Traditional court music meets ballet at Gyeongbok Palace
Summary
Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul will host Ballet x Sujecheon from Oct. 2-5, pairing royal Korean court music with Western classical ballet in a four-night open-air performance. More than 90 performers will appear at Jipokjae, a Joseon Dynasty royal library, under the artistic direction of K-Arts professor Cho Joo-hyun. The program combines Sujecheon with three ballet movements that blend court dances, folk melodies, and samulnori. Tickets go on sale Friday at 5 p.m. for 20,000 won.
Key Facts
- The production is titled Ballet x Sujecheon and runs from Oct. 2-5 at 7 p.m. each evening.
- Jipokjae, the venue, is a two-story royal library built during the late 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty.
- The performance is a collaboration between the K-Arts Ballet of the Korea National University of Arts, the Sujecheon Project and Yeonhui Company Yuhui.
- Tickets are capped at four per buyer, with 450 seats per show for Korean residents and 100 seats per show for international visitors.
- Admission is priced at 20,000 won, and phone reservations for seniors aged 65 and over, visitors with disabilities and national veterans are available at 1588-7890.
The illuminated Geunjeongjeon Hall at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, May 8, 2024. Yonhap
This autumn, the historic grounds of Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul will serve as the backdrop for a rare cultural fusion, bringing together royal Korean court music and Western classical ballet for a four-night spectacle featuring more than 90 performers.
Titled "Ballet x Sujecheon," the open-air production will run from Oct. 2-5, starting at 7 p.m. each evening at Jipokjae, a two-story royal library constructed during the late 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty.
Known for its distinct architectural blend of traditional Korean and Chinese influences, the pavilion provides a dramatic stage for an artistic experiment that bridges centuries of East Asian heritage with European performance arts.
The ambitious program pairs Sujecheon — a legendary piece of court music dating back to the Baekje Kingdom that was historically performed to wish peace upon the royal family — with classical ballet. The three-act showcase is brought to life through a collaboration between the K-Arts Ballet of the Korea National University of Arts, the Sujecheon Project and the traditional performance troupe Yeonhui Company Yuhui, under the artistic direction of K-Arts professor of dance Cho Joo-hyun.
The production opens with "Ballet Jeongjae," which reimagines ancient court banquet dances through classical ballet steps. The second movement, "Ballet Fantasy," blends Korean folk melodies with romantic ballet. The finale, "Ballet Binari," pairs contemporary choreography with the energetic rhythms of samulnori, traditional Korean folk percussion. First launched in 2022, the annual production has sold out every performance over its past runs.
Tickets go on sale Friday at 5 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, capped at four tickets per buyer.
Korean residents can reserve up to 450 seats per show via Ticketlink, while international visitors are allocated 100 seats per show through Creatrip.
Admission is priced at 20,000 won ($14). Phone reservations for seniors aged 65 and over, visitors with disabilities and national veterans are available by calling 1588-7890.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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