Buyeo-gun Chungnam Gugak Group’s Saturday Show

This Saturday show lets visitors see Chungnam's resident gugak ensemble perform traditional Korean instrumental music, sori vocals, pungmul percussion, and dance rooted in Buyeo's history as the former Baekje capital. The programme mixes refined court-style pieces, such as a reinterpretation of the Five Musicians from the Baekje Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner and Han Young-sook's Taepyeongmu, with lively ensemble and pangut numbers, making it accessible for both first-time and experienced audiences of Korean traditional arts. It runs weekly across most of the year, so it's easy to fit into a wider trip to Buyeo's Baekje heritage sites.

There is no direct KTX line into Buyeo, so the most straightforward option is an intercity/express bus from a Seoul terminal (such as Seoul Nambu Terminal) direct to Buyeo Bus Terminal. Alternatively, take a KTX to Iksan or Nonsan and transfer to a local bus or taxi onward to Buyeo. From Buyeo town, the Gugak Center is across the river in Gyuam-myeon, so plan for a short taxi or local bus ride to reach the venue.

Buyeo served as the capital of Baekje during the Three Kingdoms period, and it has a history of remarkable cultural and artistic achievements. The Buyeo-gun Chungnam Gugak Group, an artistic ensemble that perpetuates the musical traditions of Baekje, has engaged with audiences through over 100 performances annually since its establishment in 1994. The group presents a variety of performances in four categories: instrumental music, sori, pungmul, and dance.

The Saturday Show, which commenced in 2008, offers a distinctive form of entertainment to the audience with a novel theme introduced every year. In 2022, the theme was "A Journey to Baekje with Gugak," where the history and culture of Baekje were expressed through music. In 2023 and 2024, the performances continued under the theme of "Baneuijihui,” which is defined as "playing in colorful children's clothes." The performance aims to evoke a sense of childlike joy and wonder among all age groups thus leaving a lasting impression on family visitors.

Additionally, the performance encompasses a selection of refined gugak, including The Five Musicians of Baekje*, a contemporary reinterpretation of the five musicians in Great Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, a national treasure; Gayageum Byeongchang (“a voice with gayageum”), which melds sentimental lyrics with exquisite gayageum melodies; Han Young-sook’s Taepyeongmu, which features sophisticated dance movements; and an exhilarating instrumental ensemble music and pangut.

* The Five Musicians of Baekje: Refers to the five musicians depicted on the Baekje Geumdongdaehyangro or, Great Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, who are seated and playing a variety of instruments.