Shinan-gun Sees Potential for Globalization of 'Island Culture'

‘2023 Korea Culture Month’ Event Successfully Concluded... 5,000 On-site Visitors

Beautiful Melodies from 104 Pianos, Audience Cheers

The '2023 Korea Culture Month' event, held for the first time on an island in Sinan-gun, off the mainland, successfully concluded after a two-day cultural festival schedule.

Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, received high praise from visitors by prominently featuring cultural programs based on island culture, in line with the theme of this Culture Month event, "Islands, the treasure trove of Korea's cultural diversity."

On the 21st, the opening ceremony of the '2023 Korea Culture Month' event was held at the special stage of Museum Park on Jaeun Island, Sinan County.
[Photo by Sinan County]

According to the county on the 23rd, the '2023 Korea Culture Month' event successfully introduced Korea's island culture and beautiful natural environment to both art experts and general audiences.

During the Culture Month commemorative event period from the 21st to the 22nd, Sinan-gun held a total of 15 programs centered around Jaeundo Museum Park.

The beautiful piano melodies emanating from 104 pianos, and the performances by the Sinan Aphae Dong Elementary School choir members themed around the keywords "sea" and "whale," along with the opening performance that fused Eastern and Western cultures?including a tightrope walking act performed amid the wind?received applause from approximately 5,000 on-site spectators.

The photo exhibition by documentary photographer No Soon-taek, titled "Sinan, Life of the Island, Island of Life (Sinan Maninbo Exhibition)," which captured the lives of Sinan islanders and island landscapes, brought a gentle emotional impact to both Sinan residents and visitors.

On the 21st, after the opening ceremony of the 2023 Korea Culture Month commemorative event held at the special stage of Museum Park on Jaeun Island, Sinan-gun, the performers and attendees gathered to play Sandai together.
[Photo by Sinan-gun]

During the event, James Turrell (USA, 80), a world-renowned installation artist who visited Sinan, said in an "Artist Talk" with domestic and international participants, "I was captivated by the island's beauty as I talked about the island, light, the sun, the sound of waves, and starlight."

In keeping with the Culture Month event being held on an island for the first time, an international academic conference highlighting island culture was also held, drawing attention.

At the "2023 World Island Cultural Diversity Forum" held on the 21st, sustainable tourism was explored by examining the cases of three islands awarded the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World's Best Tourism Village: the Philippines (Bohol), Indonesia (Nglanggran), and Sinan-gun (Purple Island).

The "Bora-hae Dance Festival," held on the afternoon of the 22nd at the special stage in Museum Park, was a dance competition with a total prize of 17 million KRW, heating up the Culture Month event site.

On the 22nd, the 'Borahae Dance Festival' is being held at the special stage of Museum Park on Jaeundo Island, Sinan-gun. [Photo by Sinan-gun]

The "Bora-hae" Dance Festival, combining the purple (purpl) symbolizing Sinan and the meaning of the sea (海), was held for the first time this year and is connected to the unique festival culture of islanders called "Sandai."

Park Woo-ryang, the county governor who observed the event, said, "This is the first time I have seen so many young people visit Sinan all at once," adding, "Next year, we will increase the budget to make it a bigger event and consider hosting an international dance competition."

The "Gimbap Festa" and "Food Truck Sales" prepared around Jaeundo Museum Park, where the main events were held, received positive reviews from visitors, saying "There were no overcharges, and the taste was good."

However, the Culture Month event also experienced some trial and error due to the island's uniquely unpredictable weather conditions.

On the afternoon of the 20th, a piano performance by 104 skilled pianists under the direction of General Director Lim Dong-chang was scheduled at the special stage in Museum Park, but the pre-event was ultimately canceled due to strong winds that could have blown away the large tent.

100+4 Pianos Filling the Stage
Photo by Sinan-gun

Additionally, some performers, including students, endured considerable hardship from sudden cold and strong winds but still delivered splendid performances, earning praise from the audience.

Kang Hyung-gi, the chairman of the 2023 Culture Month Promotion Committee, said, "This event was to spread Korea's cultural diversity and to declare Sinan's uniqueness. Although it was held on an island far from the mainland, on an island reached by crossing other islands (Jaeundo), many people came," adding, "Despite the challenging environment for holding events and the strong winds, thanks to the sincere efforts of Sinan residents and performers, we were able to safely carry out the Culture Month event."

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