A celebration concert of "Worincheongangjigok," the first Buddhist hymn written in Hangul (the Korean alphabet), will be held at Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam, Seoul, and at the Pyeongtaek Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province, marking Buddha's Birthday in the Buddhist calendar year 2570. Organizers said the concert, featuring a lineup of masters from Korea's performing arts scene, is expected to open a new horizon for contemporary Buddhist music.
The Administrative Headquarters of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the Pyeongtaek City Cultural Foundation announced Wednesday that "The 2026 Celebration Concert — Worincheongangjigok, the Song of Buddha Composed by King Sejong the Great" will be staged twice: on the 17th at a special outdoor stage at Bongeunsa Temple, and on the 18th at the Grand Hall of the Pyeongtaek Arts Center.
"Worincheongangjigok" is a Buddhist hymn in which King Sejong the Great recounted the life of Buddha in Hangul for the people to sing, both to spread Hunminjeongeum (the Korean script) and to pray for the repose of the soul of Queen Soheon. It is regarded as the origin of newly created Buddhist hymns and Korean Buddhist music.
Based on the message that "just as the moon reflects on a thousand rivers, the Buddha-nature dwells in all beings," "Worincheongangjigok" had been handed down only in its original lyrics. Park Bum-hoon, director of the Buddhist Music Institute and a composer, drew on historical records to compose it into a two-hour cantata, which premiered in 2023 at the stage commemorating the 50th anniversary of the National Theater's relocation to Namsan and drew a strong response.
This performance has been rearranged to about one hour and 20 minutes by carefully selecting the core aria sections from the original work. Park Bum-hoon will handle composition and conducting, while Son Jin-chaek will take charge of overall direction, Kook Soo-ho will lead the choreography, and Kim Sung-nyeo will direct the singing and acting. A Korean traditional orchestra (the Bongeun Gugak Ensemble and the Pyeongtaek City Gugak Orchestra) will be joined by guest Western instruments including horn, trombone, and cello, along with a large joint choir (Bongeunsa Shurimala, the Buddhist Music Institute's Bureumkkot, and the Met Opera) and the Chae Hyang-soon Dance Company.
Top pansori singers of the era will also take part: Kim Jun-su will play Sejon (the Buddha), the central figure, while Kim Su-in will portray King Sejong the Great, and Lee So-yeon will perform as Queen Soheon. Pansori singer Park Ae-ri will sing the cantata "Nirvana," and Yoo Tae-pyungyang and Hong Seung-hee will serve as narrators to complete the narrative of the piece.
