Professor Byeon Mihye of Korea National University of Education Awarded the 7th Gwanjae Gugak Prize

Byeon Mihye, Professor at Korea National University of Education

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The Korea Gugak Society's Gwanjae Gugak Award Steering Committee announced on the 14th at the Umyeondang of the National Gugak Center that Professor Byeon Mihye of Korea National University of Education has been selected as the recipient of the 7th Gwanjae Gugak Award.

This award has been given since 2001 using private funds collected by the late Gwanjae Seong Gyeongrin during his lifetime and funds from his bereaved family. It is the first award in the gugak community funded by an individual. It is presented to gugak artists who have made significant contributions to the preservation, transmission, and dissemination of national music. Since 2001, a total of six recipients have been selected and awarded. Since 2019, the Korea Gugak Society has hosted and organized the award ceremony jointly with the National Gugak Center.

Seong Gyeongrin served as the first head musician of the National Gugak Center, the second director of the National Gugak Center, and principal of the Gugak High School. He was also a member of the National Academy of Arts and a senior instructor at the National Gugak Center. Especially after liberation, he was a key figure in the establishment of the National Gugak Center and worked to preserve and revitalize national music. He contributed to laying the foundation of gugak by authoring numerous gugak papers and books.

Professor Byeon Mihye, the award recipient, has served as the chairman of the Korea Gugak Society, the Korea Gugak Education Research Society, the 4th dean of Korea National University of Education, and the head of the Gugak Research Office at the National Gugak Center. She is also active as a member of the Cultural Heritage Administration's Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee, an advisory member of the National Gugak Center, and an advisor to the Korea Gugak Education Society.

Professor Byeon expressed her feelings, saying, "I am both pleased and humbled by this undeserved honor," and added, "It makes me have a humble heart toward Gwanjae teacher's endless love for his students."

The recipient will be awarded a plaque along with a prize of 10 million won.