At heart of K-music, pansori aims to strike global chord
Performance marking 60th anniversary of pansori's designation as National Intangible Cultural Heritage to be held later this month
Marking the 60th anniversary of pansori's designation as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage this year, 12 Intangible Cultural Heritage holders in pansori will come together to deliver a performance of pansori, a form of narrative singing of epic stories and folklore.
The Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Agency are jointly organizing a performance titled "Deukeumjiseol," which translates as "the art of gaining the true sound and knowing how to tell it," June 26-28 and July 3-4 at the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Training Center in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul.
Admission is free and registration can be made through Naver starting Thursday at 9 a.m.
The five-day event is part of a cultural program aimed at recognizing the holders of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in pansori and promoting the country's cultural heritage by making it more accessible for the public.
It will also be a rare chance for the public to see five stories of pansori: "Chunhyangga," a love tale between the daughter of a courtesan and the son of a magistrate; "Heungbuga," a tale of humor and family; "Sugungga," a story about a sea turtle that tricks a rabbit to get its liver to cure the sea king; "Simcheongga," a tale of filial piety; and "Jeokbyeokga," which is an epic from China's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
While pansori is often regarded as difficult to approach, Korea's first million-selling author, Kim Hong-shin, who will host the upcoming performance, underscored that pansori has become an essential element of Korean culture and music.
"The performance will be a great opportunity to convey the sound of our country's traditional tune and the beauty behind it. I hope many people will join us in sharing this joyful experience," he said during Wednesday's press conference at the Korea House in central Seoul.
Kim Hye-Jeong, president of the Pansori Society, struck a similar chord, noting that pansori's unique charm connects the audience and singer to the story.
Pansori master Kim Il-Koo, who was recognized as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage holder of "Jeokbyeokga" in 2020, expressed hopes that pansori would reach a wider audience through the performance.
"Performing abroad and receiving enthusiastic applause makes me proud, especially when a foreign audience says 'bravo' after seeing my performance. I hope more people in and outside the country will show support and interest in pansori."
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Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
At heart of K-music, pansori aims to strike global chord
Performance marking 60th anniversary of pansori's designation as National Intangible Cultural Heritage to be held later this month Marking the 60th anniversary of pansori's designation as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage this year, 12 Intangible Cultural Heritage holders in pansori will come together to deliver a performance of pansori, a form of narrative singing of epic stories and folklore. The Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Heritage Agency are jointly organizing a performance titled "Deukeumjiseol," which translates as "the art of gaining the true sound and knowing how to tell it," June 26-28 and July 3-4 at the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Training Center in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. Admission is free and registration can be made through Naver starting Thursday at 9 a.m. The five-day event is part of a cultural program aimed at recognizing the holders of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in pansori and promoting the country's cultural heritage by making it more accessible for the public. It will also be a rare chance for the public to see five stories of pansori: "Chunhyangga," a love tale between the daughter of a courtesan and the son of a magistrate; "Heungbuga," a tale of humor and family; "Sugungga," a story about a sea turtle that tricks a rabbit to get its liver to cure the sea king; "Simcheongga," a tale of filial piety; and "Jeokbyeokga," which is an epic from China's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." While pansori is often regarded as difficult to approach, Korea's first million-selling author, Kim Hong-shin, who will host the upcoming performance, underscored that pansori has become an essential element of Korean culture and music. "The performance will be a great opportunity to convey the sound of our country's traditional tune and the beauty behind it. I hope many people will join us in sharing this joyful experience," he said during Wednesday's press conference at the Korea House in central Seoul. Kim Hye-Jeong, president of the Pansori Society, struck a similar chord, noting that pansori's unique charm connects the audience and singer to the story. Pansori master Kim Il-Koo, who was recognized as the National Intangible Cultural Heritage holder of "Jeokbyeokga" in 2020, expressed hopes that pansori would reach a wider audience through the performance. "Performing abroad and receiving enthusiastic applause makes me proud, especially when a foreign audience says 'bravo' after seeing my performance. I hope more people in and outside the country will show support and interest in pansori."
