Rich Humanities, Performance, and Experience Programs in May at Busan Modern History Museum

Annex of the Modern History Museum, Program Operation

Novelist Jang Kang-myeong, 'Humanities of Objects'

Guitarist Jang Ha-eun, 'Old Downtown Love Song'

The annex of the Busan Modern History Museum is set to transform into a space for humanities programs (every second Saturday of the month) and a small performance venue (every fourth Saturday of the month).

Busan Modern History Museum Annex. [Image source=Busan Modern History Museum]

First, the representative humanities program of the Busan Modern History Museum annex, “Annex Salon”, will make its debut in May. As the annex has been transformed into an open space accessible to all citizens, the program is designed to explore life and culture of our times through easy-to-understand topics for everyone.

This year’s program theme is “The Humanities of Objects,” where each participant shares stories about objects that represent themselves, conveying everyday philosophy and social perspectives needed in today’s world.

On the 13th at 2 p.m. in the annex, the first guest of “Annex Salon,” novelist Jang Kang-myeong, will candidly discuss his daily life, ways of thinking, and views on the present era through the personal theme of “smartphones.”

The first guest of the 'Annex Salon,' novelist Jang Kang-myeong.

Recently familiar to the public through appearances on tvN’s programs “Alssul Beomjap 2” and “THE DAYS: The Birth of Busan”, Jang, who graduated from an engineering college and worked as a journalist for 11 years, has created works that realistically depict the intricacies of capitalist society, sparking significant social resonance with each release.

Also noteworthy is the annex’s transformation into a small performance venue in the old downtown area.

The theme for the 2023 “Monthly Performances” is “Old Downtown Love Songs,” featuring performers from various genres such as classical, jazz, and indie music, each expressing the emotions and stories of the old downtown through their unique styles and music.

The first performer of the “Monthly Performances” is guitarist Jang Ha-eun.

Guitarist Jang Ha-eun.

She gained public recognition by reaching the finals on JTBC’s 2021 program “Superband 2”, but she is a highly skilled musician who has received great acclaim not only domestically but also internationally, including a Carnegie Hall collaboration with the Union City Orchestra.

On May 27 at 4 p.m., guitarist Jang Ha-eun will present nostalgic hits such as “7080 Medley,” “Come Back to Busan Port,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” allowing Busan citizens to embark on their own journeys of memory in the old downtown, which holds the history and memories of modern Busan.

Additionally, from May 18 to 20, a hands-on program called “Ego Island” will be offered for youth and young adults to explore self-discovery, and on May 21 and 28, guided walking tours of the nearby old downtown area will be held, using the annex as a base.

The Busan Modern History Museum annex has long functioned as a cultural space. The American Cultural Center in Busan played an important role in introducing American culture to Korea during the 1950s and 1960s.

It hosted performances by American musicians and dancers, organized art exhibitions, and sponsored film screenings. Since 2003, for about 20 years, it has greatly contributed to informing citizens about the region’s modern history as the Busan Modern History Museum.

A representative of the Busan Modern History Museum stated, “We plan to continue operating humanities, performance, and experiential programs through the annex to allow citizens to enjoy culture in a wide range of fields, and we ask for your active interest and participation.”

Applications for the May programs of “Annex Salon” and “Monthly Performances” will be accepted starting from the 7th on the Busan Modern History Museum website, with 40 spots available per session on a first-come, first-served basis.

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