Prof. Chae Soojung, School of Korean Traditional Arts, Performs for the Korean International School of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

On 22 August, Professor Chae Soojung of the School of Korean Traditional Arts at K-Arts, a pansori master, gave a pansori performance at the Korean International School of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia at invitation.

Prof. Chae and her students, Jang Yerim, Kim Hyeonju, Kim Minkyeol, and Choi Seunghee sang 5 pansori pieces, including Heungboga and Simcheongga, in addition to other traditional folk songs, Gyeonggi Arirang, Milyang Arirang, and Jindo Arirang. The performance group also danced with the local Korean residents the Ganggangsullae, a traditional dance performance in which people come together, hold each other’s hands, make a united circle, and step clockwise.

Before the performance, the group gave the event attendees a pansori workshop where they were taught how to play the sogo, a Korean percussion instrument, at the school auditorium.

Prof. Chae established the World Pansori Association in 2022 in pursuit of introducing pansori worldwide. After the successful event, Chae commented, “We were glad to be able to introduce pansori to the Korean kids living abroad. I wish we could continue our activity to provide more opportunities like this time to more overseas Korean children.”