Wonju Native Hwang Seok-il Holds First Jeongga Stage 'Emergence and Flight' Before a Full House

A Jeongga performance, where one can encounter the beauty of traditional vocal music enjoyed by scholars during the Joseon dynasty, was held successfully in Wonju.

The first Jeongga recital, 'Emergence and Flight (Jeongga: The Refined Music of Joseon Scholars)', by young traditional Korean musician Hwang Seok-il (a 4th-year student majoring in Jeongga at the School of Korean Traditional Arts, Korea National University of Arts) was held on September 1 at 7:00 PM at the Wonju Cultural Center Performance Hall.

This performance drew attention from the local community as it presented Jeongga, a traditional vocal music form that is difficult to encounter easily in Wonju, through the voice of a young traditional Korean musician from Wonju.

On the day of the performance, many citizens visited the venue, and it was so successful that the seats were not only filled but some audience members had to watch the performance standing due to a lack of prepared seating. It was a heartwarming occasion where the local community watched and supported the activities of the young artist, including a congratulatory message from Mayor Koo Ja-yeol of Wonju (who could not attend due to the 'Wonju Citizens' Day' event) and the attendance of the Mayor of Wonju's spouse and the spouse of local National Assembly member Song Ki-hun.

'Emergence and Flight' carries the meaning of finally spreading one's wings and flying high after a long period of training and patience. The protagonist of this performance, Hwang Seok-il, has built his musical capabilities through steady passion and extraordinary effort for music despite having a developmental disability, and he resembles the butterfly in 'Emergence and Flight' that is preparing to spread its wings, as he continues to grow as a traditional Korean musician while receiving professional arts education.

In particular, for Hwang Seok-il, who has steadily trained for a long time with Jeongga as his major, this stage was even more meaningful as it was his first time presenting the skills he has honed to the audience in his hometown, Wonju.

Jeongga is our traditional vocal music that uses the characters 'Jeong' (correct/right) and 'Ga' (song), meaning elegant and dignified songs. It consists of Gagok, Gasa, and Sijo, and was mainly enjoyed by the Sadaebu (literati) class during the Joseon dynasty. In particular, Gagok has been recognized for its artistic value in traditional Korean music and is listed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In this performance, Hwang Seok-il performed a program that allowed the audience to appreciate various musical forms and expressions of Jeongga in one place, centered on Jeongga solo singing, including Gagok 'Ujo Chosudaeyeop', 'Isudaeyeop', 'Urak', 'Pyeollak', Gasa 'Jukjisa', and Pyeong-sijo and Saseol-yeokkeum-jireum-sijo.

Kim Byeong-o, a National Intangible Heritage Royal Ancestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine and Its Music transmission educator, served as the moderator and provided commentary to help the audience, who may not be familiar with Jeongga, easily understand the background and musical characteristics of the works, thereby aiding the audience's understanding of traditional vocal music.

Professional traditional Korean musicians took charge of the accompaniment, presenting high-quality traditional music performances. Various traditional instruments such as Gayageum, Geomungo, Daegeum, Piri, Haegeum, and Janggu harmonized with the Jeongga, showing the harmony of traditional music created by vocal and instrumental music, and also showcased a beautiful performance of 'Yeongsan Hoesang' in the middle.

This performance is particularly meaningful in that a young traditional Korean musician, born and raised in Wonju, presented his major, Jeongga, on a stage in his hometown. Furthermore, the local community showed a beautiful side by watching and supporting the activities of a young artist who continues the lineage of traditional arts. Additionally, it was a rare performance that formed a beautiful venue for traditional culture and arts where the community gathered, as a tea ceremony was held for citizens who came to enjoy Jeongga to enhance the atmosphere, and the Hyanggyo, which transmits traditional culture, also showed interest.

Meanwhile, the traditional music planning agency Gukseoldang served as Hwang Seok-il's agency and was in charge of promoting the 'Emergence and Flight' performance.

Performance Title: Emergence and Flight (Jeongga: The Refined Music of Joseon Scholars)

Performance Date/Time: Tuesday, September 1, 2026, 17:00

Performance Venue: Wonju Cultural Center Performance Hall

Performance Genre: Korean Traditional Music Jeongga

Viewing Age: 8 years old and above

Admission: All seats free of charge

Gukseoldang is a company striving to contribute to the revitalization of traditional music through the professional production of albums, videos, and performance content based on traditional music. Through the production of content for capable traditional Korean musicians, the company plans promotions and establishes foundations for their activities, and is working to ensure that Korean traditional music can be re-evaluated as a contemporary, public-friendly culture by utilizing various new media channels.

◆ At a Glance

· Issuing Institution: Gukseoldang

· Category: Cultural Heritage, Music, Gukseoldang

· Distribution: September 18, 2026, 8:59 AM

Source: Gukseoldang Press Release (NewsWire)

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