2025 Sori Festival’s Signature Brand Performance Series “Five Pansori Stories”

Five Unique and Elegant Colors of Sounds by Masters

If you want to experience the pure deepness of Korean traditional music, do not miss the representative performance series of the Jeonju Int’l Sori Festival: “Five Pansori Stories!” This year, renowned artists from Jeolla Province will perform, showcasing the intricate, flavorful, and profound beauty of pansori. Joining in with chuimsae (exclamation) like “Eolssigu” and “Jotta” will be one of the best ways to enjoy Pansori even more! Finding a singing style that perfectly matches your taste is another unique way to enjoy.

Yoon Jincheol’s Boseongsori Jeokbyeok-ga

“Boseongsori” refers to a school of pansori that formed around Boseong in the late 19th century. This is also called “Gangsanje.” Boseongsori includes “Kim Sejong-je Chunhyang-ga,” “Gangsan-je Simcheong-ga, Sugung-ga, and Jeokbyeok-ga,” and repertoires transmitted through the Jeong family that is symbolized by Jeong Eungmin. Boseongsori Jeokbyeok-ga was a newly constructed style based on Park Yujeon’s Seopyeon-je style, and then transmitted to Jeong Jaegeun, to Jeong Eungmin, to Jeong Gwonjin, and to Yoon Jin-cheol. 

Jeong Eungmin who established Boseongsori, cautioning against the tendency of favoring sorrowful vocal tones, i.e.  gyemyeon-jo, and of too-flowery expressions, tried to preserve his goje (old-school) vocal style. This aesthetic attitude pursued in Boseongsori is very appropriate for the characteristic of Jeokbyeok-ga. Master Yun Jincheol is a holder of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Pansori Jeokbyeok-ga, and has devotedly inherited the Boseongsori style. 

“Jeokbyeok-ga” is constructed with the story of “the Battle of Red Cliffs” in the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” The structure of Boseongsori Jeokbyeok-ga is unique compared to other styles. First, the depiction of the “three visits” in the jinyang jangdan (rhythmic pattern) comes first unlike other schools. Moreover, it features a section depicting the Battle of Bakmangpa (Bowang) in the two rhythms of fast jungmori and jajinmori, instead of the section for the Jangpanpa (Changban) Battle that is included in the Dongpyeon-je style. Noting these differences between schools will be an interesting point for the listeners. Master Percussionists Park Siyang and Cho Yongsu will perform with him on the stage.