Joseon Tongsinsa’s Sea Voyage Revived Through Music by Korea–Japan Youth Artists

The historic journey of the Joseon Tongsinsa, a diplomatic delegation that helped restore relations and foster cultural exchange between Korea and Japan after the Imjin War, is being reinterpreted through music by young artists from both countries.

Bearing royal letters across the sea, the Tongsinsa were more than envoys. They were leading intellectuals and artists of their time, often regarded as an early form of cultural ambassadors. On April 8, their maritime route will be revived through a collaborative performance by Korean and Japanese youth artists.

Painting titled Saroseunggu-do by Lee Seong-rin, who participated as a court painter in the 1748 mission. Photo by Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.

A journey of thousands of miles from Busan to Edo

The delegation’s voyage began in Busan. Before crossing the rough seas, they held a ritual at Yeonggadae to pray for safe passage. As depicted in Saroseunggu-do, the journey lasted between nine months and a year, a perilous undertaking that was also a vibrant platform for cultural exchange.

Due to the scale and difficulty of the expedition, the delegation required skilled personnel, including sailors, interpreters fluent in Japanese, and maritime specialists. Many of them came from Busan, forming the operational backbone of the mission. Historical records suggest that approximately 400 to 500 people traveled via Tsushima Island to reach mainland Japan.

While these personnel supported the logistics, scholar-officials and court painters engaged in literary and artistic exchanges with Japanese intellectuals, embodying the principle of “Seongshingyollin” (sincere and neighborly relations). Scenes from Hanabusa Itcho’s illustrated album depict Japanese audiences lining up to receive calligraphy from Korean performers, reflecting the strong cultural appeal of Joseon at the time.

The two nations also exchanged regional specialties as symbolic gestures of goodwill. Joseon presented ginseng, believed to have medicinal properties, and tiger skins symbolizing strength, while Japan offered ornate folding screens, finely crafted silverware, and lacquerware. These exchanges went beyond material value, reinforcing mutual trust.

Although the official missions ended with the 12th delegation in 1811, their historical significance was reaffirmed when related records were inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2017.

Joint performance from last year’s Korea–Japan Youth Artists Exchange Concert. Photo by National Busan Gugak Center.

A modern stage continuing the spirit of exchange

Today, the spirit of the Tongsinsa lives on through a new generation of artists. The National Busan Gugak Center will host a Korea–Japan Youth Artists Exchange Concert on April 8 at Yejidang, in collaboration with Japan’s Min-On Concert Association.

This performance marks the culmination of a two-year exchange program that began in 2024 across Seoul, Namwon, and Busan, and continued through venues including the Korean Cultural Center in Japan and the Korean Cultural Center in Osaka.

Under the subtitle “Melodies of Tradition Soaked in Waves,” the concert reinterprets the historical legacy of Busan, once walked by the Tongsinsa, through a contemporary lens. The program will feature Korean pieces such as the daegeum solo Cheongseong Jajinhanip and pansori Simcheongga, alongside Japanese folk works including Tsugaru Jongara Bushi and Inkyoku Gionshoja.

The finale will bring together eight young artists from both countries, including Korea’s Heo Yujin (daegeum) and Han Suji (haegeum), and Japan’s Asano Sho (shamisen) and Honma Takashi (25-string koto), performing a joint arrangement of “Arirang.”

The harmonies created by these young musicians across the sea are expected to echo the spirit of “Seongshingyollin” from over 200 years ago, transforming a legacy of diplomacy into a renewed form of cultural communication.

Reported by News Culture [e-mail]