#NegeriOrangPart13: Summer Night Performance in Unhyon Palace

Last week, I got a chance to see Korean Traditional Performance, Samulnori and Pansori. Actually I often  see Samulnori performance in Indonesia, because my Korean Major in Universitas Gadjah Mada has Samulnori club. But it was my first time in Korea to see this performance.

I went with my two Korean friends, Dohee and Inhye Onni, and my two Indonesian friends, Melizza and Bella. Usually the palace just open until 4 or 5 pm, but because there would be a performance, it opens until 9 pm. So, knowing this, we were planning to go to this palace.

Unhyeon's main gate

You can see the lanterns turning on?

The performance is a special programme in Unhyeon Palace. There will be another programme in this August. The performance which we saw is the first performance. It was called 전통창작타악 (Creative Traditional Percussion Music) by 'Yuso' Team. 

Before the performance, there was an explanation about Unhyeon Palace by MC. I can't hear well, but I wiil wrote some for you, which I took from Unhyeon Palace brochure :).

Unhyeon Palace is the house in which King Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon, lived before he accedeed to the throne. It was owned by Heungseon Daewongun Yi Han-Eung, the father of Gojong. So, Unhyeon Palace was a palace for king's father.

There are four main building in Unhyeon Palace, Sujiksa, Noandang, Norakdang, and Irodang. 

Sujiksa, the home of guards and servants working in Unhyeon Palace

Blankets and guard's cloth

Irodang, where the performance took place

After MC explained about Unhyeon Palace, finally the performance began. The first performance is Samulnori. 

Samulnori Performance, played Janggu. The voice sounds like rain's voice :)

Playing Samulnori before the sun set...

Chatting while playing... Awesome~

I was enjoying this performance. For the first, they played it slowly, then medium, and fast. Turnover between slow-medium-fast was awesome till I know that what I have to do was give a big applause for them.

And this was the second performance, Pansori. Pansori is a genre of Korean Traditional Music, which performed by one singer (usually woman) and one drummer player.

Before start the performance, this woman talked with the audience.
She was so interesting, u know..

I didn't understand at all, actually. But you don't need to understand
all words to appreciate art, right? 

Teach how to sing a little part of Pansori and sing together.
Arirang~~Arirang~~ 

I didn't know what it was about. Pansori used difficult words, usually words which used in ancient time. Of course it was so difficult for me as foreigner, right? But I still enjoyed the performance since the singer was singing while told the story.

And this is the encore. Samulnori again, but with different instruments.

Jing (large gong), Janggu (hourglassed-shapped drum), Kkwaenggwari
(small gong), and Buk (barrel drum) harmonize together

Something I noticed about, I can see how Korean still appreciate their own traditional culture. How they can enjoy from the beginning till the ending of the performance. How they really love their culture. They went with their children to teach about their traditional performance. That's why this kind of this performance is still survive in this modern era.

Of course, I remember about my country (again). There are so many traditional culture and performances, but I can see one  by one disappeared. I admit that my self don't appreciate so much either. Seeing Korean traditional performance, I realized that I have to participate Indonesian traditional culture conservation effort. Because there are so many local wisdom that are needed to develop my beloved country...

For the closing, enjoy this awesome part of Samulnori performance...

Tabik.

2012년08월05일