The Eiffel Tower turns red and blue as a light show projects the national Taegeukgi flag onto the structure on Sept. 18.
The sky over Paris was tinged red, white and blue on Sept. 18.
Korea and France hosted a light show that projected the national Taegeukgi flag onto the Eiffel Tower to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Seoul and Paris.
The symbolic tower was illuminated in the red and blue of the Korean flag and, also, with the red, white and blue of the Tricolor.
In line with the event, Korean royal court music, the Jongmyojeryeak, rang out at the Chaillot National Theater. The ancient form of royal music was written especially for rites held at the Jongmyo Shrine in central Seoul where the royal family and other retainers worshiped past Joseon kings. This is the first time for the full-length Jongmyojeryeak ceremony to be performed outside of Korea.
As the reenactment ended, the audience, filling all 1,250 seats at the theater, shouted, “Très bien,” and, “Magnifique!”
A full-length performance of the Jongmyojeryeak, a form of traditional court music, marks the start of the ‘Years 2015-2016 of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges,’ at the Chaillot National Theater in Paris on Sept. 18.
“This festival gives us a glimpse into some of the Korean spirit,” said French Minister of Culture and Communication Fleur Pellerin during her congratulatory remarks. “It is also a huge privilege for us to take a deep look at that nation,” she added.
In response, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said that, “Throughout these two years, there will be a variety of programs designed to introduce to the French people Korean music, food and art. Hopefully, these events will help the two peoples get a better understanding of each other and of different forms of art, culture and tradition,” the prime minister added.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (second from left), French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (second from right) and French Minister of Culture and Communication Fleur Pellerin (right) press the start button to launch the ‘Years 2015-2016 of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges’ festival at the Chaillot National Theater in Paris on Sept. 18.
Korea and France agreed during a summit in November 2010 to designate the latter part of 2015 and parts of 2016 as the “Years 2015-2016 of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges” to commemorate the 130th anniversary of their bilateral ties.
Korea will host a range of cultural programs at major cities across France through to August next year, including in Paris, Nantes, Marseilles, Lyon, Lille and Nice. In Korea, there will be more than 60 programs across the nation, including ones in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon and on Jeju Island, allowing people here at home to experience first-hand France’s movies and other works of art.
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
iiae5853@korea.kr
