Kim Jeonghun, a School of Korean Traditional Arts Alumnus, Wins Grand Prize at the 33^rd Imbangul Gugak Festival

Pansori singer Kim Jeonghun, an alumnus of the School of Korean Traditional Arts, won the grand prize (presidential award) in the Pansori Master category at the 33^rd Imbangul Gugak Festival.

In an interview immediately after the award ceremony, Kim said, “The competition piece was the last one I would ever choose if I could. Thinking of that, the result makes me even happier.” His competition piece featured a brief aniri – a section where a pansori performer delivers a spoken narrative between songs – from Shimcheongga (The Song of Shimcheong). This is considered a challenging part because it is immediately followed by the long, slow, and plaintive Jinyangjo rhythms, which demand both emotional depth and advanced pansori vocal techniques. When Kim’s net score of 98.8 out of 100 was displayed on the electronic scoreboard, the audience responded with a thunderous round of applause.

Kim was the only male finalist in the pansori master category this year and gained further attention as the first male pansori singer to win the grand prize since Park Pyeongmin in 2009.

“Truly impressive! Considering pansori singing becomes especially demanding for men after their voices break…” remarked Jo Tong-dal, chairman of the jury and director of the Sejong Traditional Culture Foundation.

Kim has a history of notable achievements at this festival. In 2018, at the 26^th competition, he received the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism prize in the general category, and in the previous year, he placed fourth in the pansori master category. He is currently a member of the changgeuk troupe at the Namwon National Gugak Center, following years of activity with the Jeonbuk State Gugak Center. One of his major theatrical roles was portraying Mong-ryong in the 2017 changgeuk production Chunhyang on the Swing, staged by the Namwon National Gugak Center.