First lady watches Arirang-tango collaboration in Buenos Aires

Kim Hye-kyung, first lady accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his official visit to Argentina, delivers remarks at a joint performance by the Buenos Aires Tango Orchestra and the National Gugak Center's Creative Orchestra at Usina del Arte in Buenos Aires on Friday (local time). [Yonhap]

Kim Hye-kyung, the first lady accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on the final leg of his South American tour, attended a gugak and tango concert in Argentina on Friday (local time) to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.

Cheong Wa Dae Deputy Spokesperson An Gwi-ryeong said in a written briefing that Kim attended the concert "Arirang and Tango: Two Hearts, One Rhythm" that afternoon at Usina del Arte concert hall in Buenos Aires, held to mark the 20th anniversary of the Korean Cultural Center in Argentina.

An said the concert was organized to celebrate the center, established in 2006 as the first of its kind in Latin America and a bridge between the peoples of the two countries, and to further promote cultural exchange and friendly relations through a collaboration between gugak and tango in the birthplace of tango.

About 400 people attended, including María Belén Ludueña, spouse of the Buenos Aires mayor, and Gabriela Ricardes, the city's minister of culture, along with figures from the local arts community, hallyu fan club members and members of the general public.

In her remarks, Kim said she was "truly delighted and glad to be here in Buenos Aires, the home of tango and a city of the arts," adding that the concert's title — "Arirang and Tango: Two Hearts, One Rhythm" — alone conjured the expectation of a beautiful and stirring performance on Friday.

She went on to say that Argentine tango "carries within it the full heart of the Argentine people — the longing and loneliness for home, the joy of love and the sorrow of parting, and the burning passion to keep living through every moment," and that Korea's Arirang "has likewise stayed by our side in times of joy and sorrow, giving voice to feelings too deep for words and offering hope to carry on through the hardships of life."

She also emphasized the shared emotional and artistic values of the two cultures, noting that "in recognition of these precious qualities, Arirang and tango have both been inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."

Kim added that Friday's gathering might not be "the first meeting of two unfamiliar musical traditions, but rather the moment when two hearts that have long recognized each other finally come together in one rhythm," and expressed her hope that "this encounter will remain a warm memory that deepens the friendship between Korea and Argentina."

In response, Culture Minister Ricardes warmly welcomed Kim's visit, saying that "Korea and Argentina have maintained a deep friendship over many years, and the Korean community is a cherished part of Argentine society," and that she was "very glad that on Friday we can share our hearts with each other through tango."

Kim Hye-kyung, first lady accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his official visit to Argentina, watches a tango performance at "Arirang and Tango: Two Hearts, One Rhythm" at Usina del Arte in Buenos Aires on Friday (local time). [Yonhap]

The concert was structured around the themes of "Argentina's welcome, Korea's response, and the fusion of the two nations' arts," with leading artists from both countries sharing the stage.

The Buenos Aires Tango Orchestra Quinteto opened with Piazzolla's "Buenos Aires a las 0" and Bardi's "Gallo Ciego." Argentine dancers joined the latter piece with a dynamic tango performance to express a welcome to the guests from Korea.

The National Gugak Center's Creative Orchestra then responded with the West Coast folk song "Monggeumpo Taryeong" and Lee Jun-ho's "Sinpuri," conveying the distinctive spirit and vitality of Korean music. Deputy Spokesperson An said "Monggeumpo Taryeong" in particular drew a musical connection between the mood of Monggeumpo — a port on Korea's West Sea — and that of La Boca, the Buenos Aires neighborhood that is both a port and the birthplace of tango, expressing an emotional resonance between the two peoples.

In the finale, musicians from both countries performed Piazzolla's "Libertango" and the Korean folk song "Arirang" together. Korean dancers joined "Libertango" with a tango performance, symbolically expressing the harmony of two different cultural traditions. An said that "in the moment when the melody of Arirang and the rhythm of tango merged into one, the concert hall was filled with the emotion that the art of two nations had created together."

After the performance, Kim said it seemed to be her "first time seeing gugak and tango performed together," adding that she was "deeply impressed by how they created a beautiful harmony while each preserving its own character, and amazed at how well they suited each other."

Culture Minister Ricardes said she understood that "the artists from both countries had passionately rehearsed together, sharing sheet music despite the short preparation time." María Belén Ludueña, spouse of the Buenos Aires mayor, said the dancers' performance was "particularly impressive" and that she "felt deeply moved, as if the two countries had truly become one."

After the concert, Kim took commemorative photos and encouraged the artists of both countries, expressing her hope that "today's performance will serve as a cherished milestone in cultural exchange linking Korea and Argentina for years to come."

An said that as Kim was leaving after the concert, local residents asked to take photos with her and she posed for pictures and exchanged greetings with each of them, adding that "the lingering impression of the concert that had connected Korea and Argentina in one rhythm continued until the very last moment of leaving the venue."

moone@heraldcorp.com