Preparing Various Performances Symbolizing Korean History and Culture
Harmony and Unity Through Fusion Gugak and Fusion Cuisine
President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are attending the welcome dinner for the '2024 Korea-Africa Summit' held at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 3rd, watching a cultural performance. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Kim Keon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, hosted a social event on the 4th by inviting the spouses of African heads of state attending the Korea-Africa Summit. Kim personally oversaw various performances and foods showcasing Korea's history and culture to leave a positive impression of Korea on the guests.
According to the presidential office, Kim presided over a luncheon for the spouses of the Korea-Africa Summit leaders at Sangchunjae in the Blue House. Spouses from 16 countries attended the event.
A presidential office official said, "Kim carefully prepared every detail of the performances and menu over several months to present traditional Korean culture to the first ladies."
The luncheon venue was decorated with small white porcelain and flowers symbolizing harmony and unity between Korea and Africa. As a pre-performance, a fusion gugak (traditional Korean music) concert featuring the cello and gayageum, blending Eastern and Western string instruments, was held.
The luncheon menu was a fusion Korean cuisine representing the harmony between Korea and the African continent. It consisted of four courses from appetizers to soup, main dishes, and dessert, thoughtfully reflecting individual preferences such as halal, vegetarian, and lacto-free options based on fusion Korean cuisine.
A presidential office official explained, "The menu was designed as a colorful course that reinterprets Korean food in a modern way," adding, "Overall, the dishes were small in size or soft in texture."
Especially, globally popular mini gimbap, ssambap (rice wrapped in leafy vegetables), dumplings, as well as rice cakes, hangwa (traditional Korean sweets), and burdock tea were prepared so that the spouses of African heads of state could taste a variety of Korean foods.
After the luncheon, a 'collaborative pansori' performance between Korea and Africa was held at Nokjiwon. The performance featured Min Hye-sung, a master of the national intangible cultural heritage pansori Heungboga, and Mapo Lorr, a Cameroon-born Frenchman and disciple of Min Hye-sung, performing together.
They joyfully conveyed hopes for a future shared by Korea and Africa through representative pansori pieces such as Sarangga from Chunhyangga and Jindo Arirang. Some parts were sung in both Korean and French.
In the following performance, artist Seok Chang-woo, known as the 'prosthetic arm painter' who lost his arm in an accident, used the Pan-African colors of black, red, green, yellow, and blue to depict several people riding bicycles in the same direction through croquis sketches, delivering a message of unity.
The presidential office also prepared a prayer room on the right side of Sangchunjae for the consideration of some spouses of heads of state, providing prayer carpets, clocks, and compasses separately. Additionally, considering the early summer heat, fans called 'Dwirimseon' by Bang Hwa-seon, a master of intangible cultural heritage in Jeonbuk, and handkerchiefs inspired by Shin Saimdang’s insect and plant paintings were prepared.
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