Soulful island holds musician

Kim O-hyun, organizer of the Mysterious Searoad Festival on Jindo Island.

“I am very honored to be promoting the Searoad Festival at a nationwide level,” said Kim O-hyun, 52, the director of the Folk Arts Committee of Jindo island, South Jeolla province. He is also the organizer of the 30th Mysterious Searoad Festival on Jindo island, which took place from April 17 to 19.
“I believe it is an opportunity to experience the harmony of nature and the taste of traditional culture that is represented in the festival’s folk performances, that have been the main factors in bringing hundreds of thousands of tourists here every year,” he said.
Director Kim’s work has won him many accolades from other master singers who wish that he would pursue his career in Seoul. However, he has decided to remain in Jindo and develop the Searoad Festival.
“Here on Jindo, most inhabitants are familiar with at least one of the traditional rhythms, or calligraphy or one of the other traditional arts. I was amazed by this and decided to stay,” said Kim.
In 1978, at 22, Kim participated in the the first Yeong-deung-sal performance (the former name for the Searoad Festival) as a member of a folk band, playing kkwaenggwari (a small gong) and janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum). Ever since, Kim has devoted himself to the festival, and, in 1993, he was selected to lead the Folk Arts Committee.
Since 1998, Kim has been leading the Jindo Saturday Folk Tour, which takes place at the Hyangto Culture Center in Jindo.
Every weekend for almost ten years, a performance of changgeuk (a Korean classical opera), pansori (a traditional Korean narrative song), and traditional dances have been offered for tourists to enjoy.
As director of the Folk Arts Committee, Kim leads 32 performers aged between 20 and 70. His efforts have gathered together farmers, fishermen, merchants, and housewives, all of whom have been coached and coaxed to produce harmonious sounds.
Competent in various traditional instruments such as kkwaenggwari, janggu, jing (a large gong), buk (a drum), and also leading a folk band, Kim is also able to perform Jindo Ssitgimgut (a shamanistic ritual selected by the state as the 72nd national cultural property).
“I will bequeath this skill to my son, who is currently studying music theory at Chung-Ang University at the College of Korean Music,” said Kim.
Oh Pan-ju, 54, the director of Culture and Tourism in Jindo has nothing but praise for Kim, “Thanks to him, the Searoad Festival has been placed at the forefront of the festival calender.”
The Searoad Festival takes place in Jindo county Gogun-myeon, Hoedong-ri. Here, once a day, the sea recedes from the seabed for a distance of around 3 kilometers in length and 40 meters to 60 meters in breadth, from Hoedong-ri to Modo-ri.

By Lee Hae-suk JoongAng Ilbo [jbiz91@joongang.co.kr]