The 2025 Yeongdong World Traditional Music & Arts Expo (Gugak Expo), the nation’s first world expo dedicated to gugak that is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) and hosted by Yeongdong-gun and Chungcheongbuk-do province, will take place at the Rainbow Healing Tourist Site and Yeongdong Korean Classical Music Experience Village from September 12 (Friday) to October 11 (Saturday). Hosted under the theme “The Fragrance of Gugak, Coloring the World,” the Gugak Expo will highlight the values of gugak and traditional culture while laying out a vision for the future through a wide array of programs that connect tradition and modernity, Korea and the world.

In particular, the Gugak Expo holds special significance as the first international event in the traditional arts (gugak), with participation from more than 30 countries. The Expo will present Korea’s original sounds and rhythms to the world, in addition to promoting cultural exchanges in traditional music through joint performances with traditional music experts from around the world. Moreover, as the Expo is based on an initiative led by Yeongdong-gun and Chungcheongbuk-do province to promote balanced regional growth and boost cultural tourism, it is expected to serve as a best practice for regional growth powered by local cultural content.

Yeongdong-gun residents to join the opening ceremony on September 12 for a gugak performance that resonates with all generations

The opening ceremony will be held on September 12 (Friday). Starting with the Black Eagles Air Show, the opening ceremony will showcase captivating performances, including pansori by renowned gugak artist Nam Sang-il, a gugak concert by the Yeongdong Nangye Gugak Orchestra, and celebratory performances by Expo ambassadors (Park Ae-ri, Kim Da-hyun, the gugak fusion band Leenalchi, and trot singer Park Ji-hyun). Moreover, a large-scale percussion performance with more than 200 Yeongdong-gun residents alongside professional musicians, together with a mass chorus of “Yeongdong Arirang” by all performers and the audience, will add to the unforgettable spectacle of the ceremony. The opening ceremony will be recorded for broadcast on Chungbuk MBC and Chungbuk KBS.

The Gugak Expo will also feature experience halls, a gugak promotion pavilion, and exhibition spaces where visitors can learn about and enjoy the traditional culture of Korea and many other nations. At the Intangible Heritage Experience Hall, crafts and works by master artisans will be on display, including the art of traditional instrument making and nakhwa (pyrography art), while the Outdoor Experience Hall will offer hands-on experience with traditional Korean instruments under the guidance of professional instructors as well as various cultural and traditional games and activities from 30 participating countries. The Exhibition Hall will visually present the fusion of tradition and the future of gugak with programs such as traditional music in K-pop; interactive music experiences combining artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) technologies.

“The 2025 Yeongdong World Traditional Music & Arts Expo marks the first step in promoting the meaning and value of gugak to the world as we advance its globalization, industrialization, and popularization,” said the minister. “We ask for the continued participation and support of the gugak community and its supporters to further develop and broaden the cultural reach of Korean traditional music.”