2024 Sori Festival ‘Five Pansori Stories’

From National Treasures of the Year to Rising Stars!

This year, Jeonju International Sori Festival’s signature performance series, “Five Pansori Stories,” consists of three sections featuring both young artists and nationally renowned singers, allowing all generations to enjoy pansori performances together. The section of “Treasure-master of the Year” will feature elderly singers who will showcase their long history of performance. “Masters of Our Era” will feature veteran performers who have been active with their passion for pansori, and the “Rising Star” section will feature talented young artists. Let us watch the spectrum of pansori where each story has its own unique charm.

Master Chae Sujeong’s Park Rokju-je Heungbo-ga

Master Chae Sujeong, well-known as the master of tongseong (i.e., voice drawn directly from the stomach), will visit the 2024 Sori Festival stage with her Heungbo-ga of Park Rokju-je, Park Songhee-ryu. “Park Rokju-je Heungbo-ga,” developed in the east of Seomjin River, carries on the tradition of dongpyeon-je pansori. Master Park Rokju refined the style once inherited from Song Mangap to Kim Jeongmun. It is said that her style, with its concise text and changes of jangdan (rhythmic patterns), added fun to the humorous parts. Among them, Park Rokju-je Park Songhee-ryu Heungbo-ga that master Chae Sujeong studied has both humorous and serious aspects, and includes the part of “Nolbo’s halving of a gourd,” which make the audience compare the greedy Nolbo and the good-hearted Heungbo.

Master Chae Sujeong, the certified trainee of Pansori Heungboga, has studied Heungbo-ga, Chunhyang-ga, Sugyeongnangja-ga, and has been studying for around 30 years with Master Park Songhee, the holder of Heungbo-ga. She has performed the complete texts of Heungbo-ga and Jeokbyeok-ga several times, and currently teaches and studies at the School of Korean Traditional Arts at the Korea National University of Arts. She will be accompanied by master percussionist Park Geunyeong in this performance.