Cheonggyecheon Festival 2007
Emerges as New Seoul Fest

Features wide range of cultural and arts activities to mark second anniversary of restoration of stream

Cheonggyecheon Stream, which was restored to its current state two years ago, has become a popular resting place that cuts through the bustling central sector of the capital.
The Cheonggyecheon Festival, held between Sept. 28 and Sept. 30 to celebrate the second anniversary of its restoration, featured diverse activities in the areas of culture and the arts, digital technology, industry, environment, history and civilian participation.
Departing from the precedent of primarily presenting performances by popular singers, the festival, held under the theme "Environment (Nature) and Up-to-the-Minute (Metropolis)," featured such diverse genres as fashion, dance and music. A multi-media show was one of the highlights of the festival, combining a laser illustration and video show with traditional dance performances, as well as dynamic traditional instrument performances showing a fusion of traditional and modern music.
Throughout the three days, the Seoul Street Art Festival was held at three locations: Cheonggyecheon Plaza, Mojeon Bridge and Kwangtong Bridge. Six foreign dancing troupes, including Cirque Baroque of France, performed for Korea's biggest street festival ever. There were also such special programs as a performance by Ilshil Pilbong Farmers'Band near the Gosanja Bridge, a Bongcheon Game Program near the Saeun Bridge and the presentation of a film under Gwansu Bridge.
Such programs as the Cheonggyecheon Citizens Walkathon, the Cheonggyecheon Folk Play and the Seoul Street Art Festival were popular among Seoulites.
Also attracting the public attention were installation art works and environmental art exhibitions, designed to conjure up natural and environmental-friendly images of the Cheonggyecheon Stream. True to the theme of the Cheonggyecheon Festival, the Environmental Art Exhibition was comprised of the Junk Art Exhibition, a display of sculptures of recycled materials designed to show the importance of the environment, a display of PET bottles,
which were once used to form a monument celebrating the national liberation from Japanese colonial rule, installed on the Seoul City Hall Plaza and a "citizens"Exhibition."The Cheonggyecheon Stream has become a magnet for luring visitors to Seoul from other parts of the nation after it was restored to its current state and formally dedicated on Oct. 1, 2005. Now, an average of 53,000 people each weekday day visit the stream and 125,000 each day during weekends and holidays.
In addition, the restoration of the stream has had a favorable impact on the ecology: Now, thanks to clean water and abundant food sources, 467 species of animals and plants are estimated to inhabit the stream. nw

The Cheonggyecheon Festival, held Sept. 28-30, offers tourist attractions, including installation art work.

Seoul Deluged
with Festivals in October

The 9th Seoul Drum Festival is slated for Oct. 5 through Oct. 9 in the Nanji area

Seoul is turning into a festive place during

the month of October with a flood of festivals, large and small. The upcoming festivals, scheduled to be held in Seoul during October, include: the 9th Seoul Drum Festival, slated for Oct. 5 through Oct. 9 at the Nanji civil park area; the Hanseong-Baekjae Cultural Festival, to be organized by the Songpa Ward Office at the Seoul Olympic Park for a three-day run; and the Seodaemun-Shinchon Eoullim Festival, to be held between Oct. 5 and Oct. 7 in the Shinchon area.
First held in 1999, the drum festival has become a world-class event representing Seoul. It provides an opportunity for drummers from Korea and abroad to show off their talent and exchange information.
The participating foreign art troupes include WEIWEI & HUAGU, the Paris Percussion Ensemble, the Na'inmbo Marimba Ensemble, Rai-Jin, the Flander Marimba Masters Ensemble, East Wing, the Julliard School Percussion Ensemble, the Drops Marimba Ensemble and the Noise Ensemble.
The Korean participants include the Women's Traditional Percussion Group, Dongchun, ZAM-STICK, DUL-SO-RI, Kora Percussion Orchestra and Poong-Jang 21 Arts Group. nw