A Study on the Man Disguise's Clothes in the Female Kukkuk and Takarazuka Revue

Abstract

There is something common between the Korean female Kukkuk and the Japanese Takarazuka Revue in that actors are all females and love is the main theme. Some of the females should play men's roles, so they are described as ideal men and are more manly than real men, and female audiences are attracted by them. It is hard for actresses to play men's roles-they have to stretch open their shoulders, walk with long steps and produce a deep voice. They put on a makeup a little exaggeratedly to perfectly disguise themselves as men and express strong images-some red tone makeup on their face, thick eyebrows with their ends upward, thick eye lines to make eyes seem bigger and stronger, and thick side whiskers. On the contrary, a makeup for female characters is softer to highlight femininity with thin penciled hair parted and braided on the sides of the face. The Takarazuka Revue's students are divided into male characters and female ones from the regular course of music schools, and they select their roles in consideration of their height and range of voice, mainly based on their wish. In case of male characters, they need a long career and verification of ability to be the best. Females playing men's roles and showing their manliness are violation of a social custom standardizing the character of males and females and are the reverse of roles expected by a society or a culture. A world experienced by these plays is a kind of revolt breaking the taboo of the patriarchal system.