'Jeonguk Muyongje Gaeso' Held in Mokpo... September Opening Ceremony Marks the Start of the Grand Journey

Plaque Ceremony and Meeting with Dance Officials from 16 Cities and Provinces Nationwide

The opening ceremony of the 31st National Dance Festival. Photo by the Executive Committee of the National Dance Festival

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] The 31st National Dance Festival is being held in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, and on the 26th, the opening ceremony and plaque unveiling ceremony were held.

The opening ceremony, held in the lobby of the Grand Performance Hall at the Mokpo Citizens' Culture and Sports Center, was successfully attended by about 50 local dance officials, including Kim Jongsik, Mayor of Mokpo, Jo Namgyu, Chairman of the Korea Dance Association, Park Sugyeong, President of the Jeonnam Branch of the Korea Dance Association, Kim Won-i, Member of the National Assembly, and Lim Jeomho, President of the Jeonnam branch of the Korean Federation of Arts and Culture Organizations.

This dance festival will be held in Mokpo for 10 days, starting with the opening ceremony on September 28 and closing on October 7.

In particular, during the festival, representative dance troupes from 16 cities and provinces nationwide will participate in competitions, and various cultural events such as solo & duet competitions, invited performances by master dancers, the Generation Harmony Dance Festival, and post asia (Changes in Asian dance after the pandemic) will also be held.

The official preparation for the competition began with the signboard ceremony. Photo by the National Dance Festival Executive Committee

Kim Jongsik, Mayor of Mokpo, said in his welcoming speech, "Following Mokpo's designation as one of Korea's four major tourism hubs and as a legal cultural city, this is the first nationwide cultural and artistic competition hosted by Mokpo," adding, "As talented dancers from all over the country visit Mokpo, our city will also do its best to prepare thoroughly for the remaining period of the competition."

The theme of this dance festival, "Mokpo, the City of Life and Romance, Connecting the Dance of Korea," also carries the meaning of giving vitality and comfort to dancers who have been depressed due to COVID-19.

Park Sugyeong, the executive committee chairperson, said in her greeting, "I hope that the difficult and exhausting COVID-19 era can now be overcome with passion for dance," adding, "Starting with the opening ceremony, we will do our best to fill in the gaps and refine the overflowing parts to hold a perfect dance festival during the remaining period."

Meanwhile, after the opening ceremony, the festival executive committee continued detailed event preparations through a meeting with dance officials from 16 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide.