Sancheong-gun Hosts the 15th Gisan Gugak Festival... Non-face-to-face Judging Using Videos Conducted

11th Park Heon-bong Gugak Award Selected Yoo Young-dae, President of Gugak Broadcasting
Following Gisan Memorial Ceremony, Gugak Masters Gather for Gugak Festival

The exterior view of Gisan Gugakdang in Namsa Yedamchon, Danseong-myeon [Image source=Sancheong-gun]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] The Gugak Festival honoring the late great master of Korean traditional music, Gisan Park Heon-bong (1906?1977), who devoted his life to the revival of Gugak through establishing the Gugak Arts School and publishing ‘Changakdaegang,’ will be held in his hometown, Sancheong.

Gyeongnam Sancheong County and the Gisan Gugak Festival Committee announced on the 6th that the ‘15th Gisan Gugak Festival’ will be held over two days on the 11th and 12th.

This Gugak Festival will feature the National Gugak Competition with the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award, a Gugak Hanmadang where masters of Korean traditional music will showcase their talents, and a memorial ceremony for Gisan.

However, considering the COVID-19 situation, the ‘Gisan National Gugak Competition’ held on the 11th will be conducted through online non-face-to-face judging via video submissions.

In this Gugak Competition, the general division grand prize will be awarded the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award, and the student division grand prize will receive the Minister of Education Award.

The ‘Gisan Park Heon-bong Memorial Ceremony,’ held at 11 a.m. on the 12th at the Gisan Gugak Hall, is an event led by the festival committee and disciples to honor Gisan, a pioneer of modern Gugak and a great contributor to nurturing future talents.

Since its inception in 2011, this year marks the 11th Gisan Park Heon-bong Gugak Award, which has been awarded to Yoo Young-dae, president of the Gugak Broadcasting Foundation. The county and the festival committee plan to hold the award ceremony at 7 p.m. on the 12th at the Gisan Gugak Hall.

The Central Gugak Orchestra, singer Jang Sa-ik, Gugak artist and Madangnori doyenne Kim Seong-nyeo, and Samulnori master Kim Deok-su will take the stage.

Sancheong County and the festival committee plan to safely conduct all performances and events in compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

Lee Jae-geun, mayor of Sancheong County, said, “Our county will take the lead in the revival and succession of national arts and Gugak that Master Gisan aspired to achieve,” adding, “We will strive to become the center of Gugak that embodies the spirit, pride, excitement, and humor of our nation. We ask for your great interest and participation.”

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