900 Drones to Paint Songpa’s Autumn Night as Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival Opens on the 23rd

[Financial News] The history of Baekje, dating back 2,000 years, will meet modern K-culture on an autumn night in Songpa, Seoul. The Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival, featuring 900 drones painting the night sky and performances spanning genres from classical music and gugak to K-pop, opens on the 23rd.
Songpa District said on the 12th that it will hold the 26th Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival over three days, from the 23rd to the 25th, at 88 Lawn Plaza in Olympic Park, under the theme “Brilliant Culture, Deep Resonance, United as One.”
The festival brings together tradition and modernity by combining the historical and cultural heritage of Hanseong Baekje with contemporary performing arts.
This year, the performance venue has been significantly expanded. A multi-tiered main stage measuring 60 meters in total length will be set up at the festival grounds. It will be the largest in the festival’s history, with a range of performances presented using large LED screens and lighting and sound equipment.
At 7 p.m. on opening day, the 23rd, the “Welcome Drone Show,” featuring 900 drones, will launch the festival. A drone display depicting Songpa District’s mascots, “Ha-ha” and “Ho-ho,” will be followed by a performance combining media art and contemporary dance.
On the first day, the Songpa District Symphony Orchestra and a large choir will perform the operatic choral piece “O Fortuna,” followed by a violin solo, performances featuring tenors Yun Jeong-su, Jin Seong-won and Lee Dong-myeong, and waltzes. The program will also include an original performance that reinterprets the festival theme through band music, followed by sets from hip-hop artist Loco and the female duo Davichi. At the end of the opening ceremony, 900 drones will once again light up the night sky.
On the 24th, the program will feature local residents taking center stage. At 11 a.m., the Songpa Cultural Foundation’s musical gala performance “Standing by the River” will be presented to audiences. The work is a modern reinterpretation of the legend of Domi Naroo from the Hanseong Baekje period.
“Hanmaeum Eoull Madang” will begin at 4:50 p.m. Residents from each neighborhood in Songpa District will present a variety of performances, including songs and dances they have learned through community center programs. This year, the largest number of neighborhoods in the event’s history is expected to take part.
On the final day, the 25th, the “Hanseong Cultural Concert” will bring the festival to a close with a performance that spans generations by bringing traditional and popular music together on one stage. The program will include a large geomungo ensemble with 30 performers, a collaboration with a band, multi-part traditional vocal performances by master singers, and a fusion gugak performance by singer Lee Bong-geun. Girl group Kpler and hip-hop duo Dynamic Duo will then take the stage.
Activities for families will also be available outside the performance venue. During the festival, around 20 programs will be offered, including the “Hanseong Baekje Kids Cafe,” with a large inflatable play structure and a block-play area, as well as a hinoki playground, Baekje costume experiences, and craft and cultural activities.
A variety of foods will also be on sale at the “Hanseong Baekje Market,” which will feature 17 participating groups. Songpa District plans to deploy professional safety personnel throughout the venue and operate a real-time on-site monitoring system.
Songpa District Mayor Seo Gang-seok said, “The Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival is Songpa’s flagship festival, rooted in the history of Hanseong Baekje and bringing together culture, the arts and resident participation, as well as a source of pride for the district’s 650,000 residents. This year, we will deliver unforgettable moving experiences through a giant stage, high-caliber performances and a rich variety of hands-on programs.”


[email protected] Lee Seol-young Reporter