Namwon Municipal Gugak Orchestra's production sells out all 9 showings, affirming artistic and popular appeal
A pansori-based original production by the Namwon Municipal Gugak Orchestra, adapted from writer Jeong Ji-a's novel of the same name, is emerging as a signature performance for the city.
Presented as a regular traditional arts performance under the 2026 regional brand program, the production has been staged every Saturday since July 31 and wraps up Saturday with its ninth and final showing.
Based on Jeong's novel, the work traces the life of a father who fought as a partisan in the Jirisan mountains, exploring the wounds of modern Korean history alongside themes of family understanding and reconciliation.
The production weaves pansori, gugak orchestral music, song and acting into the source novel's layered narrative. Solid musicianship from the orchestra's members and committed performances from the cast have left audiences deeply moved at each showing.
Word of mouth spread as the run progressed, steadily drawing larger audiences, with multiple showings selling out in succession.
Beyond the nine-show run at Cheongawon in Namwon's Hyanggyo-dong — the former KBS Namwon Broadcasting Station — the production was also invited to the Jeonju World Sori Festival last month, taking the stage at the Korea Sound Culture Center and showcasing the orchestra's creative and production capabilities alongside the excellence of Namwon gugak.
Admission is 10,000 won ($7), but the fee is returned in the form of "Namwon Love Gift Certificates," making attendance in effect free.
A city official said Namwon plans to build on the production's success and audience feedback to further refine the work, developing original gugak dramas that draw on the city's distinctive cultural heritage into a signature local brand performance.
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