"Learned About It Through a Report from a Local Korean Resident"
An Indonesian organization sparked controversy by introducing the Korean traditional dance 'Buchaechum' as a 'Chinese dance' in promotional materials for Lunar New Year events.
According to Yonhap News, Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University posted about this on his social media on the 29th. Professor Seo stated, "Recently, an organization in Bandung, Indonesia used a photo of people performing Buchaechum in their Lunar New Year event promotional materials and referred to it as 'Chinese Traditional Dance'."
Kim Baek-bong's 'Buchaechum,' first performed in 1954, is a dance where brightly colored fans create elegant curves. After being performed at the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, it has been recognized as a representative Korean dance. It was designated a masterpiece in 1992 and was registered as the third intangible cultural asset of South Pyongan Province in 2014.
Professor Seo said, "The president of the Korean Association in Bandung protested to the organization, and all the promotional materials posted on social media were deleted." He added, "Events related to the 'Chinese Lunar New Year' are held worldwide, but there continue to be incidents where Korea's Buchaechum is mistakenly introduced as Chinese, causing controversy."
He further explained, "Recently, a Korean resident in Bandung, Indonesia reported that an organization used a photo of Buchaechum in their Lunar New Year event promotional materials and introduced it as 'Chinese Traditional Dance'."
Professor Seo also mentioned that during last year's Lunar New Year, Chinese people performed Buchaechum at a large parade in New York's Chinatown, expressing his concerns. He said, "At the same time, at the Denver Nuggets' home stadium in the NBA, a performance was held introducing a 'Chinese dance team,' where Chinese people wore hanbok and performed Buchaechum."
He pointed out, "Above all, the biggest problem is that Baidu, China's largest portal site, still distorts Buchaechum as a 'Chinese folk traditional dance.'"
He emphasized the need to correct misunderstandings. Professor Seo said, "While it is important to change the term 'Chinese Lunar New Year' to 'Lunar New Year' worldwide, it is essential to correct the misconception that Buchaechum is a Chinese dance. We will continue to carry out more diverse global promotional campaigns to properly introduce our Buchaechum."
Meanwhile, this is not the first time China has made such an absurd claim. In 2007, Jilin Province in China registered 19 items, including Buchaechum, Sangmo dance, swing, and neolttwigi, as provincial intangible cultural heritage, which later sparked controversy.
In 2023, the official SNS of the Hong Kong Palace Museum posted a photo of people dressed in hanbok performing Buchaechum and introduced it as 'Chinese Dance,' causing controversy. Earlier this year, at the Denver Nuggets' NBA home stadium, a performance was held introducing a 'Chinese dance team,' where Chinese people wore hanbok and performed Buchaechum, also sparking controversy.
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