Pansori Echoes in Amsterdam... President Yoon and Spouse Attend Reciprocal Cultural Event

Bridge for Bilateral Cultural Exchange and Friendship Promotion
Traditional Music and Dance Performances... Showcasing the Essence of Korean Culture

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, who are on a state visit to the Netherlands, attended the "Dutch Visit Courtesy Cultural Event" held at 'AFAS Live' in Amsterdam on the 13th (local time). This cultural event was organized to expand cultural exchanges between the two countries following the first state visit since diplomatic relations were established in 1961.

The performance featured top-level gugak artists including Shin Young-hee, holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 5 Pansori; Chae Sang-mook, holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 27 Seungmu; and Kim Young-gi, holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 30 Gagok, along with members of the National Gugak Center ensemble. About 600 people attended in the audience, including King Willem-Alexander and Queen M?xima of the Netherlands and other prominent Dutch figures.

King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife receive a bouquet from a flower child before a reciprocal cultural performance held at a concert hall in downtown Amsterdam on the 13th (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

In particular, this cultural event included meaningful performances befitting the courtesy of a state guest invitation. Master singer Shin Young-hee presented the story of De Berterbreij (Korean name Park Yeon), a Joseon military officer naturalized in the Netherlands during the Joseon Dynasty, and Hamel, who drifted to Jeju Island and was the first to introduce Korea to the West, in the form of a Pansori solo song, conveying the deep-rooted ties between Korea and the Netherlands. Additionally, Pansori disciples Park Ae-ri and Nam Sang-il introduced the story of the Dutch humanist Erasmus through a multi-voiced performance.

Other performances included the Korean folk dance 'Seungmu' (performed by master dancer Chae Sang-mook), which artistically expresses the dance of Buddhist temple monks; the instrumental ensemble 'Sinawi' by the National Gugak Center folk orchestra; Korea’s representative classical music sijo 'Cheongsan-ri' (sung by Kim Young-gi); folk dance 'Janggu Dance'; Seodo folk songs 'Monggeumpo Taryeong' and 'Yeonpyeongdo Nanbongga'; and the multi-voiced performance 'The Love Song of Chunhyang and Mongryong' by Park Ae-ri and Nam Sang-il.

Finally, master singer Shin Young-hee, Park Ae-ri, and Nam Sang-il sang 'Jindo Arirang' together to raise the excitement, and the performance concluded with the National Gugak Center folk orchestra’s 'Pangut.' President Yoon and his wife gave enthusiastic applause for the courtesy cultural event performance that introduced the originality, excellence, and diversity of Korean traditional culture to European society. After the performance, they held a conversation with the Dutch royal couple and encouraged the performers.