By Honorary Reporter Marla Josephine Arbach from Canada
Photos = National Gugak Center

Three traditional music groups featured in the National Gugak Center of Seoul's "Gugak in (人) Project" video series use elements of traditional ceremonies in new pieces with the hope of the COVID-19 pandemic coming to an end.

"Tapdori: Wishing for COVID-19 to End" by Oursound Lab in 2020 is based on the traditional ceremony tapdori (pagoda circling), which was performed on Buddha's Birthday or during crises to wish for good luck. The lyrics pay homage to Buddha and explain the ritual being performed, and the arrangement in the video evokes the circling movement. 

The video also incorporates lanterns because according to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, tapdori is closely related to lighting lanterns. The five pansori (traditional lyrical opera) singers are accompanied by a pianist, giving the piece a modern touch. Each video in the series was filmed at a visually stunning location in Korea, with this one done at Yongsan Family Park of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

Oursound Lab's video was filmed at Yongsan Family Park of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

"Aegmaegi" by Modern Gugak Arisu, released last year, is based on a traditional ritual performed by a shaman at the beginning of the year to prevent bad luck from entering a house and ward off bad vibes from the previous year. Like in traditional songs, the lyrics speak of an otherworldly general who guards the four directions to block and prevent evil from passing. One pansori and two Gyeonggi minyo (folk song) singers are accompanied by traditional percussion, wind and string instruments. The video was filmed at the art complex Youngwol Y Park in Yeongwol-gun County, Gangwon-do Province.

Modern Gugak Arisu performs at the National Gugak Center in Seoul.

"Exorcize: Unwinded Embitter" by the "convergence art company" Tradd released this year is an experimental interdisciplinary work incorporating the traditional rhythm jinseo, which uses the gong kkwaenggwari and dance, alongside modern Western instruments like the electric guitar, bass and drums. The piece represents a ritual performed for gods to wish for the well-being of the people. 

The official description says the video "expresses a yearning to live a peaceful life by sublimating feelings of unfairness and resentment into gaiety. In particular, the piece conveys a wish for the COVID-19 crisis to end." The video was filmed at Ondalsanseong Fortress in Danyang-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, a historical site from the Three Kingdoms period.

The "convergence art company" Tradd displays its experimental work in Danyang-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province.

My favorite among the three performances was "Tapdori: Wishing for COVID-19 to End" because it perfectly captured what I felt about the global health crisis. I've watched the video many times during the most stressful moments of the pandemic.

All three videos and the "Gugak in (人) Project" series can be viewed on the official YouTube channel of the National Gugak Center.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.