Gansong Jeon Hyeong-pil’s ‘Cultural Defense’ Revived in New Opera Concert
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
A new original opera concert titled 'Gansong' will be performed on December 3 at Dalseo Art Center, celebrating the life and mission of Gansong Jeon Hyeong-pil, who used his personal fortune to save Korean cultural treasures during the Japanese colonial period. The drama begins with Gansong’s wife and children reflecting on his life, showing how he came from a wealthy family but chose to preserve national heritage—believing that protecting culture was a way to protect the nation. Influenced by Oh Se-chang’s teaching that a country with a high cultural level will endure, Gansong bought books and artifacts, including the Hunminjeongeum Haerye (explanatory notes to the Korean alphabet) and important ceramics and paintings, and founded Bohwagak (the Gansong Museum) to safeguard them. The production highlights ties between Gansong’s mission and Daegu’s history of civic movements, such as the National Debt Repayment Movement and the February 28 Democratic Movement, emphasizing shared spirit of independence. The concert is led by director Gu Bon-kwang and features a cast of singers in multiple roles; tickets are 20,000 won. (Hunminjeongeum Haerye: the original explanatory text for the Korean alphabet; Bohwagak: Gansong’s preservation house / Gansong Museum)
