World Pansori Festival to celebrate unique vocal art form

The second annual World Pansori Festival will kick off at Namsangol Hanok Village in Seoul this weekend, showcasing a blend of traditional culture and modern musical innovation.

Co-hosted by the World Pansori Association and Namsangol Hanok Village, the festival running from Friday to Sunday celebrates pansori, Korea’s expressive vocal art form of narrative singing of epic stories and folklore.

The Main Concert will have live pansori beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday, followed by pansori busking sessions on Saturday and Sunday. These performances are designed to capture pansori’s rich storytelling and historical roots while highlighting its dynamic evolution.

The Main Concert will star acclaimed vocalist Kim Su-yeon singing "Sugung-ga" (folk narrative centered around the rabbit and terrapin). Adding a modern twist, Seo Do, leader and vocalist of the Seodo Band, will close the concert by performing his signature genre, "Joseon Pop," which blends pansori's raw vocal power with a contemporary pop style.

On Saturday and Sunday, audiences can experience pansori through a series of busking sessions. Session Acoustic Breeze will bring listeners inside traditional "hanok" houses, where pansori and gayageum performances will unfold in an intimate setting. Electronic Blitz offers a bold mix of pansori and energetic band beats, creating an innovative fusion of traditional and electronic sounds. Hybrid Dream will feature a relay of young artists, highlighting pansori’s appeal across generations.

For non-Korean visitors, interactive cultural workshops will be held Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., providing an opportunity to learn basic pansori singing techniques.

Attendees can also make traditional Korean fans and cheongsachorong (Korean lanterns), offering a hands-on appreciation of Korean craftsmanship and cultural heritage.

All performances are free and open to the public, with detailed schedules available on the festival’s Instagram (@worldpansori).