 |
| Lim Hyun-bin |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Pansori singer Lim Hyun-bin will sing the entirety of "Chunhyangga," the most famous of the five surviving pansori plays, at the KB Haneul Round Theater of the National Theater of Korea (NTOK) on June 24.
This performance will wrap up the NTOK's Complete Performance of Pansori series for the first half of 2017. Lim is the first male sorikkun (pansori singer) to take part in the series this year.
Born in 1976, Lim comes from a family steeped in traditional Korean music. Lim's grandfather was sorikkun Lim Bang-ul (1904-1961) and his great-aunt and aunt were also renowned pansori singers.
Lim started learning traditional Korean music at an early age and played the "buk," a traditional drum that accompanies a pansori singer. But during middle school he changed his path to singing pansori, later winning several awards including the Dong-A Korean Traditional Music Competition and Chunhyang Gugak Contest.
He was a member of the National Changgeuk Company of Korea and played major roles such as Mongryong in a stage adaptation of "Chunhyang" and Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet." He became the principal singer of the Namwon Municipal Orchestra for Korean Traditional Music in 2010.
Lim will sing the Kim Se-jong version of "Chunhyangga." Kim was a pansori master from the latter days of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and is known for his achievement in formulating theory for pansori as well as his talent in singing.
Usually modern audiences only hear short excerpts from the full pansori, but a complete performance of "Chunhyangga" lasts between six and seven hours.
Kim's version has elegant musical features and Lim will perform with his superb voice as well as his excellent rhythmic sense.
Tickets are 20,000 won. For more information, visit ntok.go.kr or call 02-2280-4114.
![[INTERVIEW] Korea has great opportunity to lead green transition](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/7321cddf734c43269db9ae00b4d9ddd7.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Namseoul University leads adoption of innovative IB education programs](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/5291e6a2f3df420e83c62c2c4f712591.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Song Kang discuss shortened screen time in 'Sweet Home 2'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/e276a5e482b0485f9221a23f7de99c0d.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df32c60c8204448e98ccdb9841366bec.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
