Chuseok holidays with traditional Korean music and folk games
Marking Chuseok, one of the main Korean holidays that falls into the latter half of next week, the National Gugak Center will present special performances of traditional Korean music and folk culture on the evenings of Sept. 13 and 14.
Dubbed “Chuseok Everywhere,” the 100-minute performances showcase Korea’s folk music and folk games which Koreans have long traditionally enjoyed on this autumn holiday, wishing for the blessing and harmony of the occasion.
The performances will be held at 8 p.m. at a 1,300-seat open-air theater of Yeonhui Madang of the National Gugak Center located in Seocho-gu of southern Seoul.
The performances will start with a traditional masquerade — parade of “Geobugi (turtle) Gilnori,” originated from Icheon region of Gyeonggi Province. The parade has a meaning of chasing away evil spirits and bringing in blessings.
Various performances of “Binari” will follow, which is a traditional Korean music genre of shaman prayer songs. Audiences can enjoy traditional Korean songs originated from diverse regions of Korea — from South Jeolla and Gyeonggi provinces to modern-day North Korea’s Hwanghae and Pyongan provinces.
As the last of the performances, the National Gugak Center’s members from the Dance Theater Company and the Folk Music Group will perform the traditional Korean dance of “Ganggangsullae” as part of a traditional village ritual of “Daedong-gut,” which reflects people’s wishes for blessings and harmony.
This folk dance of making a circle among dancers was traditionally performed under the bright full moon to celebrate a harvest during the Chuseok holiday.
Three hours before the performances, from 5 p.m., traditional Korean folk games, including tugof-war, a pitch-pot game and a Korean palanquin fight, will be performed for free at an outdoor stage of the center.
And those who come to the show wearing traditional Korean hanbok will be given a free dessert of traditional Korean sweets.
The entrance fee is 10,000 won (about $8.50); in case of rain, the performances will be held at the gugak center’s Yeak-dang, an 800seat theater. Reservations can be made at gugak.go.kr or at 02-5803300.