YEONGDONG, South Korea, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) — An expo dedicated to “gugak,” Korean traditional music, will open Friday, spotlighting the roots of Korean music that have paved the way for the global phenomenon of K-pop.
The 2025 Yeongdong World Traditional Music & Arts Expo, the first of its kind, is scheduled to run through Oct. 11 in Yeongdong County, 185 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
The event is designed to broaden the audience base for traditional music, foster exchange among industry experts and musicians and boost the regional economy through cultural tourism, according to its organizers.
Under the slogan “The Fragrance of Gugak, Permeating the World,” the expo will kick off with an opening ceremony at Yeongdong Citizens’ Stadium at 7 p.m., with about 10,000 local government officials, gugak performers, and residents expected to attend.
The ceremony will be followed by a street parade featuring traditional artists from around the world, an air show by the Black Eagles, and performances by the National Gugak Center and the Nangye Gugak Orchestra. The show will also include a large-scale percussion performance by some 200 Yeongdong residents and a mass rendition of Yeongdong Arirang, sung jointly by performers and the audience.
At the main expo venue, three exhibition halls will showcase the history and global potential of gugak. Additional performances will feature folk music from 30 countries.
There also will be an Intangible Heritage Experience Zone, where 13 master artisans, including instrument makers and bowyers, will demonstrate their craft. Visitors will have the chance to try traditional Korean instruments, such as the gayageum, geomungo and haegeum, with guidance from experts. Hands-on experiences with traditional costumes, instruments, and crafts from participating countries will also be offered.
During the expo period, a diverse range of gugak will be performed, from the royal ritual music “Jongmyo Jereak” to the expressive folk storytelling art of “pansori.”
The ceremony will be followed by a street parade featuring traditional artists from around the world, an air show by the Black Eagles, and performances by the National Gugak Center and the Nangye Gugak Orchestra. The show will also include a large-scale percussion performance by some 200 Yeongdong residents and a mass rendition of Yeongdong Arirang, sung jointly by performers and the audience.
At the main expo venue, three exhibition halls will showcase the history and global potential of gugak. Additional performances will feature folk music from 30 countries.
There also will be an Intangible Heritage Experience Zone, where 13 master artisans, including instrument makers and bowyers, will demonstrate their craft. Visitors will have the chance to try traditional Korean instruments, such as the gayageum, geomungo and haegeum, with guidance from experts. Hands-on experiences with traditional costumes, instruments, and crafts from participating countries will also be offered.
During the expo period, a diverse range of gugak will be performed, from the royal ritual music “Jongmyo Jereak” to the expressive folk storytelling art of “pansori.”
Source: Yonhap
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