<Opening Performance 'Shim Cheong'>
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, <Sound Next>
As part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism's open call project 'Regional Hub Project,' the Sound Festival opened <Sound Next> 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 <Sound Next> 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 <Youth Pansori Praise> 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, <Night of Sanjo>, 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 <Dance Dedicated to Ancestors>,' 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."
? Summary:
The 2025 Jeonju World Sound Festival recently concluded, showcasing traditional arts and performances that garnered attention and praise. One highlight was the opening performance 'Shim Cheong,' which presented a fresh take on the traditional story and received positive feedback from both critics and audiences.
?️ Korean Translation:
2025년 전주 세계 소리 축제가 최근에 마무리되었는데, 관심과 찬사를 받은 전통 예술과 공연을 선보였습니다. 한 가지 주목할만한 점은 개막 공연 '심청'으로, 전통 이야기를 새롭게 풀어내어 평론가와 관객으로부터 긍정적인 피드백을 받았습니다.
❓ Comprehension Questions:
1. What was the opening performance at the 2025 Jeonju World Sound Festival?
2025년 전주 세계 소리 축제의 개막 공연은 무엇이었습니까?
2. How did the audience react to the new interpretation of 'Shim Cheong'?
'심청'의 새로운 해석에 대해 관객들은 어떻게 반응했습니까?
3. What was the purpose of 'Sound Next' introduced at the festival?
축제에서 소개된 '사운드 넥스트'의 목적은 무엇이었습니까?
? Vocabulary Learning:
1. groundbreaking, 획기적인, adjective
- Innovative or pioneering; introducing new ideas or methods.
- 새로운 아이디어나 방법을 도입하는 혁신적인 것.
- The groundbreaking research led to significant advancements in the field.
- 획기적인 연구는 그 분야에서 중요한 발전을 이끌었습니다.
2. premiere, 초연, noun
- The first performance or showing of a play, movie, or musical composition.
- 연극, 영화 또는 음악 작품의 첫 공연 또는 공개.
- The movie will have its premiere at the film festival next week.
- 그 영화는 다음 주 영화제에서 초연을 갖게 될 것입니다.
3. interpretation, 해석, noun
- The action of explaining the meaning of something.
- 어떤 것의 의미를 설명하는 행위.
- His interpretation of the painting sparked a lively debate among art enthusiasts.
- 그의 그림 해석은 미술 애호가들 사이에서 활발한 논쟁을 불러일으켰다.
4. expansion, 확대, noun
- The action of becoming larger or more extensive.
- 더 크거나 더 넓어지는 행위.
- The company's rapid expansion into new markets surprised many competitors.
- 회사의 새 시장으로의 신속한 확대가 많은 경쟁사들을 놀라게 했다.
5. collaboration, 협력, noun
- The action of working with someone to produce something.
- 무언가를 만들기 위해 누군가와 함께 일하는 행위.
- The successful collaboration between the two companies led to a groundbreaking product.
- 두 회사 간의 성공적인 협력이 획기적인 제품으로 이어졌다.
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