Chilgok County Hosts "Memory and Sound Cultural Festival"

The Meeting of Traditional Funeral Procession Sound and Hip-Hop
"Funeral Procession Sound for Flowers Going to Heaven"

The Jicheon-myeon Cultural City Project Group in Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang Province (headed by Lee Gichan) held the “Funeral Procession Sound for Flowers Going to Heaven” memory and sound cultural festival, which was directly planned and prepared by the group since April, on Saturday, September 20, at the Jicheon-myeon Office and surrounding areas.

A scene where local elders lead the procession by taking the lead role in the funeral procession sound performance, with residents and youth joining in the chorus, connecting generations / Photo by Kim Ihwan

This cultural festival was especially meaningful as it sought to transform perceptions of death and was a great success under the theme of “Funeral Procession Sound for Flowers Going to Heaven.”

Notably, residents took the lead in every aspect of the festival, from planning to execution, making their active participation a highlight of the event.

During the event, a funeral procession sound reproduction performance featured local elders leading the procession by taking the lead role, while residents and youth joined in the following sounds, creating a scene that connected generations.

This festival, which vividly reproduced the actual rhythms and funeral culture, became a significant occasion where the funeral procession sound was revived as a “living heritage.”

In particular, a hip-hop performance featuring a local young rapper collaborating with the funeral procession sound received an enthusiastic response from the audience, demonstrating the potential for new regional cultural content where tradition and modernity coexist.

Additionally, various hands-on activities such as the “120-Year-Old Longevity Photo Studio,” “Leaving a Line of Life,” and “Making Funeral Flowers” added to the diversity of the festival.

Kim Jaewook, Chairman of the Chilgok Cultural Tourism Foundation, stated, “This cultural festival, which interpreted death through the memory and art of the community, is not just a simple event but an important stepping stone toward becoming a cultural city. I hope that this resident-led festival will continue to grow as a representative cultural asset of Chilgok.”