Gwangju Seo-gu to Host Gugak Hanmadang at Bitgoeul Gugak Training Center from 7th to 21st

Published 06 Sep.2023 14:06(KST)

Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Ikang) announced on the 6th that it will hold the Thursday Open Gugak Festival for the younger generation at the Bitgoeul Gugak Training Center from the 7th to the 21st in celebration of Youth Day (the third Saturday of September every year).

The first performance on September 7 will feature the fusion gugak band ‘Lee Heejeong Band,’ known as a unique group dreaming of becoming Korea’s Lady Gaga on MBN’s ‘Joseon Panstar.’

At this event, the Lee Heejeong Band will present a total of seven songs, including Ppaengdeokine, Gongjanghane, and Gwangdaega, which offer a fresh interpretation of traditional characters with their distinctive style.

September Thursday Open Gugak Festival Poster. [Photo by Seogu]

Following that, on September 14, the jazz gugak group ‘PLAY Gaon’ will perform.

PLAY Gaon is a team centered around master singer Shim Sehee, the youngest recipient of the Presidential Award in the Gayageum Byeongchang category; Shim Ji, a professor of practical music at Honam Theological University (piano); and jazz vocalist Professor Kim Eunyoung, accompanied by drums, bass, and guitar.

This performance will feature a variety of stages encompassing both traditional and modern styles, including traditional versions of the pansori Chunhyangga and Simcheongga, as well as modern versions fused with jazz, engaging the audience.

Finally, on the 21st, the gugak+EDM group ‘Gugak Electronic Wanderers’ will hold a performance.

This show will present lively music combining exciting traditional Korean melodies with EDM beats, along with a modern madangnori filled with flavorful storytelling and performances.

They will showcase various original songs such as ‘Ongheya,’ which topped the Melon Gugak Chart, and ‘Yojeum Yangban,’ selected for the Korea Creative Content Agency’s popular music support project.

Additionally, the audience event ‘Street Talchum Fighter’ will allow attendees to learn traditional mask dances like Bongsan Talchum and participate in a battle-style interactive stage, adding fun for the viewers.

The performances are free for everyone to watch, and a non-face-to-face service will also be provided with live streaming on the Bitgoeul Gugak Training Center’s YouTube channel for each show.

Meanwhile, the Bitgoeul Gugak Training Center is equipped with a performance hall, a special exhibition room, and a permanent exhibition room where visitors can directly play instruments such as pyeonggyeong, pyeonjong, and janggu. The exhibition rooms are open free of charge from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

For more details, contact the Culture and Arts Division of Seo-gu, Gwangju, or the Bitgoeul Gugak Training Center.