The 2025 Jeonju World Sound Festival (organized by Chairman Lee Wong-jun, hereinafter referred to as the Sound Festival) will be held from the 13th to the 17th, starting with the opening performance of "Shim Cheong Pansori Theater" on the 13th at the National Sound Culture Hall and throughout the Jeollabuk-do region.

Celebrating its 24th edition, the Sound Festival opens under the theme "Echoes from the Homeland." This year's festival features a total of 77 programs and 91 performances, including the opening performance "Shim Cheong," a participatory closing performance "Dance Dedicated to Ancestors," the "Five Elements of Pansori," "Night of Sanjo," various world music performances, the vocal genre series "Vocal Anthology" representing Korea, and more.

The opening performance "Shim Cheong" is a collaborative production based on the "MOU for the Promotion of Performing Arts Culture" between the Sound Festival and the National Theater in 2023. The performance reinterprets the traditional "Shim Cheong Song" in a modern way, combining tradition, experimentation, artistry, and populism. The production aims to present a new landscape for changgeuk (Korean traditional opera) by focusing on the self-sacrificial spirit of Shim Cheong and representing all social underdogs who have been oppressed without having their own unique voice and power.

The script and direction are led by director Yona Kim, who is active in Europe, known for transcending boundaries with interpretations that go beyond time and space, delivering universal emotions through "Shim Cheong" without the need for language understanding.

Furthermore, the festival will feature various performances such as traditional instrumental performances, morning melodies of Jeonju, and a focus on traditional Korean vocal genres. Additionally, the festival will expand its outreach through the "Sound Next" distribution platform.

For more detailed schedules and programs, you can visit the Jeonju World Sound Festival website at https://www.sorifestival.com.