Chairman Enthralled by Gugak, 'Changsinje Festival' Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

[Financial News] Top masters and vocalists in Korean traditional music will share the stage with Crown Confectionery employees, presenting a grand celebration of traditional music. The 20th Changsinje Festival is at the heart of this event.
According to Crown Confectionery on the 13th, the 20th Changsinje Festival will be held from the 17th to the 19th at 5 p.m. at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Launched in 2004 under the spirit of 'preserving the old while creating the new' (Beopgochangsin), Changsinje Festival is the largest and most frequently held traditional music performance organized by a private company in Korea.
This year, the festival will once again spotlight 'Sujecheon,' which has been featured for the past four years, focusing on both its preservation in original form and its modern reinterpretation. The stage will connect the past, present, and future of Korean traditional music.
A performance official explained, "Sujecheon, which originated from the Baekje-era song 'Jeongeupsa' 1,500 years ago and evolved into court music, has been acclaimed as a pinnacle of Korean traditional music. This year, we will present a top-tier stage that takes Sujecheon to the next level."
The festival will open majestically with a four-part performance of 'Sujecheon' by the Korean Traditional Orchestra, accompanied by a 100-member chorus of Crown Confectionery employees. The excitement will continue with the Samulnori troupe’s 'Dongrak (Street Gut),' and both traditional and modern dance performances such as 'Gulchul Sincheo' and 'Chumsawee Sujecheon' will captivate both the ears and eyes.
The Crown Haitai Ilmu Team will deepen the performance with Jongmyo Jeryeak’s 'Jeonpyehuimun,' while 'Jeongga-gu-eum,' sung by both male and female vocalists, will heighten the atmosphere. The Yangju Pungnyu Music Society, composed of top masters, will conclude the festival with the original version of 'Sujecheon,' preserving its traditional form.
On the 19th at 1 p.m., the same stage will host the 'Youngjae Haneum Korean Traditional Music Concert Changsinje Festival Special Performance.' This is a valuable opportunity to witness the next generation of masters and vocalists who will inherit and develop the essence of traditional music.
Youngdal Yoon, chairman of Crown Confectionery, stated, "The reason a private company has been able to continue hosting the nation’s largest traditional music festival for over 20 years is the unwavering support of our customers. We will continue to preserve the original form of traditional music, while adding new elements, so that more people can enjoy the Changsinje Festival together."
Meanwhile, Chairman Yoon became connected to gugak after being captivated by the sound of the daegeum (bamboo flute) he heard by chance on Mount Bukhan during the 1997 financial crisis, when the company was facing difficulties. This experience led him to introduce Artistic Quotient Management (AQ Management), and he has since consistently invested in various fields of the arts, including gugak, sculpture, and literature. He has expanded the gugak stage through groups such as the Yangju Pungnyu Music Society, Changsinje Festival, and Youngjae Haneum Korean Traditional Music Concert. At the same time, he has worked to discover the next generation of artistic talent by holding weekly competitions for children at Crown Haitai Hall in Seoul Namsan Gugakdang.
Songchu Art Valley, an outdoor cultural and artistic theme park spanning 3.3 million square meters in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, is regarded as a representative achievement that has contributed to balanced regional development and the expansion of the cultural and artistic base. Since last year, Chairman Yoon has also served as the 12th president of the Korea Mecenat Association, leading efforts to promote culture and the arts.

jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-a Reporter