September 23 'Online Opening Ceremony' Live Broadcast... From Contactless Experiences to Marathon... Festival Joy Unstoppable Despite COVID... Closing Ceremony with Hope Message... Bringing Fun and Emotion to Weary Residents
[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) opened the ‘2020 Ontact Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival’ on the 23rd, delivering comfort and hope to the people weary from COVID-19.
The ‘Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival’ is a grand cultural event that shares and allows participants to experience the 500-year history and culture of Hanseong Baekje (BC 18 ~ AD 475), which began in Songpa 2,000 years ago. It first started in 1994 and has been held every autumn mainly at Olympic Park.
This year marks the 20th anniversary, aiming to reestablish its status as a historical and cultural festival and to present a festival model suitable for the post-COVID era by focusing on online non-face-to-face programs. Under the theme ‘Baekje and Songpa’s Matduduli (Face-off),’ the festival will run for five days until September 27.
□ ‘Online Opening Ceremony,’ The Online Festival Begins!
The opening ceremony will be held from 7 PM to 8 PM on the 23rd. It will be broadcast live on Delive, a cable channel in the Seoul-Gyeonggi area, and on Songpa TV’s YouTube channel.
The first part’s theme is ‘2,000 Years of Great Baekje Matduduli.’ It symbolizes the encounter between Baekje 2,000 years ago and today’s Songpa. The program includes a thematic video about water, light, and wind, a performance by Ensemble Sinawi, and ritual choreography such as the shaman’s Binari. Following this, traditional musician Kim Deok-su will perform Matduduli (a large drum performance), concluding the first part with the Dodream Cheonjijin performance. In the background of the performance, over 180 ink paintings by artist Kim Su-jin, themed on Baekje relics and Songpa, will be displayed.
The second part of the opening ceremony is themed ‘Hopeful Songpa Together.’ Songpa Mayor Park Seong-su will deliver a message of hope to the residents and perform a rose-giving act with two members of the Songpa Children’s Choir. Then, singer Oh Yeol and the children’s choir will sing ‘Ganggang,’ the grand prize-winning original Arirang composition, conveying wishes and support for overcoming the crisis.
□ From Non-face-to-face Experiences to Marathon... Festival Joy That COVID-19 Cannot Stop
On the 26th, the ‘Ontact Children’s Hanseong Baekje Experience Play’ is prepared. This program allows children to create with a pre-registered and delivered experience kit together with the children’s YouTuber ‘Yura.’ Activities include making Soseono & Onjo blocks and a Hanseong Baekje sticker art book. It can be viewed on the YouTube channel ‘Yuraya Nolja’ at 7 PM on the 26th.
Additionally, a Hanseong Baekje online parade reenacting the historical street cultural procession and a Hanseong Baekje photo contest recalling the 1st to 19th festivals will be held as non-face-to-face programs.
In particular, since the 21st, the district has been conducting the ‘7th Hanseong Baekje Marathon’ in a non-face-to-face format. Participants can choose one of three courses: half marathon, 10 km, or 5 km, and run at their preferred date and time. To complete, participants must pass at least 3 km along the Songpa Dullegil trail by October 4. Two thousand pre-registered participants are currently taking part.
□ ‘Closing Ceremony’ with a Message of Hope... Bringing Fun and Emotion to Weary Residents
On the last day, the 27th, the closing ceremony will be held at 4 PM in the Songpa-gu Office auditorium. It will feature a highlight video of the festival, awards for the Ontact Hanseong Baekje singing contest, a congratulatory performance by baritone Yang Jun-mo, and a COVID-19 crisis overcoming wish performance by musical singer Kim So-hyun. The closing ceremony will be broadcast live on Songpa TV’s YouTube channel.
Songpa Mayor Park Seong-su said, “We prepared the programs in a non-face-to-face and online format so that those exhausted by COVID-19 can find some comfort through the Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival,” adding, “I hope the newly attempted Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival will offer special fun and emotion to many people. We ask for your great interest and participation.”
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