Located in the innermost sanctum of Gyeongbok Palace, Jipokjae used to serve as King Gojong’s personal library as well as a reception and party hall for foreign delegations. But today a concert of Korean traditional music is taking place, with such iconic Korean instruments as gayageum, geomungo, and haegeum creating a harmonious tune. Even foreign visitors seem to be enchanted by the elegant melodies of Korean traditional music.

- It was great and very impressive.
- It was really great and I especially liked the gayageum. I want to come back again.

The melodies of traditional Korean music have reverberated in not only Gyeongbok Palace, but also Changdeok Palace, Jongmyo, and Deoksu Palace for four years now. This year’s concert has been scheduled from May 4th to October 13th. Here’s Ms. Kim Sung-min of the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation to tell us more about the Palace Concert.

This is the fourth year of the Palace Concert. Each palace concert has its own characteristics. This year we planned concerts with liberal arts themes. This concert series is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Culture, and aims to promote tourism. It started back in 2010 and this is our fourth year. About fifty performances are held at the palaces each year. In Gyeongbok Palace the repertoire was mostly court music, but this year we tried something a little different. We added folk music to the usual repertoire of court music so that the audiences could enjoy the concerts even more.

The melodies of traditional music sound more pleasant and becoming against the palatial setting. The shimmering sunlight on the dark roof tiles and the green leaves seem to be dancing to the sweet tune.

Gyeongbok Palace was the main residence of the Joseon royal families. It was the first palace to be built after the capital of the Joseon Kingdom was relocated to Hanyang, today’s Seoul, in 1395. The name “Gyeongbok,” which means to “enjoy a huge fortune,” was given by the loyal Jeong Do-jeon, who helped establish the Joseon Dynasty. So the concert at Gyeongbok Palace features largely court music befitting the kings of Joseon.

The concert begins with a royal music band dressed in yellow making an entrance from the side of the Jipokjae building to the drum beat.

This court music called Daechwita is a sort of parade music generally played when Joseon era officials went on official visits. The band consists of just wind and percussion instruments and plays majestic music. Now that the king and government officials have been seated, it’s time to really enjoy the Joseon court music. This piece is called Seonyurak.

Usually performed during a party, Seonyurak is known for its surprisingly delightful music and dance. Here’s Professor Choi Jong-min who narrates for the Gyeongbok Palace Concert.

Seonyurak is fascinating to see. Colorfully dressed dancers perform around a boat placed in the middle of the stage. It’s a really splendid-looking boat which probably commanded the attention of all the royal family members, government officials, and foreign dignitaries at the party. Seoyurak with a number of dancers circling the boat is a spectacular scene even now.

Seonyurak is a dance which depicts a boat outing. The costumes of the dancers are colorful and the production is a large one so it is hard not to be awed by the magnitude of the group dance. While the audience is captivated by the ravishing production, a samulnori team with drums, double-ended janggu drums and gongs enter the stage.

Samulnori music is based on farming songs. Today’s performance combines samulnori and the Jindo drum dance. The Jindo drum dance is usually performed solo, but this being an outdoor concert several dancers were employed for today’s performance. This version of the Jindo drum dance was developed by a famed performer named Park Byung-chun from the Jindo area. It is more entertaining than other versions. Dancers wear the drums like janggu and wield the sticks to beat the drums with force, resulting in a very powerful and dynamic performance. The rhythm of the drums is well harmonized with the sounds of the samulnori band.

The wild beats of the drum and the exciting sounds of the samulnori band are combined to demonstrate the dynamism of percussion instruments. The concert audience feels like they have become kings and queens as they watch the passionate performance of the drum dancers and samulnori band members.

- Listening to music like this makes me feel like a king. It was a new kind of concert. I thought I’d enjoy only music in the concert, but it was a pleasure for both my eyes and ears, with all the dancers and beautiful movements.
- The magnificence of the dance performed live is quite different from watching it on television. I’m really excited to have seen this in this palace.
- I usually listen to fast-tempo western music, but Korean traditional music sounds majestic and quite moving.

If the Gyeongbok Palace Concert mainly featured court music, the Changdeok Palace Concert provides easy-listening music. Here’s Ms. Kim Sung-min of the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation to tell us more.

The program begins at nine in the morning, in the rear garden of Changdeok Palace. People listen to a lecture on a liberal arts subject and then to the music. The audience is limited to only forty people, making it a very exclusive group. The concert doesn’t use any special audio equipment so the sound is very natural. At 11 o’clock there is a storytelling session at Nakseonjae. The subject matters covered at the session vary, from a love story to a political intrigue. It is followed by another concert of traditional music. Unlike other concerts, the Changdeok Palace Concert provides a chance to enjoy easy-listening music and lectures on history and literature.

General admission hours of Changdeok Palace are from nine-thirty in the morning, but the concert begins thirty minutes before the opening time. With the entire palace ground empty of noisy tourists, forty invitees stroll the rear garden enjoyed by the kings and queens of Joseon. Here’s Ms. Kim Sung-min of the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation again.

The course starts at a pavilion called Juhapru at the garden entrance, with a lecture on King Jeongjo. Then people move to Chundangdae, where Joseon students used to take nationwide government exams. This place was even mentioned in the pansori “The Song of Chunhyang.” Next stop is Kihoheon, which used to house Crown Prince Hyomyeong’s library, where people appreciate a dance performance originally choreographed by the crown prince himself.

After Kihoheon people move to Jondeokjeong, a pavilion built near Jondeokji Pond, where they listen to a daegeum performance.

Hidden from the noise of the city by tall, lush trees, Changdeok Palace’s rear garden offers true serenity.

Next stop is Nakseonjae, a building King Heonjong built for one of his concubines. Although it doesn’t look grand, the structure possesses much historical significance in that it was where King Yeongchin, the last crown prince of the Korean Empire, passed away in 1964 after returning from Japan. Actor Jeong Dong-hwan tells historical anecdotes at this lovely yet sorrowful place.

I’m going to tell you a story about the two greatest rivals in Joseon history, Lee Bang-eon and Jeong Do-jeon. I’m sure people have already seen several TV shows about these two figures.

- I felt like I was queen. The weather is really nice and the scenery appeared more enjoyable with the stories and beautiful music. The stories made the early Joseon period more real to me. It was a nice concert which brought the Joseon era closer.

Jongmyo is a shrine where the memorial tablets of Joseon kings and queens are kept. This is also where Jongmyo ceremonial music is reenacted. Here’s Mr. Shim Jae-heung of the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation to tell us more.

Jongmyo ceremonial music is played during a memorial tribute to royal families. It’s lengthy and very difficult for ordinary people to understand. So we included some explanations to make the ceremonial music more accessible to the public. The main purpose of Jongmyo ceremonial music is to pray for the well-being of the nation and its people. The theme of today’s concert is the music of peace that connects heaven and earth.

The first piece of music is played when the king’s procession enters the shrine ground, with his officials trailing him.

The music is monotonous and slow. The Jongmyo ceremonial music is composed of 22 pieces, none of which is fast-paced or melodious. They are all boring and dragging, but they are considered the crowning musical achievement of the Joseon Dynasty because they are majestic and intense. It is after all played during the most solemn of all occasions, a memorial tribute to past kings and queens of Joseon. The entire Jongmyo music repertoire lasts two hours, but for this concert it was compressed to 40 minutes.

Jongmyo and Jongmyo ceremonial music were registered as UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritages in 2010. The value of cultural assets can be found when they are shared and appreciated. The real value of Korea’s ancient culture is passed down to today’s Koreans by opening up the old palaces and inviting ordinary people to enjoy the music and dances from the past.