The Academy of Korean Studies (President Jung Jong-sub) announced that it will host the "Great Korean Guhak Festival" on Wednesday, October 28, at the Andong International Convention Center (ADCO) to mark the 30th anniversary of its establishment.

This festival serves as an occasion to look back on the value of traditional records and Guhak (Korean studies) materials preserved over the past 30 years alongside family clans (munjung), depositors, and citizens nationwide, while collectively mapping out the future of Korean studies. Centered around the commemorative ceremony on October 28, the event will feature linked programs including the "March of Memories," the "Guhak Future Forum," and the "Korean Pyeonaek" exhibition, alongside various other exhibitions and hands-on programs running through October 31.

Preserving 30 Years of Records for Future Generations: Opening with the "March of Memories"

The festival kicks off at 10:00 AM on October 28 with the "March of Memories." This citizen-participatory program allows citizens and future generations to share the significance of the documentary heritage preserved by the Academy of Korean Studies over the past three decades.

Starting from Jangpangak, the storage facility for the Confucian woodblock printing plates, the march reflects on the significance of preserving traditional documentary heritage and delivers artifacts symbolizing these records to representatives of children and youth. Depositors, citizens, and youths will then walk together along a 1.5-kilometer stretch of the Seongseong Suspension Bridge, symbolically representing the transmission of past records to future generations. This goes a step beyond merely preserving records within storage facilities, allowing citizens to directly experience the value of documentary heritage and share in the significance of its transmission.

Where is Guhak Headed in the AI Era? Discussing "Future Guhak" with Prominent Scholars

At 11:00 AM on the same day, the "Guhak Future Forum" will be held at the Andong International Convention Center. Under the theme "Future Guhak Envisioned with Leading Scholars," world-renowned Korean studies scholar Professor Mark Peterson will deliver a keynote address on the value and direction of future Guhak. A roundtable discussion will follow, featuring experts in Korean studies, cultural contents, digital technology, and AI.

The forum will discuss the value of Guhak materials as source materials for Hallyu (the Korean Wave), traditional culture, and cultural contents, alongside the role of Korean cultural data and Guhak institutions in the AI era, exploring the potential of Guhak as a resource for future culture and technology.

The "Great Korean Guhak Festival" at 2:00 PM: From 30 Years of Achievements to the "KSI Future Vision 2040"

Starting at 2:00 PM, the main ceremony of the "Great Korean Guhak Festival" will take place at the Andong International Convention Center. Beginning with celebratory cultural performances for the 30th anniversary, the event will honor individuals who have contributed to the promotion of Korean studies and express gratitude to the depositors who have entrusted their precious Guhak materials to the academy. It will then look back on the major achievements of the past 30 years and proclaim the "KSI Future Vision 2040," outlining the future direction of both the institution and Korean studies.

Through this, the Academy of Korean Studies plans to move beyond the collection and preservation of documentary heritage by connecting research, digital technology, and cultural contents to expand the value of Guhak into the language of today and share it with future generations.

From 182 Pyeonaek to "5Han" Experiences and AI Content: Enjoying Guhak Through October 31

From October 28 to 31, a variety of programs allowing visitors to directly see and experience Guhak will take place across the Andong International Convention Center and the Academy of Korean Studies.

The "Korean Pyeonaek" Exhibition will showcase 182 hanging boards (pyeonaek) categorized by theme from those listed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register. The exhibition combines physical pyeonaek with immersive and interactive media art, alongside interactive programs such as "Make Your Own Pyeonaek," "Pyeonaek Four-Cut Photo," and a stamp tour.

At the Traditional Culture Experience Center, visitors can experience the "5Hans"—Hanbok (traditional clothing), Hansik (traditional food), Hanok (traditional architecture), Hanji (traditional paper), and Hangeul (the Korean alphabet)—featuring Hanbok try-ons, traditional food and tea, Hanok structural tours, Hanji craft and woodblock printing, and Hangeul calligraphy.

The "Digital Media Center" will present the theme "Connecting Guhak Through Digital," showcasing AI programs, AI videos utilizing award-winning entries from the university student content contest, and books, dramas, and webtoons based on the Story Theme Park. A photo booth will also be operated to capture memories of the event.

At the Confucianism Museum of the Academy of Korean Studies, a special 30th anniversary exhibition titled "Thirty Years of Light, Thirty Treasures" will run until November 1. Featuring 30 Guhak materials collected, preserved, and researched over the past 30 years—including the National Treasure Jingbirok (Book of Corrections), the woodblocks of the Collected Works of Teguang, Sutojolmok (Regulations on Coast Guard and Defense), and Jeongabobok (Family Genealogies)—visitors can explore the major achievements of the Academy of Korean Studies and the stories embedded within the materials.

Jung Jong-sub, President of the Academy of Korean Studies, stated, "The past 30 years of the Academy of Korean Studies were made possible because of the depositors who trusted us with their precious materials and the citizens who guarded the value of Guhak together. I hope this Great Korean Guhak Festival serves as a new starting point where records and tradition meet AI and cultural contents, carrying Guhak forward into the future."

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