Guitarist Choi Hee-sun [provided by the artist]
Guitarist Choi Hee-sun [provided by the artist]

Choi Hee-sun, leader and guitarist of Cho Yong-pil and the Great Birth — the band long regarded as a pillar of Korean rock — is returning to his hometown of Sangju this summer for another music festival.

Choi's team announced that "Choi Hee-sun's Midsummer Night Concert" will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the outdoor music stage of Bukcheon Citizens Park in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province.

The performance will headline the second night of the Midsummer Night Festival, Sangju's signature annual event now in its 25th edition. It is the only free concert in the Sangju area to offer an authentic live band sound.

Choi has been a central figure in Korean popular music since the 1980s, celebrated for his unrivaled guitar tone and meticulous arranging. He has also built a formidable solo career, releasing albums composed entirely of guitar instrumentals.

This year's lineup blends seasoned veterans with emerging talent. Joining Choi on stage are bassist Park Tae-jin of Sarang-gwa Pyeonghwa, Jo Ju-cheon of Key Brothers, keyboardist Son Ho-jeong, and up-and-coming drummer Kim Dong-hyeok, currently enrolled at Seoul Institute of the Arts.

The concert spans a wide musical range, opening with Choi's explosive yet controlled guitar instrumentals before moving into reinterpretations of beloved classics and iconic rock numbers spanning generations.

Fellow artists with deep musical ties to Choi will also take the stage as special guests. This year's guest lineup includes Yun Hang-gi, Kim Jeong-su and Sim Shin. Yun Hang-gi, a pioneer of Korea's first-generation band music, is a senior mentor who shaped Choi's musical vision. Kim Jeong-su — best known for his hit "Dangsin" — is a former member of the Great Birth and a longtime friend of Cho Yong-pil; Choi has served as music director and arranger on his albums. Singer Sim Shin, who has recently drawn attention as the father of Belle, a member of the girl group Kiss of Life, has looked up to Choi since his own band days in the 1980s. Choi produced, arranged and performed on Sim's hit second album "Yoksimjaengi."

The concert traces its roots to the second night of the Midsummer Night Festival in 2014 and has run for 12 years, sustained by word of mouth among fans. Every year on the last Saturday of July, music lovers from across the country converge on Sangju for a summer night of live music. The event is credited with strengthening local cultural identity and generating economic value by drawing tourists to the city.

"I am preparing a stage to bring a cool rock sound that will make the people of my hometown forget the midsummer heat — residents who have few chances to experience authentic live performances across diverse genres," Choi said.

The Midsummer Night Festival is organized by the Sangju Arts Council and hosted by the Sangju Central Lions Club. The first night features a youth showcase and the final night a citizens' singing competition. Each year on Youth Night, Choi quietly donates musical instruments out of his own pocket to aspiring young musicians from his hometown, supporting the development of local music talent.


shee@heraldcorp.com