Anniversaries are a big deal, especially after 60 years. So to honour the diplomatic relationship that Australia and South Korea have successfully forged for six decades now, the Korean Cultural Centre Australia is presenting Travel of Korea’s Sound.
This special milestone event will showcase a contemporary interpretation of traditional Korean music, and include not one, but two virtual live performances – both of which will be livestreamed for free on Facebook and YouTube.
At 7pm on Thursday, October 14, the National Orchestra of Korea will charm audiences with Sam-Sam-O-Rak 2, a multi-collaboration music project featuring artists from different genres. The original adaptation – Sam-Sam-O-Rak – was developed as a response to the performing acts that could no longer take to the stage due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and was highly lauded by critics and audiences alike. This remastered version has been created to specifically celebrate the Australia-South Korea bond, and will comprise five separate sessions: ‘Breath’, ‘The Ferryboat and the Traveller’, ‘Arirang Five’, ‘A Wish from the East’ and ‘Relation’.
The following week, at 7pm on Thursday, October 21, alternative pop band Leenalchi will take to the virtual stage to perform six songs from their debut album, Sugungga. The seven-piece band – which formed in 2019 and quickly amassed a devoted following – fuse traditional Korean pansori music with synth-pop and ‘80s new-wave vibes. Sugungga is an old Korean folklore tale, and Leenalchi have taken songs from the story and reworked them into cool, contemporary tunes. The set will be accompanied by visuals inspired by Australia’s flora and fauna.
Keen to watch one (or both!) of the events? Check them out on the Korean Cultural Centre Australia’s Facebook and YouTube pages.