ABSTRACT
What is modernization in Korea? It is necessary to discuss the concept of modernization in order to understand consider the modernization of Korean theatre. Indeed, what is modernization? Modern age is one of the three large periods in Western history, which includes ancient, medieval, and modern ages. Modernization in the Western world is commonly deemed to have started after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. In other words, it happened after the achievement of social equality and the accumulation of capital. The French Revolution eventually destroyed the aristocratic social hierarchy and achieved equality and freedom for the people, while the Industrial Revolution changed the basis of the economy. Agricultural society consisted of aristocrats and common farmers was transformed into an industrial ones. Mechanical innovations, such as the steam engine, made mass industrial productions possible, which sped up the accumulation of capital. Thus, strong nations were politically built, and reasoning and scientific thought prevailed in culture. Along with these cultural trends, Western imperialism emerged. Imperialism was a way to meet the needs of industrial materials and markets to sell mass produced industrial goods. Therefore, Western imperialism expanded, and the accumulation of capital accelerated as modernization ensued.
