This study examines the relationship between the formation of modern nationalism and the implantation of Western culture and arts including Western theatre in Korea. During the early part of the modernization of Korea called Kaehwagi, Western culture and arts were associated with modern nationalism, and implanting Western theatre to Korea was demanded for social enlightenment. Such unique discourses about Western culture and arts suggest that the identity of Western culture and arts was an instrument for the grand scheme of modernization of Korea. The period from the mid-Nineteenth century to the year of 1910 in which Korea was annexed to imperialist Japan is called Kaehwagi. During this period, in order to overcome the threats of imperialism, the Koreans discarded the traditional Sinocentric world-view and formed modern nationalism adopting Social Darwinism that argued the principle of “struggle for survival” in biology could be applied to human society as well. In order to secure the nation in the international “struggle for survival” through modernization, the Korean intellectuals broke with their own tradition based on Confucianism and decided to import new Western traditions calling them “civilization.” Theatre also was considered as an element of Western civilization to be imported for modernization. As theatre was considered to be effective for enlightenment, the necessity of importing theatre was emphasized by the intellectuals during the period of the Patriotic Enlightenment Movement starting after the Protectorate Treaty of 1905. While the Patriotic Enlightenment Movement concentrated the nation's efforts on raising nationalism and enlightening people, the social demand for Western theatre finally gave birth to Yi In-jik’s W?ngak-sa that attempted to practice Western style of theatre for the first time in Korea. It was Kaehwagi that Koreans formed their general and basic attitude toward Western arts and culture including theatre. Western culture and arts were considered as part of true civilization and instruments to save the nation in the Darwinian interantional society, and such view toward arts and culture still remains among Koreans today.