Exhibition

Director’s Note

Director Sohee Park

Yeongsanhong (Royal azalea), the chant sung while descending with the Guksa Seonangsin on the 15th of the fourth lunar month.
“Ihiya, ehe.
Eheya edina
Eolssa jihwaja yeongsanhong.”1

As the sound of sweeping wind roared, a tiger as large as a house appeared and took the maiden, carrying her on its back. That is how the daughter went missing.2

Historical records state “As Gangwon-do has nine districts (guns) located east of Dandaeryeong—a solitary, towering hill—it is called Yeongdong, meaning ‘east of Yeong.’ Dandaeryeong is also known as Daegwallyeong, and thus, Gangwon-do is sometimes referred to as Gwandong, meaning ‘east of Gwan.’
Historically, Daegwallyeong Pass has been recognized as the highest hill south of Baekdusan Mountain.”3

A written statement by AN Chuk describes, “The blue sea stretches far into the distance, vast and boundless while the valleys layer upon one another a thousandfold as the mountains recede far away.”4

Although it is uncertain how many mountain ranges from Yeojin region of Jabgbaeksan Mountain wind and twist their way southward, extending down to the coasts of the East Sea, this is the tallest.5

The PharmaResearch Culture Foundation proudly presented “Esiza, Osiza,” the third chapter of the Gangneung International Art Festival. For the first GIAF, we aimed to present Gangneung through a sensory experience, redefining the city’s identity by mapping it through the lens of experience and memory. The second edition delved into the meaning of path, exploring the physical and abstract meaning of its existence. Inspired by Seoyurok 6, a 1913 travel journal documenting the journey of Madam Kim of Gangneung, the festival explored the profound impacts that traveling has on our body and mind. The third Gangneung International Art Festival focused on Daegwallyeong – a magnificent mountain pass that crosses Mount Taebaek, leading to Gangneung. While the previous festival told the story of a traveler’s journey through its ancient paths, this year’s edition explores non-human elements that roam the highland’s breathtaking landscape. The restless wind and drifting clouds that breathe life into the green pastures of spring, the untamed animals and soaring birds that rule the meadows and claim the summer sky, the endless expanse of snow that blankets the earth in winter like a quilt of shimmering silver, and the ancient myths and legends are woven into the very soul of this land—whispered through time, carried by the wind. By focusing on these natural and mythical elements, the festival invites you to explore Daegwallyeong from a fresh perspective, revealing its beauty in ways you have never seen before.

From the intricate details of Daegwallyeong’s landscapes at your feet to the sweeping vistas from the mountain pass, every step unveils a story waiting to be heard. These stories urge us to pause—to reflect on our bond with this land, the ancient threads that tie us to it, and the ways we continue to keep them alive. For millennia 7, voices have risen in song, honoring the sacred spirits of Daegwallyeong, their melodies carried through generations 8 like whispers on the wind. Even now, these songs echo across time, a testament to the land’s deep emotional and geological significance.

Only when we let our imagination drift with the restless winds of Daegwallyeong’s deep valleys we begin to grasp its vastness, its ever-shifting edges, and the way it weaves through human existence. In a world hurtling forward with relentless speed—driven by technological breakthroughs and an unceasing pulse—this same wind carries both renewal and ruin, much like the wildfires that occasionally sweep across these lands. Yet, for those who have long called this place home, harmony with nature is not a choice but a way of life, embodied in traditions like the Danoje Festival. It serves as a powerful reminder: nature is boundless, unpredictable, beyond control—yet inextricably tied to us.

This year, the Gangneung International Art Festival invites you on a journey beyond the rugged folds of Daegwallyeong Pass, where the unseen wind moves like a silent messenger, carrying echoes of stories waiting to be uncovered, voices waiting to be heard.

Esiza, Osiza

“Esiza, Osiza” is a vocal chant, which can be interpreted as “inviting all beings of heaven and earth”, used in Gangneung Dano Gut by musicians (yangjung) when performing baraji*. It serves to fill the gaps that instrumental accompaniment alone cannot cover, amplifying the collective energy of the ritual. This chant plays a crucial role in regulating the flow of the gut (shamanistic ritual) to fulfill its religious function. At GIAF25, the phrase “Esiza, Osiza” represents hospitality, engagement, and new perspectives. It captures the festival’s spirit: an inclusive space where diverse rhythms—whether human, natural, or mythical—intertwine.
*Baraji: is a Korean word meaning “to support from the side.” In traditional music, musicians provide accompaniment for the ritual dance, play ceremonial music, and engage in chuimsae (vocal exclamations), baraji, or gyohwanchang (alternating call-and-response singing with shamans).

  1. Du Chang-gu, Folklore of the Gangneung Area (Kookhak, 1999), 241. ↩︎
  2. Du Chang-gu, Folklore of the Gangneung Area (Kookhak, 1999), 173. ↩︎
  3. Yi Geung-ik, Yŏllyŏsil kisul, trans. by the National Culture Promotion Association (National Culture Promotion Association, 1967). ↩︎
  4. Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungram (新增東國輿地勝覽, Revised and expanded edition of Survey of the Geography of Joseon), a geographical text from the reign of King Seongjong of Joseon. ↩︎
  5. Seong Hyeon (成俔), Sok Dongmunseon (1518), Volume 5, “Seven-Character Ancient Poem (七言古詩),” “Climbing Gyeongpodae (登鏡浦臺).” ↩︎
  6. “Seoyurok” is the title of the 2nd Gangneung International Art Festival and is a travelogue documenting the journey of the Gangneung Kim family to the West in 1913. It was registered as part of the Seoul Cultural Heritage in 2021. ↩︎
  7. The Goryeosa (History of Goryeo) records that in 935 (the 18th year of King Taejo), Wang Sun-sik, who was from Gangneung, conducted a ritual at Daegwallyeong when he accompanied Wang Geon to defeat Sin Gyeom. In 1603 (the 36th year of King Seonjo), Heo Gyun’s Seongso Bubu Go (Book of the Sacred Ancestors) mentions that the people of Gangneung welcomed Daegwallyeong’s deity on the first day of the 5th lunar month, and they gathered at the governor’s office of the present Gangneung. The scholar Nam Hyo-on from the Joseon period left a record in his book Chugang Seonsaeng Munjip (Collected Works of Teacher Chugang) that the people of Gangneung performed the Daegwallyeong Mountain God ritual every spring, taking time to rest and celebrate. In the historical book Imyeongji of Gangneung, a more detailed account is given: “Every year, on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month, the officials of the Gangneung Government Office, along with shamans, would climb Daegwallyeong, offer a ritual, bring down the sacred tree, and after descending to the village, a shaman group would perform the ritual on Dano (the 5th day of the 5th month).” This account closely resembles the modern-day Danoje (Dano Festival) ceremonies. ↩︎
  8. Language scholar Professor John Niles of the University of California, in his book, stated that “humans have an instinct to tell stories, and through stories, they understand society,” defining humans as Homo Narrans (storytelling humans). The American literary scholar John Niles first used the term Homo Narrans in 1999, which is derived from Latin and means “the storytelling person.” According to Niles, humans inherently have the instinct to want to speak and to listen (Niles, 2010). Niles, John D., Homo Narrans: The Poetics and Anthropology of Oral Literature (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010). ↩︎