By 
A storyteller in traditional Korean clothing, far right, explains the historical meaning behind facilities built at Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul yesterday to students from Dangsan Middle School. From yesterday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold the tours, which last two hours, twice every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Via the Joong Ang Ilbo.
11:15 am on September 19th, 2009 1
Is anything there meant to symbolize the peasant revolts against the Chosun kings?
11:26 am on September 19th, 2009 2
I don't think so.
This type of thing is found in some different cultures around the world. I've read a little about the tradition in Korea. Like in other cultures, since the vast majority of the people were illiterate, and PC Bangs hadn't been invented yet, the storytellers were a source of entertainment. They'd travel circuits around the country like the peddlers and other artisans and craftsmen.
It wouldn't be suprising if they were also one of the sources of agitation like secret and semi-secret orgs who worked circuits. That was common in other cultures, I believe, but I haven't read that much on it…
12:25 pm on September 19th, 2009 3
I couldn't locate a good article on it quickly. They all focused mostly on the Pansori but the type of performer and curcuit I remember reading about.
The search did turn up a name: kwangdae. The websites describe the pansori singer as a kwangdae, but some also mention that the pansori as a form were adapted by the kwangdae which means they did different things before and along with pansori – which makes them likely the group I was talking about…
9:52 pm on September 19th, 2009 4
"Is anything there meant to symbolize the peasant revolts against the Chosun kings?"
what are you talking about.
5:23 am on September 20th, 2009 5
Of course not! Most Koreans think they are descended from the Kings or the Yangban!
In all seriousness, there are monuments to the peasant revolts but they are in the individual towns and cities that those peasant revolts occurred.
2:10 pm on September 20th, 2009 6
There are statistics to back this up. On prof. I had wrote on the board what percentage of people considered themselves yangban and the other traditional social classes in Korea and by the end of the Chosun Kingdom – most did. By that time, just registering at the local Confucian academy was enough to qualify you for a position of status in the community.