Master Kim Duk-soo brings free samulnori spectacle to Nowon this fall

A park in Nowon will transform into a stage for traditional Korean music and performing arts this fall.

The Nowon Cultural Center will hold the final installment of its 2026 Shinmyeong Madang — a traveling traditional arts performance series — on Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. at Hannae Park in Wolgye-dong.

The performance centers on samulnori founder and master Kim Duk-soo and is designed to bring high-quality traditional arts to residents who rarely have the chance to visit a dedicated performance venue, free of charge, in a park close to home.

Joining Kim on stage are samulnori performers Lee Seo and Ye-seong, along with Yu Jin-ho, a certified practitioner of Namsadang Nori tightrope walking, a national intangible cultural heritage.

The program opens with a festive street procession, followed by a ritual blessing for residents' well-being and wishes, a performance of Samdo Nongak Garak featuring dynamic rhythms, and a tightrope-walking act that blends suspense with sharp wit.

The lineup also includes Miyal, a mask drama that uses humor and satire to explore the lives of ordinary people and marital strife, and Pangut, a spirited ensemble percussion performance. The full show runs about 80 minutes.

The event is billed as a participatory outdoor performance that invites the audience to share in the joy and spirit of Korean traditional arts up close.

The Shinmyeong Madang series is the Nowon Cultural Center's signature traditional-culture program, taking performances out of concert halls and into the everyday spaces where residents live. This year's earlier editions — one tied to an azalea festival in April and another at Satgatbong Neighborhood Park in June — drew strong crowds, with about 800 residents attending the June show.

As the final performance of the year, the event is expected to give families and neighbors a chance to enjoy traditional Korean arts together and savor the mood of autumn.

"The true appeal of our traditional arts lies in sharing that sense of joy and energy with the audience," a Nowon Cultural Center official said. "We hope this performance, made even richer by Master Kim Duk-soo's appearance, will become a special autumn memory for residents."

Admission is free and no reservation is required. If the schedule changes due to rain or other weather, updates will be posted on the Nowon Cultural Center's website.

For more information, visit the Nowon Cultural Center's website or contact the cultural programs team.