‘Sugung’ gives voice to women fighting to keep pansori alive

For most Koreans, pansori (traditional Korean narrative singing) is just a cultural asset to be preserved. But for master pansori singer Jung Ei-jin, it is a disappearing art that she is determined to keep alive. In the documentary "Sugung — The Underwater Palace" released on New Year's Day, director Yoo Su-yeon explores the pansori piece "Sugungga" as performed in the "dongpyeonje" or eastern style, one of the two main styles along with "seopyeonjae" or western style, through the voice of Jung. The film is not just a simple record of old music. It is a gritty and honest look at how women artists struggle to survive while also fighting to keep a disappearing tradition alive. The documentary first gained attention through screenings at the Jeonju International Film Festival and Seoul International Women’s Film Festival in 2023. Jung was born into a family of famous pansori masters, but despite her background and talent, she had to stop singing for 30 years to take care of her home and family. While she finally started singing again and built a successful career, she still felt hurt byWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times