"Claiming Pansori is Chinese"... Strong Backlash and Correction Efforts by 'VANK' Saying "What is This Noise!"

China: "Pansori is Joseonjok heritage... Ultimately belongs to China"
VANK Director: "We will raise awareness of Pansori and oppose China's cultural imperialism"

Promotional poster by the cyber diplomatic mission VANK announcing Pansori as a traditional Korean sound. Photo by VANK, Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] The cyber diplomatic mission VANK strongly opposed China’s claim that Pansori is part of its cultural heritage.

China’s encyclopedias Baidu, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Network, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum websites state that Pansori belongs to the culture of the Joseonjok ethnic group, and therefore ultimately to Chinese culture.

In response, VANK rebutted, saying, "Pansori is a traditional Korean vocal art where a single singer weaves a long story by mixing singing, speech, and gestures in rhythm with a drummer," emphasizing that Pansori is a Korean cultural heritage.

The history of Pansori can be traced back to the Silla period of the Three Kingdoms era, and it was designated as Korea’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1964 and inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2008.

Starting from the 4th, VANK plans to produce and distribute posters titled "Pansori as Chinese Cultural Heritage? What is this noise?" in both Korean and English.

The posters also include a global petition address to raise awareness that Pansori belongs to Korea.

The petition highlights Pansori as a "living Korean heritage" that demonstrates the originality and excellence of Korean traditional sound, and notes its recent use in various music genres such as rap and hip-hop.

It also explains that as K-culture, including BTS, Squid Game, and Pachinko, has gained worldwide recognition, interest is extending to traditional Korean music, and Pansori is an important heritage that must be preserved.

Park Ki-tae, head of VANK, stated, "Through this campaign, we will raise awareness about Pansori and raise voices against China’s cultural imperialism."