Interview with Rock Group Pak Leader Kim Daein and Gugak Group Jambinai Leader Lee Ilwoo
'Goyohan Ssikim' Performance at National Theater on 15th
Leading figures in Korean-style heavy post-rock, PAKK, and Lee Il-woo, leader of the traditional Korean post-rock group Jambinai, will present a powerful Salpuri performance. From the left in the photo: PAKK Kwon Beom-seop (drums), Jambinai Lee Il-woo (piri, taepyeongso), PAKK Kim Dae-in (vocals), PAKK Park Hyun-seok (bass). Photo by National Theater of Korea
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] As the impact of COVID-19, which seemed to be subsiding, shows signs of spreading again due to the Omicron variant, a unique ssitgimgut (ritual cleansing performance) to comfort those wounded by this will be staged at the National Theater on the 15th.
“Goyohan Ssitgim” (Silent Cleansing), presented by PAKK, a pioneer of Korean heaviness post-rock, and Lee Ilwoo, leader of Jambinai, a representative of Korean traditional post-rock, is a captivating performance within the National Theater’s Yeowoorak Festival program. Kim Daein, leader of PAKK, who will lead the ssitgimgut through a powerful rock sound combined with the piri and taepyeongso, and Lee Ilwoo said they prepared this performance to comfort the sadness and anger suppressed in the reality of COVID-19. Below is a Q&A with the two.
How was ‘Goyohan Ssitgim’ planned?
Kim Daein
As the COVID-19 situation prolonged, I suggested holding a ssitgimgut to comfort those who have been hurt. We titled it “Goyohan Ssitgim” and completed the performance by designing the music and stage concept as a single ritual space. When I was first offered a collaboration with traditional Korean music, I immediately thought of Lee Ilwoo from Jambinai. I had considered proposing a collaboration during the early days of our EP album, but since Jambinai was doing so well (laughs), I felt it would be like riding on their fame, so I postponed it. This time, a great opportunity came with Yeowoorak, and we are finally sharing the stage together.
How did you blend your different musical styles in the collaboration?
Lee Ilwoo
About 15 years ago, before Jambinai, I was in a band called 49 Morphines, and Daein hyung was active with Apollo 18, so we met then. I always thought it would be great to work together someday, but we were busy with our own activities until now. Through “Goyohan Ssitgim,” we prepared this performance together. We started by thinking about various instruments that would suit PAKK’s intense sound, focusing on incorporating lyrical emotions even within noisy music. The core of this work was creating parts that feel like a cleansing, as if wounds are being washed away.
Kim Daein
The work proceeded with Ilwoo participating with various instruments in PAKK’s music. The songs, deeply infused with our original musical colors, will be layered with melodies of the piri and taepyeongso to leave a strong impression. Anyway, it’s an attempt to combine loud rock with traditional instruments... It might be the loudest stage in the entire Yeowoorak festival.
COVID-19 must have greatly affected your activities.
Lee Ilwoo
Jambinai is a group that tours overseas a lot, but we couldn’t go anywhere for over two years and mainly worked on video shoots domestically. Face-to-face performances were almost non-existent. Since bands are freelancers, I think we were among the most affected by the pandemic. Now that recovery is underway, I’ve heard from fellow musicians who recently performed abroad that there have been frequent cases of lost or delayed instrument shipments, leading to canceled shows or having to rent instruments locally. So, overseas performances are still a bit worrisome.
Kim Daein
We hardly had any performances, but with the desire to be on stage, we held one or two shows a year. Recently, although we still wear masks, the atmosphere is gradually returning to pre-COVID-19 times. I also hear news about rock festivals like Pentaport being held, so I feel more stages are becoming available.
Your expression about COVID-19 at the Yeowoorak press conference was impressive.
Kim Daein
To me, the COVID-19 pandemic felt like a plague that brought out various insects, emitting a very foul smell and wounding many people. This stage was prepared as a ssitgimgut ritual reflecting that. Over the past two years since COVID-19 spread, life patterns have changed before and after the pandemic, and human groups have also been divided, which made me feel a lot of skepticism. While preparing our second album, I focused on these social phenomena. But rather than just cursing or getting angry about the situation, I wanted to offer healing through music for the circumstances where some cause harm and others suffer damage.
Do you have plans for performances after this stage?
Lee Ilwoo
With “Goyohan Ssitgim,” we have been invited to perform at the K-Music Festival in the UK this October. I hope it will be a time and space where the audience can enjoy the ritual with the waves of piri and guitar, and the surges of taepyeongso and bass, comforting and healing each other.
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