Gwangju City Presents Exciting Korean Traditional Music 'K-Nongak' in the Middle East

Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Bang Se-hwan) presented an exciting traditional Korean Nongak performance in the United Arab Emirates.

The Gwangju City delegation is taking a commemorative photo after presenting an exciting Nongak performance, a traditional Korean musical rhythm, in the United Arab Emirates. Photo by Gyeonggi Gwangju City

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According to the city on the 16th, the Gwangju delegation attended the ‘Korea Festival 2024’ held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, over two days from the 15th to the 16th, where they performed traditional Korean Nongak and operated a Gwangju promotional booth.

This performance was held upon invitation from the UAE Korean Cultural Center for the second consecutive year. The Gwangju Municipal Gwangjiwon Nongak Troupe took charge of the traditional Korean performance segment, delivering Nongak performances such as the Twelve-foot Play, Beorna Play, and Beokku Dance, eliciting enthusiastic responses from the local audience and creating an excellent stage to raise interest in Korean culture.

Additionally, during the event, Gwangju operated a promotional booth for the first time among local governments nationwide, featuring a photo zone with the backdrop of Namhansanseong Fortress, traditional musical instrument experiences, and traditional costume wearing programs, all of which received great acclaim.

In particular, the booth attracted so many visitors that the prepared promotional materials almost ran out, serving as an opportunity to widely promote the name of Gwangju City on the global stage.

Prior to this, the Gwangju delegation held a meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UAE with Ambassador Ryu Je-seung, Director Lee Yong-hee of the UAE Korean Cultural Center, and Kim Jae-hyun, International Cultural Policy Officer of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, sharing a meaningful time discussing cultural and artistic issues.

At the meeting, Ambassador Ryu stated, “K-culture, which combines the spirit of the older generation with the creativity of the younger generation, is truly expanding worldwide,” adding, “I am proud of the global spread of Hallyu culture.”

Mayor Bang Se-hwan said, “We ask for much interest and support for Gwangju City, which is striving to stand tall as a city of culture and arts, with achievements such as the successful conclusion of the 20th WASBE World Wind Band Conference and the hosting of the 2026 Gyeonggi Province Comprehensive Sports Festival.”

Meanwhile, the city plans to thoroughly analyze the improvements identified during this business trip and make every effort to promote cultural exchanges with other countries in the future.

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