Yeongdong: An expo dedicated to “gugak,” Korean traditional music, opened Friday, spotlighting the roots of Korean music that have paved the way for the global phenomenon of K-pop. The 2025 Yeongdong World Traditional Music and Arts Expo, the first of its kind, is scheduled to run through Oct. 11 in Yeongdong County, 185 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the event is designed to broaden the audience base for traditional music, foster exchange among industry experts and musicians, and boost the regional economy through cultural tourism. Under the slogan “The Fragrance of Gugak, Permeating the World,” the expo kicked off with an opening ceremony at Yeongdong Citizens’ Stadium at 7 p.m., with about 10,000 local government officials, gugak performers, and residents expected to attend.
The ceremony will be followed by a street parade featuring traditional artists from around the world, an air show by the Black Eagles, and performances by the National Gugak Center and the Nangye Gugak Orchestra. The show will also include a large-scale percussion performance by some 200 Yeongdong residents and a mass rendition of Yeongdong Arirang, sung jointly by performers and the audience.
At the main expo venue, three exhibition halls will showcase the history and global potential of gugak. Additional performances will feature folk music from 30 countries. There also will be an Intangible Heritage Experience Zone, where 13 master artisans, including instrument makers and bowyers, will demonstrate their craft. Visitors will have the chance to try traditional Korean instruments, such as the gayageum, geomungo, and haegeum, with guidance from experts. Hands-on experiences with traditional costumes, instruments, and crafts from participating countries will also be offered.
During the expo period, a diverse range of gugak will be performed, from the royal ritual music “Jongmyo Jereak” to the expressive folk storytelling art of “pansori.” To engage audiences who may be unfamiliar with the genre, traditional pieces will also be reinterpreted with modern musical elements and contemporary trends, organizers said.
Yeongdong County is the hometown of Park Yeon, a scholar, official, and musician from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Revered as one of the country’s great musical masters, Park is credited with establishing the foundation and standards of gugak. To celebrate his legacy, Yeongdong is home to a gugak museum, a traditional music instrument production village, as well as a gugak experience village. Since 1991, the county has also hosted the annual Nangye Gugak Festival in his honor, using his pen name.
Organizers expect about 1 million visitors from Korea and abroad to attend the expo. “This event will serve as an opportunity to present the modern value of gugak and its industrial potential while preserving its tradition,” Jeong Yeong-cheol, mayor of Yeongdong County, said in a release. “We will showcase the charm of gugak to the world and highlight the strength of our culture through this event.”