A Gateway for Gugak Artists
Carrying on the Legacy and Popularization of Traditional Arts
Suncheon City in Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) announced on June 4 that the 11th Suncheon Nagan Eupseong National Gugak Competition will be held over two days, from June 14 to 15, at Nagan Eupseong, a historic village where traditional culture is still alive.
This competition brings together gugak talents from across the country, who will compete in pansori and minyo in a total of six categories, ranging from elementary school students to master-level performers. The preliminary rounds will take place on June 14, followed by the finals, awards ceremony, and a celebratory performance on June 15.
The Gugak Competition is a prestigious event that goes beyond a simple contest of traditional Korean music. It contributes to the expansion of gugak’s reach, the preservation and succession of traditional arts, and their popularization. Now in its 11th year, it continues to serve as a gateway for distinguished gugak artists in Korea.
The grand prizes for this competition include awards from the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Minister of Education, the Governor of Jeollanam-do, the Superintendent of Jeollanam-do Office of Education, and the Mayor of Suncheon. In addition, each category will present grand prizes, excellence awards, and merit awards.
An official from the city stated, "We hope this competition will serve as an opportunity to shed new light on the value of pansori, our precious national intangible heritage, and to further elevate Suncheon's status as the birthplace of pansori. We ask for the participation of many gugak artists and the interest of our citizens."
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