KBS World's New Year's Special "Here Comes 2020! Let's Have a Ball" presents an assortment of pansori arias that represent Korean traditional music.
These pansori pieces are selected from the five iconic pansori works - Heunboga, Chunhyangga, Simcheongga, Sugungga, and Jeokbyeokga.
Through role plays, the show's two hosts introduce some amusing and salient scenes from each pansori along with the songs that go with the scenes. Listeners will learn how a Buddhist monk played a part in making Heungbo a rich man and how the sea turtle comes to appreciate his lot in life and realizes that Chunhyang and Simcheong are in much bigger trouble than he is. And, much to his relief, the turtle learns that the two girls are rewarded for their loyalty and sacrifice. Listeners will also see in Jeokbyeokga how good fortune saves the life of the clever strategist Zhuge Liang many times.

By presenting interesting aspects of Korean pansori, this music show aims to make Korean traditional music more approachable and hopefully as familiar to global audiences as K-pop.
So, enjoy this New Year's special to welcome in the year 2020 with lots of cheer and good music. Happy new year to all KBS World Radio listeners out there!