The First "Gugak Day" to Be Celebrated on June 5
National Gugak Center to Host "Gugak Week" Until June 15
June 5 will mark the very first "Gugak Day." Gugak Day was established under the Gugak Promotion Act, which was enacted in July last year.
The National Gugak Center announced on the 28th that, in celebration of the first Gugak Day, it will host a festival for all citizens to enjoy and connect through gugak. The period up to June 15 has been designated as "Gugak Week," during which a variety of events?including performances, hands-on experiences, meditation, and exhibitions?will be held. Gugak Day, June 5, commemorates the date when "Yeominrak," a piece composed by King Sejong himself to enjoy music with the people, was first recorded. The National Gugak Center stated that, in honor of King Sejong’s intent, all Gugak Week performances will be offered free of charge so that everyone can participate and enjoy together.
On June 5, the day of Gugak Day itself, celebratory performances marking the opening of Gugak Day will take place at the Gwanghwamun Square Nori Madang and the Yeakdang at the National Gugak Center.
At the Gwanghwamun Nori Madang, the "Yeominrak Grand Festival" will be held at 4:00 p.m., with citizens and nongak troupes from across the country coming together to kick off the festivities. At 7:30 p.m. that day, the National Gugak Center will present a commemorative performance titled "Yeonhui_Pan: A World Connected by Excitement," showcasing the essence of Korean traditional performing arts, spanning both tradition and modernity.
Regional branches of the National Gugak Center located in Namwon, Jindo, and Busan will also celebrate Gugak Day with unique performances featuring master artists and local arts organizations. Depending on each region’s characteristics, diverse gugak performances such as Pangut, Pansori, Talchum, and Binari will be presented.
The National Gugak Center has designated June 6 to 15 as Gugak Week, during which a variety of performances will be held, centered around Gwanghwamun in Seoul and the National Gugak Center.
From June 6 to 8 at 4:00 p.m., the Gwanghwamun Square Nori Madang will feature stages for all ages, including Jindo Ssitgimgut, youth creative gugak, and gugak band performances. On June 7 and 8 at 4:00 p.m., the "Sejongjo Hoerye-yeon," a reenactment based on the Annals of King Sejong, will take place at Geunjeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace, with a large cast of over 300 performers. From June 10 to 12, the Pungnyu Sarangbang and Umyeondang at the National Gugak Center will host performances featuring 100 master artists and three gugak orchestras.
Alongside the performances, a variety of hands-on activities will be available. From June 5 to 8 at the Gwanghwamun Square Nori Madang, twelve gugak experience booths will operate under the theme "Gugak Festival for the Future," blending traditional arts with cutting-edge technology.
Notably, the journey of the National Gugak Center’s "Gugak Dictionary" will be explored in the rhythm of Heungtaryeong, and robot performances of Jongmyo Jeryeak, Buchaechum, and Sajachum will inspire children’s pride in traditional culture and scientific curiosity. There will also be a variety of experience programs for all, such as making a danso (bamboo flute), a gugak playground for children, and more, allowing everyone to engage with Korean music through all five senses.
From June 5 to 14, "Gugak Meditation and Healing Programs" will be offered in Seoul, Namwon, Jindo, and Busan, where the National Gugak Center branches are located. On June 8, at the Hangang Jamsu Bridge (National Gugak Center), the "Seoul Ttubukttubuk Festival" will feature a special lecture by Kim Kyungil and a gugak meditation experience titled "Mind, Rest." On June 5 and 12, the "Breathing Garden," combining dawn yoga and tea time, will be held at Gwanghallu Garden in Namwon (National Folk Gugak Center). On June 14, the National Namdo Gugak Center will offer the "Empty and Fill" meditation program in nature, while in Busan (National Busan Gugak Center), "Jeongjungdong," a gugak exercise routine, will be held at Citizen Park on June 6 and 7, and at Bukhang Waterside Park on June 13 and 14.
Participatory gugak programs for all ages will also take place. On June 8, the "Gugak Children’s Song Contest," featuring 12 children’s teams, will be held at the Yeakdang of the National Gugak Center and broadcast live on Gugak Broadcasting. In addition, throughout June, the National Gugak Center plans to distribute "Gugak Kits for Young Children," which include creative songs and play-based teaching materials, to kindergartens and daycare centers nationwide to foster gugak sensitivity among young children.
Meanwhile, on June 7 at Gwanghwamun Square, the "Future Traditional Stars" talent show for youth will be held, offering scholarships and performance opportunities. From June 9 to 14, the National Gugak Center will offer the "Improvisation-Gugak Masterclass," where participants can learn the depth of improvisational performance through practical lessons and a recital.
On June 4, the day before Gugak Day, a policy seminar will be held under the theme "Future Strategies for Gugak Promotion," featuring presentations and discussions on the public sector’s role in promoting gugak, expanding its enjoyment, and enhancing its value. On June 5, the National Gugak Center Museum will open an interactive exhibition titled "What Is Your Gugak?" where visitors can view a variety of content produced and collected by the National Gugak Center and select gugak pieces that suit their tastes.
The National Gugak Center stated that it will take the lead in globalizing and popularizing gugak, using this year’s Gugak Day and Gugak Week as a springboard.
Kang Daegum, Acting Director of the National Gugak Center, said, "We hope that the first Gugak Day and Gugak Week will become an opportunity for generations to communicate and harmonize through gugak, and that through a festival focused on experience, participation, and empathy, more people will enjoy and spread gugak together with us."
Detailed event schedules for Gugak Day and Gugak Week can be found on the Gugak Day website.
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