The echo of hometown that resonated around the world, Jeonju World Sound Festival 'Closing Ceremony'
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Lee ByungJae(2025-08-18 13:43:32)
The 2025 Jeonju World Sound Festival (organized by Chairman Lee Wong-jun, hereinafter referred to as the Sound Festival) showcased the unique charm of traditional arts and closed its grand curtain on the 17th, gathering much attention and discussion.
This year's Sound Festival broke new ground in traditional arts by presenting fresh and impactful performances such as the opening performance 'Shim Cheong,' demonstrating that the 'globalization' of Korean traditional arts can have sufficient competitiveness. The festival concluded its four-day schedule amidst praise for this achievement.
■ 'Shim Cheong' that overturned the original work... Representing all the women of this land!
The Pansori Theater 'Shim Cheong,' a joint production of the Sound Festival and the National Changgeuk Company, premiered on the 13th and 14th.
Directed by Yona Kim, a resident director at Mannheim Opera House in Germany, this production garnered attention in the performing arts community even before its opening.
On the first and second days of the opening, the Korean Sound Culture Hall was crowded with people coming to see the new Shim Cheong, leading to overcrowding, with the occupancy rate of the R and S seats on the first floor reaching 98.5%. Audience members who couldn't get seats on the first floor had to turn to the second floor.
Starring over 150 people including members of the National Changgeuk Company, dancers, child actors, and a choir, 'Shim Cheong' premiered at the 2025 Sound Festival, portraying a character who represents all the social underdogs of this land, breaking away from Confucian values and being oppressed without power.
After the public release of 'Shim Cheong,' the reactions from the media and critics included various interpretations such as "a lament dedicated to the countless daughters who have died," "Shim Cheong that dismantled the classics," "calling forth the voices buried in the waves," and "a requiem dedicated to daughters," evaluating it as a different 'reinterpreted Shim Cheong' from the original. Audience reactions were also enthusiastic, with comments like "It was nice to see the deep emotions of the actors shown through live cameras," "I felt anger, sadness, empathy, and wondered about myself. It's a work that leaves a lot of lingering thoughts," and "The Shim Cheong I saw on the first day and the one I saw on the second day were different. It's a work that made me think a lot." It was a moment where Yona Kim's statement that the interpretation of the work is up to each audience member was confirmed.
■ 'Presenting to the world' the distribution platform for traditional music,
As part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism's open call project 'Regional Hub Project,' the Sound Festival opened for the first time this year.
'Sound Next' is a kind of music market aimed at promoting the overseas expansion of traditional music. Over the next three years, the Sound Festival will receive government support of 1.35 billion won to handle the domestic and international distribution of traditional music.
During the festival, showcases of 12 teams including the rookie-centered Sound Frontier and Sound Choice recommended by experts were held.
The Sound Festival supported their overseas expansion, serving as a platform that actively promoted practical collaboration from work distribution.
Kim Hee-sun, the executive director of the Sound Festival, said, "Along with the growth of K-culture, there are more places waiting for our artists. Experts from home and abroad who participated in reportedly were very surprised by the level and potential of Korean music through the Sound Festival. We will continue to make efforts so that more artists can meet audiences around the world through the Sound Festival."
■ The unparalleled 'Five Elements of Pansori'... Traditional music that resonated throughout the region
The essence of our Pansori unfolded at the Korean Sound Culture Hall over four days. Responding to the requests of many Pansori enthusiasts, the 'Five Elements of Pansori,' which moved from the original Myeongin Hall, presented the charm of generational sounds, ranging from national masters and current top-level performers to rising star vocalists.
The performed by five vocalists selected through a blind evaluation through a nationwide competition showcased the potential of young vocalists. The solo performance form of individual instrumental music, , considered a leading example of traditional instrumental music, and 'Yeongsan Hoesang,' composed of eight Western chamber string instruments and janggu, received much love as a world premiere. It delivered the emotion of Korean traditional music being expressed through pure Western instruments to the audience.
The Diaspora Focus planned in line with this year's festival keyword (Echo of the Origin) captured the history of our music and the flow of migration, enriching the meaning of this year's Sound Festival.
The series program focusing on vocal music in Korean traditional genres, Vocal Anthology (Venpa by Monk Donghee, Female Vocal Songs by Cho Sun-ja, Gyeonggi Minyo by Lee Chun-hee, and Geumgodulso-ri by Sun Chang-nong), provided a time for many audience members to immerse themselves in the charm of traditional music.
■ A festival where everyone comes together
Various world music from around the globe was also featured. Performance teams from various cultural regions and countries such as North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia showcased their respective traditions and contemporary music, creating a stage where music unites as one in the 'world.'
The classical orchestra 'Going Home Project,' created by pianist Son Yeol-eum and musicians from around the world, recorded sold-out performances, concluding successfully.
The 'Sound Summer Night,' held on summer nights, entertained a crowd of over 3,000 people each night, truly enjoying a hot summer night together. Held as an outdoor evening performance for three days starting on the 15th, 'Sound Summer Night' was a free performance featuring stages by World Music, Na Yoon-sun & Benjaming Mckenzie Duo, Lee Nalchi, Seodo Band, and Song So-hee, leading the audience to fill the seats with cheers and gestures.
The festival's closing performance, 'An Eun-mi Company's ,' choreographed by world-renowned choreographer An Eun-mi, adorned the finale with a stage where local Gwangbok-dong mothers participated, receiving enthusiastic responses from the audience.
As of August 16, the morning of Jeonju, including the Natural Sound Project, and other programs such as the Hakindang program, were sold out, along with six programs including Son Yeol-eum & Going Home Project, Monk Donghee's Venpa, and the children's performance 'Koshi,' totaling 10 sold-out performances. The occupancy rate was recorded at 80.4% (6,635 seats reserved out of a total of 8,256 seats).
Chairman Lee Wong-jun said, "We have concluded the festival schedule, leaving a short but long-lasting impression over five days. This year's festival showcased the best works during my term, giving me much pride," and "I sincerely thank all the audience members who came to the festival and all the officials who contributed to the festival. I will continue to make more efforts for a better festival next year, a festival we create together."
Governor Kim Kwan-young said, "This year's Sound Festival gathered much attention from the opening performance, balancing artistic quality and audience participation," and "I sincerely thank all the residents who participated in the festival and the officials who made the festival possible."
