The Gut Preserving the Pain of Bamseom Displaced Residents is Reborn at the 'MapoM Gugak Festival'

Night Island Homage Performance Photos (Source: Mapo Cultural Foundation)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The Mapo Cultural Foundation announced on the 10th that it will release the performance of the 3rd Mapo M Gugak Festival titled 'Korea Rhythm Touch 1: Tribute to Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut' on the Mapo Cultural Foundation's YouTube and Naver TV channels on the 30th.

Now in its third year, the Mapo M Gugak Festival has adopted a new title, 'Korea Rhythm Touch.' The festival, held four times in March, June, August, and November, carries the motto 'where the past and present meet to aim for the future,' and plans to narrow the gap between gugak (traditional Korean music) and the public through fresh and bold attempts.

The first program to be presented this month, 'Tribute to Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut,' revives the Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut, which holds the pain of displaced residents of Bamseom. Bamseom, located at the point where the Seogang Bridge passes under the Mapo Bridge downstream, is named for its shape resembling a chestnut. Originally, about 60 households lived on the island, but it was demolished in 1968 due to urban development projects, and the residents collectively relocated to Changjeon-dong, Mapo-gu. Nevertheless, they rebuilt Bugundang and have held the ritual annually, preserving the tradition to this day. Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut was designated as Seoul City Intangible Cultural Property No. 35 in 2005, recognizing its value.

This performance will present two unique ritual stages paying homage to Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut. For this unprecedented event, 22 performers from various fields?including holders of Important Intangible Cultural Properties, gugak, classical music, rock bands, and b-boys?have rehearsed together for over two months.

Bamseom Homage Performance Photos (Source: Mapo Cultural Foundation)

In Part 1, the shamanic songs of Bamseom Gut, reborn through the composition and arrangement by singer Lee Jungbong, who led the 1990s ballad scene with the hit song 'Eotteongayo,' will be performed by a 14-member project band 'M,' consisting of seven gugak and popular music instrumentalists and seven string session players. Gugak performers enhancing the performance's completeness include Kim Yuri (singer), a holder of National Intangible Cultural Property No. 29 Seodo Sori Baebangi Gut; Kwak Dongho (daegeum, taepyeongso), a holder of National Intangible Cultural Property No. 20 Daegeum Jeongak; Park Sunyoung (haegeum), a holder of Seoul City Intangible Cultural Property No. 44 Samhyeonyukgak; and Choi Jinseok (janggu, jing, nagak), principal percussionist of the Seoul Gugak Orchestra. Additionally, band session musicians active in popular music, such as Lee Eunseok (guitar), who has worked with EXO, Super Junior, and Kim Bumsoo; Kim Daegun (bass), winner of the first Seoul Mapo Music Creation Center Independent Project; and Yoon Taegun (drums), along with classical string sessions, will create a modern ritual stage.

Particularly notable is the stage of the b-boy crew Last For One, appearing at the highlight of Part 1. Last For One, a legend of Korean b-boys who conquered the world with breakdancing, began by winning the 2005 Battle of the Year in Germany, known as the b-boy Olympics, followed by victories at the 2007 Edinburgh Castle Rock Battle in the UK and the 2011 Unbestie Battle in France. They are also key figures in popularizing b-boy culture through their cannon performance combining gayageum and b-boying. Leading the golden age of breakdance in the early 2000s, Last For One will present a meeting of national-level b-boying and gut rituals. Following this, the band Dale, which made its debut as an indie scene rookie by opening the 2020 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, will close Part 1 with a special stage expressing gayageum sanjo on electric guitar.

In Part 2, Chudahye Charges, formed around Chudahye, the only female vocalist of the band Ssingssing, will perform. Since releasing their first full-length album 'Tonight Under the Dangsan Tree' in 2020 and starting full-scale activities, Chudahye Charges has captivated critics and audiences alike with their unique music that blends shamanic songs used in rituals from Pyeongan-do, Jeju-do, and Hwanghae-do with punk and hip-hop. In this performance, Chudahye Charges will conclude with a special tribute stage that incorporates the story of Bamseom Bugundang Dodanggut into their music, alongside songs from their full-length album.

This performance will be available on the Mapo Cultural Foundation's YouTube channel and Naver TV at 7:30 PM on the 30th and can be watched again. Detailed program information is available on the Mapo Cultural Foundation website.

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