Meet the 'Storyteller Jeongisu of Jongno' on the Last Wednesday of Every Month

Jongno-gu Operates '2021 Jongno Storyteller Jeonggisu' Program... Scheduled for Posting on 'Jongno TV' Website and YouTube on Last Wednesdays of April-June... Experts from Various Fields Invited as Modern Jeonggisu, Specialized Tourist Courses Also Selected

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] In the late Joseon period, the street storytellers known as ‘Jeongisu (傳奇?)’, who moved around the bustling streets of Jongno reading books entertainingly, were highly regarded as a profession that brought laughter to commoners who had few amusements at the time.

Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) is operating the '2021 Jongno Storyteller Jeongisu' program, inviting notable figures from various fields as ‘modern-day Jeongisu’ to share stories about the local history and culture.

Previously, the program was conducted face-to-face with pre-registered participants and storytellers from different fields, but this year, considering the COVID-19 situation, it will be presented online.

The videos will be posted on the last Wednesday of each month from April to June and can be viewed on the ‘Jongno TV’ website and YouTube channel. The district has selected tourism courses specialized for each lecturer’s theme to highlight their unique characteristics for this program.

First, in April, broadcaster and historian Jeong Jae-hwan, co-representative of the Hangul Culture Solidarity, will participate as a Jeongisu and lead the program with the theme ‘Tracing the Footsteps of Hangul in Jongno.’ It will be an excellent opportunity to learn about Hangul-related landmarks throughout Jongno, from the site of the Joseon Language Society to the Joo Si-gyeong yard.

In May, literary critic Heo Hee will conduct ‘Stories of Modern Writers Encountered in Jongno.’ Visiting places such as the Yeom Sang-seop statue, Park In-hwan’s house site, Jeong Ji-yong statue, and Yun Dong-ju’s boarding house, the program aims to promote Jongno’s precious cultural and artistic assets.

On the last Wednesday of June, historical travel writer Park Kwang-il will act as a Jeongisu. Walking through the route from the Cheondogyo Daegyo Hall to Tapgol Park, Seungdong Church, Taehwagwan site, and Boseongsa site, he will share stories under the theme ‘Jongno in 1919, the Hotbed of the March 1st Movement, Visiting the Actual Sites.’

Meanwhile, since 2016, Jongno-gu has been operating the ‘Jeongisu Program’ with notable figures from various fields. Participants have been able to listen to explanations about Jongno’s centuries-old streets and alleys, share knowledge together, and quench their historical and cultural thirst, receiving consistently positive responses.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong said, “We aimed to revive the forgotten profession of the street storytellers ‘Jeongisu,’ who mainly operated in Jongno, and to raise awareness of the value held by Jongno’s various sites, which are like fingerprints of history.” He added, “In the post-COVID era, it can also be used as a solo walking tour course, so we hope many interested people will watch.”

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