Seongnam City to Hold "Geumnanse's Midsummer Night Concert" at Seongnam Mulbit Garden in Gumi-dong on July 5

First Citizen-Participation Cultural Event
Since the Creation of the Dumulgil Walking Trail

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sangjin) announced on July 2 that it will hold "Geumnanse's Midsummer Night Concert" at 6 p.m. on July 5 at the outdoor stage along the Dumulgil walking trail in Seongnam Mulbit Garden (195 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu).

Poster for 'Geumnanse's Midsummer Night Concert' to be held on the 5th at the outdoor stage of the Dumulgil walking trail in Seongnam Mulbit Park. Provided by Seongnam City

This is the first citizen-participation cultural event to be held since the creation of the Dumulgil walking trail on the site of the former Gumi-dong sewage treatment plant (29,041 square meters).

The concert will be hosted by Geumnanse, the artistic director and principal conductor of the Seongnam City Arts Group, and will feature performances such as excerpts from George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," "Cavatina" from the soundtrack of the film "The Deer Hunter," and Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango."

Pianist Charlie Albright, guitarist Ji Ikhwan, and saxophonist Hwang Dongyeon will also perform at the concert.

Seongnam Mulbit Garden, the venue for this concert, consists of the Dumulgil walking trail (opened on June 13), a music hall (scheduled for official opening in August), a cafe, and a world-class art museum (a long-term project).

The city plans to hold three pilot performances at the new music hall in August, and from September, to run a variety of performance programs including string orchestra, chamber ensemble, and solo recitals.

Mayor Shin Sangjin stated, "We have planned this citizen-participation concert to celebrate the completion of the music hall in Seongnam Mulbit Garden," adding, "We also aim to attract a world-class art museum here, making this area a cultural and artistic hub harmonized with the landscape of Tancheon."

The former Gumi-dong sewage treatment plant was constructed by Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), with construction starting in 1994 and completion in 1997. However, due to opposition from nearby residents during trial operations, it was never put into operation and remained abandoned for 28 years, becoming known as an undesirable facility.

In response, the city has been pursuing a plan to transform the site into a cultural complex space for citizens as part of its 8th popularly elected administration's campaign pledges.

Seongnam Mulbit Garden is the name given to the entire former sewage treatment plant site as it is transformed into a cultural complex space, and it was selected through a public contest among citizens.