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Interview: Romance and solidarity in one, a perfect gateway to changgeuk
'The Merchants of Venice,' now plural, returns as a story of collective harmony 'The Merchants of Venice,' the changgeuk adaptation of Shakespeare's famed comedy, returns to the stage two years after its 2023 premiere with renewed focus and deeper camaraderie among its cast. For actors Min Eun-kyung and Kim Soo-in, this reprise has brought more rigorous rehearsals and a deeper sense of artistic collaboration. Min plays Portia, the witty and wise heiress in Belmont. Her commanding vocals and expressive phrasing add rich dimension to a character who is at once a romantic heroine and a troubleshooter in the courtroom showdown between Antonio and Shylock. Kim takes on the role of Bassanio, the passionate young suitor, bringing boyish charm and playful energy to the stage. 'We've been fine-tuning everything -- singing, dancing, movement, transitions, harmonies -- with much more precision for the second run,' Min said. 'In the premiere, we were so focused on our own parts that we didn't really have the space to pay attention to others,' Kim added. 'Now, it feels like we're building the piece as a true ensemble. We're watching out for each other more. When something feels off, like a clunky entrance or awkward rhythm, Min lets me know right away." The sense of collectivity isn't just shared among the cast -- it's also at the heart of this traditional Korean opera's reinterpretation. Gone are the overt religious and ethnic tensions of Shakespeare's original. In their place is a story about economic power. The wealthy merchant Antonio is recast here as a young leader in a small-business cooperative. Shylock, the Jewish moneylender, becomes a monopolistic shipping magnate, embodying the unchecked forces of capitalism. The title gains an 's' -- The Merchants of Venice -- broadening the focus from an individual drama to the communal struggles and solidarities of the merchant class. In Belmont, a free-spirited and romantic mood prevails as young lovers pursue their fates. In stark contrast, Venice -- ruled by cold, legal logic -- hosts the infamous 'pound of flesh' trial, lending the production its dramatic tension. 'This is a great entry point into changgeuk,' Kim said. 'Because it's a comedy, it has this liveliness. It's fun and humorous, full of visual flair, dynamic music and layered characters.' Changgeuk is akin to a Korean version of opera. It derives from pansori, Korea's traditional narrative singing form that is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. 'Chang' refers to pansori, while 'geuk' means drama in Korean. The revised script, Kim noted, allows each merchant to shine with their own backstory and voice. 'It reminds me of 'Jeokbyeokga' (The Battle of Red Cliffs) in pansori,' he said. 'It's not just about the heroes -- it's about the soldiers, the ordinary ones. Here, too, each merchant isn't just filler.' Kim emphasized the attention paid to ensemble scenes. 'Our director wants those group moments to feel like a single body. When we say lines like 'Yes, we agree!' we have to deliver them as a single voice -- precise and powerful. The ensemble is everything. Without the collective, the whole work loses its energy.' For both Min and Kim, their characters have resonated in unexpectedly personal ways. 'I think I share Bassanio's cheerful, playful side,' Kim said, laughing. 'The director compared him to an anime character -- cool one moment, ridiculous the next. We've leaned into that contrast this time. Our Bassanio is like a kid -- immature, but sincere.' Min also finds a mirror in Portia. 'My personality is a bit strong, like hers,' she said. 'And I love that Portia is so lovely and bubbly in Act I, then suddenly razor-sharp in the courtroom in Act II. It's two extremes in one role -- that's what makes it so fun.' This isn't the duo's first brush with Shakespeare. Both performed in the company's 'Lear' at London's Barbican Centre last year, a production that was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. Min played both Cordelia and the Fool, while Kim took on the role of Edmund. In 'The Merchants of Venice,' Min again plays dual roles: Portia and, in disguise, the male lawyer. 'It's the second time I've done a double role,' she said. 'With 'Lear,' I cried and laughed so much. Here, it's joy and romance, but also strategy and seriousness. You get the full spectrum of Shakespearean emotion.' And that emotional breadth, both agree, is where changgeuk truly shines. 'The power of changgeuk is in the chang -- the singing,' Min said. 'Pansori (genre of musical storytelling) isn't easy. It demands your whole body, head to toe. You can't fake it. You have to train for a long time. That compressed intensity, I believe it transfers directly to the audience.' Kim added, 'Even if the story is a classic, the plot itself is often simple. But from that simplicity, the power gets amplified. That's the beauty of a classic, everyone can understand and relate to it. That's why it resonates so deeply.' This production marks the final performance before the company's summer break. Ending on a note of laughter, Min said, feels right. 'Venice ends with a sense of hope,' the pair said. 'There's a line that goes, 'A bright future toddles toward us.' That's the energy we want to share with the audience.' "The Merchants of Venice" runs through Saturday at the National Theater's Haeoreum Grand Theater, with English subtitles available.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Korean comedy 'Hi-Five' hits million-ticket milestone
Superhero farce becomes fifth domestic film to reach benchmark this year, though critical reception remains divided Korean comedy "Hi-Five" crossed one million admissions on Saturday, marking a milestone for local cinema amid generally favorable but mixed audience reactions. According to the Korean Film Council's latest box office data, the superhero comedy reached 1,040,358 total admissions as of Saturday evening, hitting the benchmark nine days after its May 30 release. The film ranked second in daily ticket sales with 134,333 admissions, trailing only the Hollywood live-action remake "How to Train Your Dragon," which pulled in 165,319 tickets for the day, following its June 6 debut. "Hi-Five" maintained its momentum on Sunday, adding another 110,149 admissions to bring its running total to approximately 1.15 million. The latest effort by director Kang Hyung-cheol ("Scandal Makers," "Sunny") joins four other Korean films that have surpassed the million-ticket mark so far this year. "Yadang: The Snitch" leads the pack with 3,375,154 admissions, followed by "Hitman 2" (2,547,598), "The Match" (2,145,532), and "Dark Nuns" (1,670,559). Despite reaching the milestone, "Hi-Five" still falls short of the reported 2.9 million ticket sales needed to recoup its 15 billion won ($11 million) production budget. The film follows five individuals who gain supernatural abilities after each receives an organ transplant from a mysterious donor. When a shadowy cult seeks to steal their powers, the unlikely heroes must join forces to fight back. Lee Jae-in anchors the ensemble as a super-strong teenager, supported by Ahn Jae-hong's character who wields hurricane-force breath, Ra Mi-ran as a yogurt seller harboring secret abilities, Kim Hee-won as a factory worker blessed with healing powers, and Yoo Ah-in as a hipster wannabe capable of manipulating electronics. Though overall reception has been generally positive, opinions remain notably split. On local search engine Naver, viewers awarded the film a generous 8.30 out of 10 rating, while users on the film review site Watchapedia gave it a more modest 3.2 out of 5. 'Hi-Five' began its international rollout with a June 6 premiere in Cambodia. It heads to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei on June 12, followed by releases in Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan and East Timor on June 13. Audiences in Hong Kong and Macao can catch the film starting June 19.
