At heart of K-music, pansori aims to strike global chord
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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