In the late 19th century, Record was introduced in Choson and popularized through the first half of the 20th century. Mixed with another media(as example, theater, film, journal, radio and so on), Record played an important role making the Choson’s music society modernized. So, this paper aims at showing the course about popularization of record culture and colonial modernization of Choson’s music society by the record effect in the first half of the 20th century.
Generally speaking, record culture was formed by importing the new technology and was due to the character of that period, what is called Japanese Imperialism. For exploiting the colony Choson, though partly put pressure by using guns and swords the Japanese empire partly made and exported attractive commodities for money. And record was the one of those. Many people of Choson seemed to regard the record culture not as the invasion and pressure of Japanese Imperialism but as the interesting and wonderful thing. So, they actively accepted the culture. Limiting the music society, majority of Choson people in colonial period were showing that they consented the hegemony of Japanese Imperialism.
Seeing that the aspect of record popularization in Choson, many people were so far way from being forced to accept the new tastes by the pressure of ruling class or the few elites noble tastes. On the contrary the courses of taste forming were so active. Most of the appearances of special texts and tastes at that time were originated from the empire Japan. Moreover, the people were actively taking new texts and building new tastes by the records, which are very free to transfer overseas, before the any introduction or production through the famous and educated Choson artists. Therefore most of new texts composed by outstanding artists at that time were, actually, not especially creative but just ready-made goods. It’s not different from order production because the tastes of people went in advance of the production of Choson artists. Surely the helper of the new taste forming were not only record but also drama, film, woman entertainer, so called ‘gi-saeng’ and so on, we should remember it, too.
If the meaning of modernity is put in the same dimension with capitalism, it is same with the science-technology. In that point, it's relatively proper that we regard record as the symbol of the modernity in music society. Therefore the development process of the record culture with terms of science-technological object, has close connection with the course of music society modernization. In 1930s, blossoming record culture had deep connection with the development of record technologies. Among them, the appearance of microphone and amplifier, which are used to record sound in the studio, was most important phase. Taking that opportunity, Japanese record industry crowded into Choson and many new lables were established. For the first time, record boom epoch could arrive in Choson. In addition to that, the appearance of relatively cheap record player also made the record being able to spread all over the country.
In those days, record was in the harmony with the image of tears. Prominent subject of the song as the origin of sorrow and tears was the life in missing hometown and separation from family. Until now, the majority of students keep the standard view that many songs were written for singing the lamentation over the national ruin and for avoiding inspection of the authorities, many writer used metaphor.
But, the songs including contents about losing hometown or separation from family doesn’t have same identity. Actually, the contents get divided two ways in general. One group of songs are for an emigrant leaving for ‘Man-Ju 滿洲’, the other group are for an emigrant workers leaving for Japan. The motive of both emigration was just for a means of living. The Sorrow from national ruin never could be the reason. Besides, popularization of tears through those songs means that people started to sing songs of their own. In the previous period, people had to sing for nation and community. Such songs are called ‘enlightenment song’, which has difference with the lyricism. But in terms of literature domain, lyricism is an essential element for modernity. In the same manner, song of tears doesn’t mean that the spirit of the tim as another enlightenment song, but that the appearance of modern audience and music society.
The popularization of record culture leaded remarkable changes. With the appearance of the records, texts, artists, audiences were changed in various part. First, the changes of texts were mainly headed by recording process. The length of song was limited to the record capacity, 3~4min, the sound tone was continually improved by microphone technology, and the hybrid of Choson-Japan recording session made hybridization of texts. Second, the changes of artists have close relation with the ‘mass production and mass consumption’, modern basic condition. This condition made a birth of ‘star system’. The polarity was increased but a few artist could rise their social position and make much money to live freely. And record gave birth to the new patron system, royalty which show the modern system in moneymaking. Third, records made enable to listen to music in private condition and were in harmony with modern individualism building. Therefore, records push the enlightenment songs out and build up the lyric songs.