Founded in 2001, Jeonju International Sori Festival (전주세계소리축제) is
South Korea's main event for
traditional music and, since 2011,
world music. In 2012, 2013, and 2014,
Songlines listed Jeonju Sori Festival among the World's Best 25 International Festivals, the only Asian festival in the list.[1]
History and editions
About the 8 first editions:
Year
Edition
Dates
Site
Performers
2001
1
Oct.13 – 21, 2001
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do
142 teams, 15 countries
2002
2
Aug.24 – Sep.1, 2002
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Traditional culture spaces
156 teams, 16 countries
2003
3
Sep.27 – Oct.5, 2003
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Traditional Culture Center
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
184 teams, 22 countries
2007
7
Oct.6 – 14, 2007
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, across Jeonju
131 teams, 10 countries
2008
8
Sep.26 – Oct.4, 2008
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
280 teams, 16 countries
2010
9
Oct.1 – 5, 2010
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
3,000 artists, 9 countries, 150,000 visitors
2011
10
Sep.30 – Oct.4, 2011
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
1,161 artists, 9 countries, 212,831 visitors
2012
11
Sep.13 – Sep.17, 2012
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
1,592 artists, 18 countries, 228,519 visitors
2013
12
Oct.2 – 6, 2013
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
2,834 artists, 37 countries, 281,478 visitors
2014
13
Oct.8 – 12, 2014
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
1,300 artists, 29 countries, 302,378 visitors
2015
14
Oct.7 – 11, 2015
Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju Hanok Village
1,300 artists, 28 countries, 170,242 visitors
Commissioners: Chun Idoo (2001–2003),
Ahn Sook-sun (2004–2008),
Kim Myung-gon (2009–2010), Park Kolleen and Kim Hyeongseok (2011–2013), Park Jechun (2014–present)
Events and program
The Jeonju Int'l Sori Festival is held every fall in the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do and various venues in Jeollabuk-do, with indoor and outdoor programs, Sori Festival for Kids, Master Classes of Masters and Master Sori Artists, and other workshops. All the great masters of
gugak (Korean traditional music, for instance
pansori and
pungmul) perform in a festival that welcomes artists from all over the world.