National Gugak Center to Introduce Jongmyo Jeryeak in Hungary and Poland

Special Lectures and Exhibitions Held Together... Enhancing Local Audience Understanding
Documentary Production and Domestic Tour Performances Until November

The National Gugak Center introduces the charm of 'Jongmyo Jeryeak' on the stage of Eastern Europe.

Performance of Jongmyo Jeryeak Ceremony Music

The National Gugak Center announced on the 14th that it will hold a full performance of Jongmyo Jeryeak, a gugak (traditional Korean music) special lecture, a demonstration of Jongmyo Jeryeak costumes, and a special exhibition at the Erkel Theatre in Hungary on the 21st (local time) and at the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall in Poland on the 25th.

Previously, the National Gugak Center performed parts of Jongmyo Jeryeak in Germany and Italy in 2007. In 2015 in France and 2022 in Germany, the full performance was presented. This time, the stage for Jongmyo Jeryeak, which had been showcased in Western European countries, has expanded to Eastern European countries. The Gugak Center explained that this is the first time Jongmyo Jeryeak is performed in Hungary and Poland, making it highly significant.

The performance in Hungary was made possible as the Korean Cultural Center in Hungary invited the National Gugak Center’s Jongmyo Jeryeak to the 'Korean Culture Festival.' Before the performance, on the 19th, the National Gugak Center will meet with local Korean culture students at the Korean Cultural Center in Hungary and donate traditional Korean musical instruments to the center.

On the 20th, Kim Young-woon, the director of the National Gugak Center, will give a special gugak lecture to students of the Korean Studies Department at E?tv?s Lor?nd University. On the day of the performance, the 21st, local models will showcase Jongmyo Jeryeak costumes in a fashion demonstration held in the first-floor space of the theater.

The Jongmyo Jeryeak performance in Poland, co-hosted by the Korean Cultural Center in Poland and the National Gugak Center, was selected as part of the season program at the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, where it will meet the audience. The Warsaw Philharmonic Hall is also known domestically as the venue where pianist Seong-Jin Cho won the Chopin International Piano Competition in 2015. Through this performance, it will play a role in delivering the essence of traditional Korean music to Eastern Europe.

Before the performance, the National Gugak Center will hold a special exhibition titled 'The Sound of Eternity, Jongmyo Jeryeak' at the Korean Cultural Center in Poland until the 23rd. A total of 27 artifacts including costumes, musical instruments, and documents will be displayed to enhance understanding of Jongmyo Jeryeak.

The National Gugak Center, the Korean Cultural Centers of both countries, and Gugak FM will produce a special documentary on this touring performance. The entire process from preparation to demonstration and the vivid reactions of the local audience will be shared with viewers both domestically and internationally. The domestic tour, which began earlier this year, will continue in Daegu in September and Gunsan in November.

Kim Young-woon, director of the National Gugak Center, said, “We are pleased to be able to present Jongmyo Jeryeak, one of our representative intangible cultural heritages, at the historic theaters in Hungary and Poland,” adding, “We hope that the complete harmony created by the music, songs, and dances that have continued for over 600 years will leave a deep resonance in the hearts of the local audiences.”