[News Culture] Korea’s rising traditional music talents are taking over the small screen in the heart of summer break.
Episode 1614 of KBS1’s ‘Gugak Hanmadang,’ airing Aug. 1 at 12:10 p.m., will present a special Youth Gugak Festa featuring more than 200 students from the National Gugak Middle and High Schools. The program moves freely between heritage repertoire and contemporary compositions, capturing the range and energy of a new generation.
The showcase opens with ‘Buchaechum,’ choreographed by Yang Seong-ok with music by Kim Baek-chan. First-year students from the National Gugak High School command the stage with a vibrant fan dance built around sweeping formations and tightly synchronized movement.
The mood then shifts to Lee Jae-jun’s string ensemble piece ‘Padong,’ where the rich tones of 25-string gayageum and geomungo unfold in deep, resonant layers.
Folk song also takes a prominent place in the program. Students from all three grades join forces for a Gyeonggi minyo medley of ‘Noraetgarak,’ ‘Geumgangsan Taryeong,’ ‘Cheongchunga’ and ‘Changbu Taryeong.’ Gayageum, haegeum, daegeum, piri and janggu accompaniment adds further color and rhythmic lift.
Dance remains another major pillar of the festival. Woo Ji-young’s ‘First Resonance, Awakened Wishes’ channels the intensity and expressive power of its young performers, while Han Young-suk’s ‘Salpuri Dance’ finds a different kind of force in restraint, measured movement and emotional depth.
The program also brings together song and traditional performance. Students from the National Gugak Middle School perform the scene in which the turtle meets the rabbit from the pansori epic ‘Sugungga,’ pairing youthful voices with live drum accompaniment. The Sori-saem Arts Ensemble follows with the orchestral work ‘Chwita,’ expanding the scale of the broadcast with its ceremonial grandeur.
Large-ensemble performances provide some of the episode’s biggest moments. Baek Dae-ung’s ‘Yeonbyeon Mokga’ brings an extensive range of Korean instruments together in a broad, powerful soundscape. A concerto arrangement of ‘Doraji’ for 25-string gayageum follows, with soloist Myeong Du-ul delivering a finely detailed performance against Ji Won-seok’s arrangement.
The finale turns toward a more contemporary sound. Go Man-seok’s ‘Flowers Bloom as They Sway’ combines a piri ensemble with saenghwang, daepiri, percussion and modern instrumentation, revealing how far the expressive language of traditional instruments can extend.
More than a recital of music typically encountered in classrooms, the Youth Gugak Festa presents tradition as a living art form reshaped by the urgency and imagination of young performers. Together, they offer a vivid look at the artists who will carry gugak into its next chapter.
News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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