By Honorary Reporter Hurum Maqshuro from Indonesia
Photos = Hurum Maqshuro

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Indonesia, students from Seoul National University (SNU) and the Indonesia Institute of the Arts (ISI) on July 28 held a traditional music performance at the theater Graha Bhakti Budaya in Jakarta. The two-hour event featured nine acts of traditional Korean and Indonesian music and arts as well as a collaborative performance by both groups.

SNU student Lee Jung-eun began the show with a rendition of the traditional piece "Ajaeng Sanjo" featuring the zither ajaeng, followed by a performance of the Indonesian folk song "Angin Mamiri" originating from Makassar, a city on the eastern Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

SNU students Choi Eun-ji and Jeong Jae-yeon displayed their remarkable skill in the haegeum (traditional two-stringed fiddle), accompanied by pianist Kim Yeo-jin. The flowing rhythm and beautiful melodies enchanted the audience. 

Students from ISI then performed "Alur-Alir," a composition combining ethnic music from the Indonesian regions of Java, Sunda, Makassar, Banyuwangi, Bali, Betawi and Melayu with distinctive keroncong music that flows like water.

A gayageum (12-string zither) performance told a Korean folktale of a dokkaebi (goblin), with the instrument's unique rhythm and melody depicting the mythical ghost.

The concert continued with a traditional dance from each nation. ISI students performed "Lenggeran Siji Lima," a Banyumasan folk dance from the midwest region of Java, while those from SNU performed salpurichum, a spiritual purification dance influenced by shamanic rituals.

The highlight of the night was the final performance, "Flowing" composed by Won Il, which brought together all performers on stage in a collaborative performance featuring the traditional dance and music of both countries. Traditional Indonesian instruments embodied the essence of the Nusantara archipelago and merged with the powerful and distinct sounds of their Korean counterparts, with dancers expressing the song's rhythm through beautiful movements.

The concert ended with a group hug by all of the Korean and Indonesian dancers on stage, drawing thunderous applause from the audience. The event thus stayed true to the slogan of the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties, "Closer friendship, stronger partnership."

msjeon22@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.