"Araringa Sseuraringa Yeongcheon-inga" ... Yeongcheon Arirang Song Monument Unveiling

Yeongcheon Arirang Song Monument.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] ‘Is it Araringa or Sseuraringa, or Yeongcheon? Let me cross over the Arirang Pass.’

The Yeongcheon Arirang Song Monument unveiling ceremony was held on the 28th in front of the Yeongcheon Citizens' Hall in downtown Yeongcheon, hosted by the ‘Yeongcheon Arirang Sculpture Installation Promotion Committee (Chairman Jeon Eun-seok)’.

The project, initiated to preserve and inherit Yeongcheon Arirang, which embodies the sorrow and hardships of Yeongcheon, has laid the foundation for Yeongcheon Arirang to develop from an intangible to a tangible traditional culture and become a branded cultural asset through the installation of the song monument.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Arirang's inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Arirang Day, and the 10th Yeongcheon Arirang National Singing Contest held last month, making it a meaningful year. Therefore, the song monument unveiled before the year ends carries even more symbolic significance.

Each region's Arirang has its unique color, and the song monuments also reflect the characteristics of their respective regions. The Yeongcheon Arirang Song Monument, measuring 2 meters wide and 3.4 meters tall, features a grand shape embodying Yeongcheon's boldness and strong spirit.

To commemorate the unveiling ceremony, a performance of Arirang by the Yeongcheon Arirang Preservation Society and a dance performance by the Lee Eon-hwa Dance Troupe were held, receiving enthusiastic responses from guests and citizens who braved the cold weather, and served as an opportunity to reaffirm pride in Yeongcheon Arirang.

Although there are over 50 types of Arirang nationwide, Yeongcheon Arirang differs from the melancholic Gyeongsang-do Arirang by flowing with a graceful melody that captures the secular scenery of the Yeongcheon region.

Choi Ki-moon, Mayor of Yeongcheon, said, “Although belated, the creation of the Arirang Song Monument in Yeongcheon will surely become a focal point leading to harmony and unity among generations of Yeongcheon citizens.”

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