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Pansori master Lee Eun-gwan passes away
By Ko Dong-hwan
The late Lee Eun-gwan was a master of pansori “Baebaengi Gut.”
By Ko Dong-hwan
Master of pansori “Baebaengi Gut” Lee Eun-gwan, 97, passed away at his home Wednesday 9:20 a.m.
Born in Icheon, Gangwon Province, in 1917, Lee learned seodosori, a genre of Korean traditional folk songs, from Hwang Deok-ryeol at age 16. At age 19, Lee learned baebaengi gut from Lee In-soo, a pansori master from gisaeng(female entertainers or prostitutes) call office in Hwangju, Hwanghae Province.
After the Japanese Colonial Era ended, Lee stayed active in folklore music department at the National Gukak Center. Then, he traveled across the country with fellow musicians Jang So-pal(1922~2002) and Go Choon-ja(1922~1994) and played street performances for bottom-tiered citizens.
In 1960s, Lee introduced Gyeonggi Province-indigenous folk songs like “Taepyeongga,” “Arirang” and “Noraegarak,” and made public appearances on radio shows, movies and television programs.
In 1968, Lee served as an auditor and, in 1975, a director for The Korean Traditional Music Association. Lee made efforts to educate future progenies by establishing a professional arts academy.
In 1984, Lee was officially appointed a master of baebaengi gut as part of seodosori, Korea’s 29th Intangible Cultural Property.
In 1990, Lee was bestowed an Order of Cultural Merits with Bogwan Class and, in 2002, Bang Il-young Gukak Award.
Lee’s most recent television appearance was from a SBS talent show “Starking” in February 2013.
A father of four daughters and one son, Lee’s funeral service is being held at a funeral hall in Hanyang University. Coffin is scheduled to be borne Friday noon and buried in Yongmi-ri, Gwangtan-myeon, Paju-si in Gyeonggi Province. Call 02-2290-9442 for details.