JEONJU INTERNATIONAL SORI FESTIVAL

The 14th Jeonju International Sori Festival takes place from October 7 to 11 in Jeonju Hanok Village and Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do where sound, people and nature are in harmony. It is a music festival based on our traditional music, pansori that will tear down the walls between different world music. It isn’t weighted toward specific music genre, and it is a world music festival. You can feel the quality of performances of master-class artists who have gained gaining worldwide fame in each area in one place.

 This festival is aimed at strengthening status as a world festival by popularizing Korean classical music and expending as comparative music festival based on the achievement of modernization. It also has encouraged overseas expansion of local artists with securing international aid and increasing collaboration with foreign artists through the international network expansion. Besides, you can reconfirm the pride of the home of sound, Jeonbuk. It is going to show you “the power of Jeonbuk traditional sound” in the opening show and “status of the traditional nongak (farmer’s music)” in the song of clown.     

It has been selected as one of the ‘Best International Festival 25’ by well-known world music magazine ‘Songlines’ in England for four year in a row. Further, it has been recognized as a world festival beyond Korea’s festival. This year, there are many programs with a variety of music and entertainment.

You can enjoy various performances with inexpensive packages at this sound festival. First, there is ‘Five yard of sound’ in which five pansori masters perform. If you get this package, you can listen to Heungbuga, Simcheongga, Jeokbyeokga, and Sugungga. Second, there is ‘Double-kill’ where you can watch simultaneous stages of talented Korean and foreign musicians. You can appreciate and compare sensitivity and musicality of artists from different countries. There are other events including ‘CBS Starlight Concert’ and the opening show. Also, you will be able to meet Korean singer, Kim Tae Woo and Oksang Dalbit. Last, there is a ‘big party’ package with which you can enjoy Korean Folk music party all together.

This festival features performances for children besides pansori who are unfamiliar with it. Sound festival for children is gift for family as well as children. There are ‘Children performance’ is run throughout the festival period and ‘pansori story box,’ experience-exhibition program, and there are stages for those children who love pansori, a place to learn sound directly. There are many different things to enjoy.

If you are curious about this festival such as tickets, places of performance, programs of festival, and accommodations, you can refer to the website of Jeonju International Sori Festival (http://www.sorifestival.com).