The Korea Herald

지나쌤

VR gugak experience stretches out from palace to hanok

By Im Eun-byel

Published : July 4, 2020 - 16:00

    • Link copied

Solo taepyeongso (Korean wind instrument) Daechwita (military music) performance recorded in VR at Changdeokgung in central Seoul (National Gugak Center) Solo taepyeongso (Korean wind instrument) Daechwita (military music) performance recorded in VR at Changdeokgung in central Seoul (National Gugak Center)

The National Gugak Center has released a second series of virtual reality performances, following the previous release in March.

In March, the state-funded music institution released a series of videos made with virtual reality technology, introducing various gugak instruments. 

It released 20 more VR videos Wednesday, recorded at venues that show the beauty of traditional Korean architecture. A total of eight court music and court dance videos were filmed in Changdeokgung, a Joseon-era palace in central Seoul, appreciated for its beautiful garden.

Another 12 videos that show Korean folk music were filmed at the old hanok village of Myungwon Folk Museum at Kookmin University in northern Seoul. 

Recording of ajaeng sanjo (wide zither instrumental music) performance at Myungwon Folk Museum in northern Seoul. (National Gugak Center) Recording of ajaeng sanjo (wide zither instrumental music) performance at Myungwon Folk Museum in northern Seoul. (National Gugak Center)

Each piece was recorded from a one-person perspective in 360 degrees, delivering the performers’ smallest movements, facial expression and the surrounding landscape.

“Through the mix of traditional arts and new technologies, I hope audiences, who cannot visit concert halls right now, can experience gugak performed at special locations with beautiful landscapes,” said Lim Jae-won, head of the National Gugak Center.

The VR videos are available on the National Gugak Center’s channels on YouTube and Naver TV.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)