A playful performance on an outdoor stage captures the attention of passersby near the beautifully remade Cheonggyecheon Stream in central Seoul on Aug. 31, the last Wednesday of the month and the government’s official “Cultural Wednesday.”
The performance was the opening act of “Myeonginjeon,” an outdoor performance that was taking place in front of the CEL Venture Complex, right next door to the K-style Hub.
Stage shows in various genres, ranging from percussion performances from Korea and overseas, drum dances and musicals, amused the eyes and ears of citizens and tourists alike as they strolled along the Cheonggyecheon Stream.
“Myeonginjeon” is a series of outdoor performances scheduled from Aug. 31 to Sept. 9. It’s jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and the Presidential Committee for Cultural Enrichment. It will feature performances of some of Korea’s most important intangible cultural assets, and feature masters of traditional Korean performing arts, as well as younger artists, too.
A series of outdoor performances dubbed the ‘Myeonginjeon’ are held in front of the K-Style Hub building near the Cheonggyecheon Stream in Jung-gu District, Seoul, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 9. The performances began on Aug. 31, the last Wednesday of the month.
On the opening day, the Brazilian percussion group Rapercussion opened the show, and it was followed by the Jindo drum dance troupe, a musical gala by well-known musical actress Choi Jung-won, and then a performance of “Jindo Arirang” by Park Jong-suk, a master pansori singer who has been named as an important intangible cultural asset.
The program of outdoor performances will showcase both traditional and modern arts, two times each — from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and then again from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — on each selected day. Performances will include folk songs from the Jeolla-do region on Sept. 1, a musical gala and gugak traditional performance on Sept. 2, the Namsadang stunt show on Sept. 7, a Bongsan talchum mask dance and some breakdancing on Sept. 8, and a show featuring a shamanistic exorcism from Jindo Island, a ssitgimgut, as well as modern dance on Sept. 9.
The opening performance of the ‘Myeonginjeon’ attracts visitors to the Cheonggyecheon Stream in Jung-gu District, Seoul. The opening took place on Aug. 31 and featured performances in various genres, including percussion troupes, drum dances, musical galas and a folk song medley. Performances will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 9 in front of the K-Style Hub building near the Cheonggyecheon Stream in central Seoul.
The KTO said that, “The K-Style Hub is a landmark for tourism for the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, as it promotes Korean culture and Korean food. We planned these performances to introduce the beauty of Korea and to offer more chances for both Korean citizens and for non-Korean people to enjoy the arts as part of their daily routine. We will feature a wider variety of content next year when we finish renovations on the exterior of the venue.”
The K-Style Hub is a multi-faceted experience-and-tourism-information center where people can see, sample, purchase and even make traditional Korean food, as well as browse exhibits about Korean tourism and pop culture. Since its opening in April, the number of visitors to the venue has exceeded 120,000 within just four months.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: KTO
arete@korea.kr
The ‘Myeonginjeon’ is a series of outdoor performances planned for early September.
