National Gugak Center to Hold New Year's Gugak Performance at Yeakdang Hall on the 22nd

The National Gugak Center will host the "New Year's Gugak Performance" on January 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Yeakdang Hall. The event aims to share New Year's greetings and well-wishes while wishing for the continued development of Korean traditional music.

All four performance troupes affiliated with the National Gugak Center will appear together, presenting a collaborative stage. Under the direction of Artistic Director Kim Chunghan of the National Gugak Center Dance Company, the program will feature elegant and dignified court music and dance, lively folk entertainment and dance, and exhilarating performances that blend Korean traditional orchestral music. Audiences can enjoy the diverse beauty of Gugak through these various performances.

New Year's Gugak Performance: Spirit of Ten Thousand Years [Photo by National Gugak Center]

The opening act, "Spirit of Ten Thousand Years," will combine the dignified Heungryongmu and the graceful Geommu to convey the hopeful energy of the New Year. This will be followed by "Hyangamurak," a splendid presentation of large-scale court dances such as Abakmu, Hyangbalmu, and Mugo.

The program will continue with "Boheoja," a court music ensemble wishing for a peaceful New Year, and the "Hojok Pungnyu Concerto," filled with the resonant melodies of the taepyeongso. The medley "Minyo Yeongok," featuring representative folk songs from the Gyeonggi, Seodo, and Namdo regions, will express the joy of welcoming the New Year.

New Year's Gugak Yeon Pungjangmu
Photo by National Gugak Center

In the latter part of the performance, "Pungjangmu," a newly choreographed dance based on the entertaining elements of Pangut, will further energize the audience. For the finale, master singer Lee Chunhee and all performers will join together in a chorus of "Arirang," celebrating the hopeful spirit of the New Year.

Hwang Seongwoon, Acting Director of the National Gugak Center, stated, "Through the New Year's Gugak Performance, which envisions hope for the New Year through Gugak, I hope that the melodies of traditional Korean music will bring comfort and joy to people's daily lives, and that its resonance will be shared and appreciated around the world."

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