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Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, 40th Anniversary Celebration 'Shell We Pungnyu'

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation announced on the 21st that it will hold 'Shall we Pungnyu' at 7:30 PM on the 28th at the LG Arts Center in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul.

This event is the Giyangje (祈禳祭), a national ritual to ward off disasters and pray for blessings. It conveys a message of hope for overcoming the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The program begins with the drum performance of the Gyeongbokgung Palace gate guards who protect the people by driving away epidemics, followed by the Yeonggomu (迎鼓舞) dance by master dancer Lee Joo-hee, and the daegeum (bamboo flute) music by master Won Jang-hyun.

In particular, Jeong Young-man, the Daesasan performer of the Namhaean Byeolsingut ritual, enshrines Cheoyong, who subdued the plague spirit over 1,100 years ago, as a deity to ward off evil. Song Soon-dan, the mother of singer Song Ga-in and a master of Jindo Ssikkimgut, performs 'Sonnempuri,' one of the cleansing rituals. She will offer prayers asking the plague spirit to leave without causing harm. An official stated, "You can experience Song Soon-dan's shamanic songs, which rival those of the great singers of the southern provinces."

The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation started as the Korea Cultural Heritage Protection Association on April 1, 1980, in accordance with the government's plan to integrate cultural heritage protection and management organizations. It engages in various activities aimed at protecting, disseminating, and utilizing cultural heritage, as well as creatively developing traditional lifestyle culture.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.