Pansori classic Sugungga is a dramatic tale that blends humor, satire, suspense and sharp wit. Centered on the Dragon King's illness, a turtle's mission and a rabbit's clever survival strategy, the work remains one of the most celebrated stories in Korea's traditional vocal art. Next month, vocalist Jung Se-yeon will perform the complete Park Chowol-style version of Sugungga, bringing the epic narrative to Jeonghyo Art Hall in Seoul.
Jung's complete-performance recital is scheduled for July 12. The Park Chowol lineage of Sugungga traces its transmission through renowned masters including Song Heung-rok, Song Gwang-rok, Song U-ryong, Yu Seong-jun, Im Bang-ul and Park Chowol before reaching master singer Kim Su-yeon. Jung studied the entire repertoire under Kim, the holder of National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 5 for Sugungga.
The performance will be divided into two parts. The first follows the Dragon King's search for a cure after being told that a rabbit's liver can heal his illness, concluding with the turtle's successful persuasion of the rabbit. The second begins with their journey to the underwater palace and continues through the story's dramatic conclusion and aftermath.
Only two performers will take the stage: Jung as vocalist and Go Jeong-hoon as drummer. Without elaborate staging or visual effects, the performance relies entirely on traditional pansori elements, including drum accompaniment, expressive gestures, spoken narration and vocal delivery. Audiences will experience the genre's distinctive language, evolving rhythmic patterns and psychological tension between characters in its purest form.
Go is an inheritor of Seoul Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 25 for pansori drumming. His long-running artistic partnership with Jung highlights the essential relationship between singer and drummer, where percussion, rhythmic structures and spontaneous vocal interjections shape the flow and energy of the narrative.
Jung has established herself across both traditional and contemporary pansori. Her major performances include a complete rendition of the Dongcho-style Heungboga in 2003, another full Heungboga performance at Mapo Gugak Ullim in 2015, participation in the "Five Young Masters of Pansori" program at the 2016 Jeonju International Sori Festival, a complete Gangsan-style Simcheongga in 2021 and a complete Park Chowol-style Sugungga in 2022.
Alongside her traditional repertoire, she has remained active in creative pansori productions. Her credits include adapting and composing A Letter from the Stars for the Day of Remembrance for Comfort Women in 2020, adapting and composing The Man Who Walks Through Walls for the National Gugak Center's Friday Concert Series that same year, and adapting and composing The Clear Moon Hidden by the Sun in 2023. She currently teaches at the National Gugak High School.
Presented by the Jeonghyo Cultural Foundation, the recital offers audiences an opportunity to witness both the artistry of a rising pansori performer and the continuing transmission of the Park Chowol-style Sugungga tradition.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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