Naju-si Holds Press Briefing for 'Yeongsangang River is Alive' Integrated Festival

Published 07 Sep.2023 17:07(KST)

Nam Jeong-sook, the general director of the integrated festival of Naju City, Jeollanam-do, titled ‘2023 Naju Festival, Yeongsangang River is Alive,’ expressed her ambition at a press briefing on the 6th, stating, “We will present a festival unlike any other in South Korea so that the citizens of Naju, who have lived by the Yeongsangang River, can feel pride.”

Naju City (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 7th that the Festival Promotion Committee hosted a press briefing for ‘2023 Naju Festival, Yeongsangang River is Alive’ at 3 p.m. the previous day in the main auditorium of the Yeonggang-dong Eoullim Center.

Nam Jeong-suk, the general director of the 2023 Naju Festival, Yeongsangang River is Alive, is explaining the festival program at a press briefing on the 6th.
[Photo by Naju City]

About 80 journalists attended the briefing, which lasted approximately two hours and included an overview of the festival by Lee Seong-gak, chairman of the Festival Promotion Committee, a progress report on the committee’s activities, an introduction to the festival programs by General Director Nam Jeong-sook according to the schedule, and a Q&A session with the press.

Chairman Lee Seong-gak presented details about the festival schedule and venues, the composition and activities of the promotion committee, the background for integrating minor festivals and events into one, and future plans through the formation of a festival task force team.

This year’s festival, under the subtitle “For 10 days at the beautiful Yeongsangang River,” is scheduled to be held from the 20th to the 29th of next month at the Yeongsangang Riverside Sports Park area.

General Director Nam Jeong-sook introduced the festival’s direction and strategy, the meaning behind the official poster, the pre-festival event and opening ceremony, as well as the programs confirmed so far.

Director Nam structured the festival programs around the themes of ‘citizen participation,’ ‘pride in Naju’s history,’ and ‘the importance of the Yeongsangang River and eco-friendliness.’

The festival will operate exhibitions representing Naju’s history by era?Mahan, Goryeo, Joseon, and modern periods?and recreate the most glorious scenes through musical performances, performances, and media art.

Notable programs finalized include the musicals ‘Wang Geon and Queen Janghwa,’ ‘Seopyeonje Pansori Master Exhibition,’ ‘Yeongsangang Arirang Media Performance,’ ‘Kim San-ok and Dodri’s Goryeo Hyangga Medley,’ ‘Wang Geon-Gyeon Hwon Grudge Gut Performance,’ ‘Hong-eo Merchant Moon Soon-duk Madanggeuk,’ ‘Traditional Dance Yeonhui - Naju Mokgwanbu Dance,’ ‘Student Anti-Japanese Movement Modern Dance,’ ‘Naju City Dance Hall,’ and the opera performance ‘Naju Women, Victory!’

The performances will take place on a floating stage on the Yeongsangang River, adjacent to the waterfront.

Director Nam said, “All performance programs were planned with a focus on the Yeongsangang River,” adding, “We plan to install a floating stage so that visitors can simultaneously enjoy the beautiful Yeongsangang River sunset and the performances.”

Director Nam also emphasized the importance of the pre-festival event and opening ceremony programs that mark the beginning of the 10-day festival.

The pre-festival event will start at 4 p.m. on the 20th. It will feature 10 to 12 teams, including participants from Street Girls Fighter and dance students from Dongshin University, performing K-POP dance, along with a celebratory performance by the fireworks band ‘Love and Peace’ keyboardist Lee Kwon-hee Band & Choi Seong-su.

The opening ceremony on the 21st will kick off at 10:30 a.m. with the Cheonsinje ritual at Jami Mountain in Bannam-myeon and a residents’ parade. After the ritual, residents will take buses to Naju Eupseong area and march on foot to the festival site, signaling the start of the festival.

From 7 p.m., under the theme ‘Yeongsangang River is Alive,’ four yellow sailboats and 50 rafts will cut through the Yeongsangang River waters, presenting a magnificent and splendid floating parade.

Director Nam explained, “The opening ceremony performance was inspired by records showing 54 boats docked at Yeongsan Port, which was a center of trade and logistics,” expressing confidence that “the floating parade and fireworks show, which depict Naju’s most glorious and prosperous era, will be the killer content of this festival.”

Additionally, Director Nam introduced citizen participation programs such as the ‘Naju Youth Quiz Contest,’ ‘Naju Hyangsi (local poetry contest),’ ‘Yeongsangang Arirang Media Art,’ ‘Natural Dye Fashion Show,’ ‘Nam June Paik Poster Exhibition,’ and ‘Naju People by German Artist Janche’ among the festival’s exhibition programs.

She also explained eco-friendly and Yeongsangang River importance-themed events including the ‘Yeongsangang Plogging Competition,’ ‘Gangmeongjon Urban Tent,’ ‘Use of reusable utensils at food booths,’ ‘Special exhibition by writer Moon Soon-tae titled Burning River,’ and the ‘Yeongsangang Cafeteria.’

General Director Nam Jeong-sook stated, “I want to showcase the most glorious and prosperous historical scenes of Naju by the Yeongsangang River as festival content to introduce Naju to the entire nation,” adding, “The core goal of this festival is to attract tourists nationwide to visit Naju as a destination tourism spot for 10 days at the beautiful Yeongsangang River.”

She further added, “Taking this festival as an opportunity, I hope to develop it into the best cultural and historical tourist destination, the best Namdo gourmet town, and the best performing arts festival. If given the chance next year, I would like to hold an international-scale water performing arts festival reenacting the naval battle between Wang Geon and Gyeon Hwon.”