Thirty-seven students from Seoul Eonnam Elementary School's permanent club, the "Eonnam Traditional Arts Troupe," successfully performed a fusion of traditional Korean arts, including "Beonanolli" and "Chwita," at the "Chingay Festival 2025" in Singapore from February 7th to 10th, the school announced on the 12th.
The "Chingay Festival 2025" is a Singaporean event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the nation's founding, "SG 60," and also celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Singapore and Malaysia.
The event was attended by high-ranking government officials, including Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The 54,000-seat venue was sold out early.
The "Chingay Festival" is a festival where you can enjoy various traditional Asian art performances. It is held simultaneously in Johor Bahru and Penang, Malaysia, and has been held in Singapore since 1973.
This festival is scheduled to be designated as a 'UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' in March 2025 and will be jointly registered by Singapore and Malaysia.
Hong Jin-wook, Korean Ambassador to Singapore, said, "I would like to express my gratitude to the Eonnam Traditional Arts Troupe for working hard to represent Korea despite the hot weather."
Overseas performing groups from each country performed at the Chingay Parade on the 7th and 8th, followed by a performance on a stage in the city center on the 9th. On this stage, the Eonnam Traditional Arts Troupe performed a fusion of Beonanolli and Chwita, receiving great response from the audience.
It is explained that Korea was the only country composed of amateurs, mainly elementary school students, unlike other countries composed of adults, such as Kazakhstan, where the National Dance Company participated, and Malaysia, where a parade specialized group participated, and thus received more attention and attention.
On the last day of the event, the 10th, the Eonnam Traditional Arts Troupe participated in a welcome party for all overseas performing groups and showed the power of another Korean Wave culture by performing Rose's "Apartment," which they had prepared in advance.
Park Haeng-joo, chief director who directed and conducted this performance, said, "While the Korean Wave is having a high impact overseas, I hope that Korean groups will participate in international festivals a lot and spread another Korean Wave culture, as we are getting a lot of response through various works that incorporate our traditions into international events."
Pyo Seo-yoon, a 6th grader from the Beonanolli Department, said, "I am proud to participate in such a large-scale and meaningful event as a representative of Korea." "I will never forget the memories of foreigners who loved Korea, enthusiastically responding to the song and dance of 'Apartment' at the Chingay Parade and the subsequent city performance."
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