japanese colonial narrative.
4. **Suppression of Nationalism:** Any form of Korean nationalism or resistance to Japanese rule was harshly suppressed. This made it difficult for artists and performers to express their Korean identity openly and led to self-censorship for fear of reprisals.
5. **Limited Educational Opportunities:** Koreans had limited access to education and cultural institutions under Japanese rule. This hindered the development of Korean cultural and intellectual elites who could contribute to the construction of a distinct cultural identity.
Despite these challenges, Koreans managed to preserve and adapt their cultural and performance traditions in subtle ways during the colonial period. They often used coded symbolism and indirect means to convey messages of resistance and maintain their cultural heritage. After the end of World War II and the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule in 1945, there was a resurgence of Korean cultural and artistic expression, which played a crucial role in the reconstruction of Korean identity in the latter half of the 20th century.
Step-by-step explanation: