Abstract

Keywords: Kut (Korean shamanic rituals), ecstatic space, techniques of ecstasy, digital performance, virtual reality, transitional atmospheres.

The paper presents the concept of ecstatic space based on the author’s earlier practice-led research exploring a marriage between digital technologies and ecstatic technologies of kut, a Korean shamanic ritual exerting a significant influence on the culture, art, and psyche of Korea. Ecstatic space is inspired by kut; it is the immersive and transitional space where is being given the potential of atmospheric change by the kut performer’s imagination and ecstatic technologies. This paper initially offers an alternative perspective to understand techniques of ecstasy by highlighting “spatial ecstasy” of kut rather than “ecstatic trance” of shamans.
Subsequently, the paper examines how the ecstatic space of kut is conceptually connected to virtual space of digital practices, discovering similarities and differences between them. Shedding new light on ecstatic space, this will open the way for future development of ecstatic space in the contemporary milieu.

• Haein Song is head of In’s Company/ director of Korean Performing Art Development,  Jeju, South Korea

Full text p. 150-154