Intangible Cultural Asset 'Suyeong Yaryu' Holder Jo Hongbok Passes Away

Cultural Heritage Administration: "A Lifetime Dedicated to Transmission and Development"

Jo Hong-bok, the holder who contributed to the transmission of the national intangible cultural heritage 'Suyeong Yaryu,' passed away from old age on the 13th. He was 90 years old. Suyeong Yaryu is a Yaryu (野遊, field play) that has been handed down in Suyeong, Busan for over 200 years. Yaryu refers to a performance played joyfully in a wide field while honoring the village guardian deity. 'Suyeong Yaryu' consists of four acts (madang): Yangban dance, Youngno dance, Halmi and Younggam dance, and Lion dance. It satirizes contemporary issues and social conditions with humor and wit. It was designated as a national intangible cultural heritage in February 1971.

The deceased formed a connection in 1978 by participating in the Suyeong Historic Folklore Preservation Society. He learned the role of Younggam in the third act, Halmi and Younggam dance, from Park Nam-su (1914?1989), the holder of the national intangible cultural heritage 'Jwasuyeong Eobang Nori.' After going through the stages of Suyeong Yaryu practitioner and transmission education assistant, he was recognized as a holder in 2002. The Cultural Heritage Administration praised him, saying, "He contributed to promoting the cultural heritage value of Suyeong Yaryu through domestic and international performances. He devoted his entire life to its transmission and development." Survived by his wife Do Mal-yeon and children Jo Yong-hwan, Suk-hwa, and Suk-hee. The funeral is at Yeongnak Park Funeral Hall, Room 5, Busan, with the departure ceremony at 7 a.m. on the 16th.