전통 넘어 대중·세계·기술로 확장…‘전주세계소리축제’ 개막

The Jeonju World Sound Festival, originally centered on traditional arts, is expanding its reach to encompass public music, world music, film, and artificial intelligence (AI), presenting a new "sound platform." This year marks the 25th edition of the festival, opening on the 12th and concluding in a day. The festival, held at the Korean Sound Culture Hall and under the auspices of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, features 8 sections with 66 programs and 126 performances.

The most noticeable change this year is the integration of traditional music into other genres and technology. The "Sound Cinema" program premieres a film based on pansori, followed by a discussion between filmmakers and the audience. The "Artificial Intelligence Pansori Creation Project" also debuts, where citizens create video content in the pansori format, selected through expert review and YouTube participation.

The festival's reach extends beyond the performance venues, with street performances called "Sound Frontier" taking place throughout Jeonju city. A "Children's Sound Festival" is also organized for family audiences. Traditional elements are preserved, with the "Five Pillars of Pansori" program featuring vocalists such as Jang Myeong-hui, Song Jae-yong, Kim Cha-kyung, Wang Gi-seok, and Kim Se-mi performing from "Chunhyangga" to "Sugokga."

The festival also includes interactive experiences like "Pancake Day" and "Sangjo's Night," where young performers showcase works by cultural figures. World music collaborations continue, featuring artists such as Polish musician Krzysztof Penderecki and Indian violinist Anoushka Shankar, as well as the Malawi Marli Band. Jeonju World Sound Festival aims to strengthen its role as a transmission platform for traditional music, supporting the global and domestic market expansion and collaboration of traditional arts.

Jeonju World Sound Festival President Jeong-su Kim stated, "We have preserved the value of traditional music that the festival has long upheld and created programs that embody the essence of the festival." Executive Vice President Kim Jong-seong added, "After nurturing countless sounds of the festival over 25 years, I hope you enjoy the new chapters in this season's program."