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Performing with Soul

Gwangju News

The GIC Citizens Choir

By Shin Gyonggu

South Korea takes pride in its Nobel Prize-winning author, Han Kang, who has continued in sharing the pain and suffering of the people of Gwangju with readers around the world. Known for her “intense poetic prose,” as described by the Nobel Committee, Han’s works explore themes of violence, loss, and human suffering, reflecting the country’s recent history.

In a similar spirit, the Gwangju International Center (GIC) is proud of the GIC Citizens Choir, which has persistently worked to revive the spirit of the pro-democracy and labor movements of the 1980s by performing the People’s Song Series at its official concerts. The “people’s songs” remain symbols of the people’s struggle for democracy and social change. This tradition of the Citizens Choir began in 2018 at the choir’s first concert under the leadership of its first conductor, Jeong Gukju, who decided to end the concert with Marching for Our Beloved, the song most representative of the May 18 Democratization Movement.

The choir’s recent performance, Pieces of Peace, was held on October 19 at the Seobit Maru Art Center, the culmination of nearly a full year of practice. The choir, consisting of 40 members, has been under the direction of its second conductor, Jin Sung-in, since 2021. Jin shared insights into his musical background: “The happiest time of my life was as a member of the Chonnam National University Choir. I also spent six rewarding years in the Gwangju City Choir while working at a private company. In addition, I have been part of a men’s vocal ensemble (Papa Ensemble) for over ten years and have been with the GIC Citizens Choir since 2018. It is a great privilege for me to have been able to take over the role of conductor from Jeong, who needed to step down due to health reasons.”

Regarding the recent choir performance, Jin explained, “I wanted to divide the concert into five segments: Peace, Hope, Korean Art Songs, Folk Music, and finally, the People’s Song Series. The first segment, Peace, was intended to reclaim peace and let it resonate broadly in a reflective world. We opened the concert with one of the most iconic peace songs, Shalom, Pacem, Peace, which conveys messages of peace and hope in three languages from three cultures, promoting cooperation and unity. The second segment, Hope, began with The Sound of Silence, a song that criticizes the cowardice of those who remain silent and the indifference of the privileged who turn a blind eye to injustice. Through this segment, we aimed to inspire a world of hope through meaningful voices. In the third and fourth segments, we invited the audience to appreciate the beauty of Korean modern melodies and traditional folk melodies.”

Jin placed particular emphasis on the final segment of the concert: “In 2014, the GIC initiated an English translation project for six of Korea’s people’s songs or protest songs of the 1980s and 1990s. These were selected and arranged for the choir by composer Kim Hyun-Ok and translated into English by Dr. Robert Grotjohn, a professor of poetry at Chonnam National University at the time. Each of these six songs has deep historical significance.”

  • Morning Dew by Kim Min-gi was composed in 1971 and banned by the military government from 1975 until 1987. Ironically, the ban increased its popularity among the younger generation as a protest song against authoritarianism.
  • Withered Leaves Leap Back to Life by An Chihwan, composed in 1991, commemorates Lee Han-yeol, a college student from Gwangju who was fatally struck by a tear gas canister fired by riot police. His death became a pivotal moment in the 1987 June 10 Uprising.
  • A Stump by Kim Gwangseok, composed in 1987, symbolizes the resilience of a person who continues to survive despite being cut down.
  • When My Dream Comes True by Mun Seunghyeon, written in 1989, honors the labor activist Jeon Tae-il, who self-immolated in protest against labor oppression in 1970. The song was also sung during the May 18 Uprising and the 1987 June 10 Uprising.
  • Evergreen Tree by Kim Min-gi, composed in 1978, advocates for collective action and steadfastness, becoming a popular protest song in the 1980s.
  • Marching for Our Beloved by Kim Jongryul, set to a poem by Baek Gi-wan, has been the theme song for the May 18 Democratization Movement.

Jin concluded by inviting more music enthusiasts to join the choir. “Choral music is a beautiful way for people to come together and create harmonies. I would like to invite those with experience in choir or an interest in harmony to join the GIC Citizens Choir. We also welcome international residents to the choir as an open platform to actively engage with the local community.”

Anastasia, who completed her music degree in Russia, wholeheartedly shares the conductor’s sentiment by saying, “I am finding great joy in the opportunity to sing with the choir. I used to feel at ease at home with my husband, and now I find new comfort and camaraderie among the choir’s warm and welcoming members. I am gradually overcoming my initial concerns about language fluency, growing more confident with each rehearsal.”

Elvis, from Kenya, enjoys not only the singing but also the sense of community that the choir provides with the comment that he frequently gathers with fellow choir members for conversations and meals. He is now looking forward to the next rehearsal meeting, excited to reconnect with his new but older friends in the choir.

Olivia from the UK claimed that the concert was an absolute joy to watch, adding, “It was amazing to hear songs about peace, hope, and endurance in Korean and English. It was a very high-quality and stirring performance with lots of care taken to even provide translations as a powerpoint presentation, showcasing new arrangements and demonstrating the spirit of Gwangju. I loved listening to Korea’s traditional folk songs and protest songs, and felt that I had learned more about the city, which is still so new to me. Thank you for a great show!”

The Gwangju International Center has been promoting an inclusive society since its inception in 1999. The GIC Citizens Choir has served as a unique platform for both local and international residents to come together to not only share the GIC spirit of inclusion but also the historical legacy of Gwangju through music.

With their highly acclaimed performance at the Seobit Maru Art Center, one might think that the choir would take a well-deserved respite from practice, but the GIC Citizens Choir is busy preparing for their next engagement – a performance at the GIC’s year-end celebration, Adios 2024 on December 7.

Photograph by Cho Gye-hyun.

The Author

Shin Gyonggu has served the Gwangju International Center as its volunteer director for the past 25 years. He served as a professor for more than 30 years at Chonnam National University until his retirement in 2013. Dr. Shin is also the publisher of the Gwangju News.