Kim vows to become 'a great singer'; student division grand prize goes to Park Jun-hui of Namwon National Gugak Arts High School

Kim Ji-yun (left), who won the grand prize at the Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition, poses for a photo with Kim Yang-nam, chairman of the Naganeupseong Pansori Preservation Society. [Naganeupseong Project Office]
Kim Ji-yun (left), who won the grand prize at the Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition, poses for a photo with Kim Yang-nam, chairman of the Naganeupseong Pansori Preservation Society. [Naganeupseong Project Office]

Kim Ji-yun, 38, of Gwangyang took home the grand prize at the 12th Suncheon Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition after performing a passage from the pansori "Simcheongga."

According to the Suncheon Naganeupseong Support Project Office (director Ryu Seung-min), the competition ran June 13-14 at Nagan Folk Village. Kim performed the passage "Han goseul dangdohoni" from "Simcheongga" and won the grand prize in the master division (open category), which carries the National Assembly Speaker's Award.

"I started learning pansori at age 12, and I am deeply grateful to receive such a prestigious award," Kim said in her acceptance remarks. "I hope this recognition will inspire me to perform more actively and become a truly great singer." Kim has previously won awards at the Goheung Yuza Festival pansori competition.

Park Jun-hui (top) of Namwon National Gugak Arts High School, winner of the student division grand prize, and Park Je-ha of Suncheon Wangji Elementary School, winner of the rookie division grand prize, at the Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition.
Park Jun-hui (top) of Namwon National Gugak Arts High School, winner of the student division grand prize, and Park Je-ha of Suncheon Wangji Elementary School, winner of the rookie division grand prize, at the Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition.

Park Jun-hui, 16, a student at Namwon National Gugak Arts High School, claimed the student division overall grand prize, which carries the Minister of Education Award. Park Je-ha of Suncheon Wangji Elementary School won the rookie division grand prize.

In the group division, Kim Yeong-ja of Gwangju and five other members of the Duridung Gugak Arts Troupe took the grand prize for their performance of "Gogocheonbyeon" from the pansori "Sugungga."

"Gogocheonbyeon" is a passage from "Sugungga" in which the turtle official Byeonjubu steps onto land for the first time and sings of the beauty of the world around him.

This year's competition drew 110 participants across 77 teams, competing in categories ranging from the elementary division and master division to the newly established senior division and the student division overall grand prize category.

Members of the Duridung Gugak Arts Troupe, winners of the group division grand prize at the Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition.
Members of the Duridung Gugak Arts Troupe, winners of the group division grand prize at the Naganeupseong National Gugak Competition.

To ensure fairness and transparency, judges — all experts in the gugak field — had their scores displayed in real time on an on-site monitor immediately after each performance, with final tallies posted on a notice board at the venue without delay.

An official from the Naganeupseong Pansori Preservation Society, which organized the competition, said the event "has been held annually to broaden the base of gugak and carry on traditional culture, and now in its 12th year, it concluded amid fierce competition from promising performers from across the country and an enthusiastic response from the audience, further cementing its history and standing."

Naganeupseong holds special significance as the birthplace and home of Song Man-gap, a master of the Dongpyeonje school of pansori, and Oh Tae-seok, a founding figure of gayageum byeongchang — the art of singing while playing the gayageum.


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