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| Seen is Suncheonman Bay, one site included in the 'Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats,' a serial natural heritage site that was added recently to UNESCO's Natural World Heritage list. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration |
By Kim Hyun-mo
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| Kim Hyun-mo, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration |
Korea's culture is enjoying unprecedented global popularity, with phenomenal music sales, mesmerizing drama series, award-winning movies, addictive webtoons and creative food shows feeding insatiable appetites around the world. The hallyu (Korean wave) that began some 20 years ago is indeed still gathering energy and has not even reached its peak yet.
At center stage is BTS, with its "Army" of fans catapulting sales of the K-pop group's new songs to stratospheric heights within days of their release. BTS's performances in the courtyard of the main throne hall and water-surrounded royal banquet hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace last year showed the pinnacle of Korea's style and elegance to the world. Meanwhile, even Korean traditional hats for men ("gat") and farmers' trowels ("homi") have been generating demand outside of Korea. These traditional objects are typically seen in historical dramas like "Kingdom." Though very popular, such shows have limited room to explain the historical context and cultural meanings of the places and people they portray. I believe a concerted effort should be made to fill in these gaps, adding a new, deeper dimension to hallyu.
The Cultural Heritage Administration's "Visit Korean Heritage" campaign is part of such efforts. Focusing on highlighting Korea's designated UNESCO World Heritage sites and objects from UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 10 routes have been planned, each abounding with their own unique charm.
Starting in 1995 with the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple, the Tripitaka Depository at Haeinsa Temple and the Royal Ancestral Shrine of the Joseon Dynasty, South Korea has so far inscribed: 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 16 collections of documentary heritage in UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme and 21 objects on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Ssireum, or traditional Korean wrestling, was the first inscription by the two Koreas jointly on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list
Just this past Monday, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee inscribed "Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats," on the World Heritage List as its second natural heritage site in Korea. The serial site received 21 votes by the committee members for its value as a link between geodiversity (referring to its variety of geological and physical geographical elements) and biodiversity (referring to the variety of life in its particular ecosystem), as well as for the cultural diversity of human activity that depends on the getbol as a natural environment. Korea's getbol constitute one of the world's largest and most productive tidal ecosystems, supporting millions of migratory waterbirds. The getbol listing includes various sites of vast tidal flats along Korea's western and southern coasts in Seocheon, Gochang, Sinan, Boseong and Suncheon. Korea's southwestern coastline, where the designated sites are located, is one of the most preferred tourism destinations for Koreans.
In May of this year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) gave the recommendation of "deferral" in its preliminary technical review of the tidal flats. However, since then, the administration made every possible effort to persuade the member states of the World Heritage Committee to inscribe Korea's getbol as natural heritage.
Nations compete fiercely to place their cultural and natural heritage sites on the World Heritage List, because getting on the list brings about remarkable positive effects. Possessing a World Heritage site heightens national and regional pride and boosts the sense of responsibility for the protection of the particular heritage site in question, expanding support and participation by both the government and the public. At the same time, World Heritage status helps invigorate domestic and international tourism, contributing to local economic development.
Preserving and utilizing Korea's valuable cultural and natural heritage is a vital endeavor. It requires efforts to broaden the opportunities for every individual to be able to experience, feel and understand the value of such heritage through varied programs.
Last year, the Cultural Heritage Administration introduced the "World Heritage Festival," an array of programs, including performances, exhibitions and other hands-on activities. The festival conveys the value and significance of our UNESCO World Heritage sites while encouraging popular appreciation and enjoyment of them.
This year, the World Heritage Festival will take place in four areas. It will kick off on Aug. 13 simultaneously in Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan, which constitute the Baekje Historic Areas. Under the theme of "Brilliant Heritage: AGAIN to Baekje," it will start with an opening performance and spectacular fireworks display, employing the latest information and communication technology (ICT), as well as even drones. Events will take place both online and offline in the outdoors, taking visitors on a journey into the history and culture of the ancient kingdom of Baekje (18 B.C.-660 A.D.). The utmost care will be taken to ensure a safe environment during the ongoing pandemic situation.
From Sept. 4 to 26, the festival will continue in Andong, a center of Confucian culture, offering colorful media and cultural content, as well as night events, under the theme of, "World Heritage in Andong: Future Value for Humanity." Highlights will include a traditional firework performance and poetry reading, taking place on boats; a concert at the Dosan Seowon, which was built to commemorate Joseon Dynasty scholar Toegye Yi Hwang; a three-day stay involving a hands-on experience at the Confucian academy, Byeongsan Seowon; and the joint performance of a contemporary dance drama by Russia's Mariinsky Ballet and a Korean ballet company, based on the legend surrounding the creation of Hahoe masks, taking place on the riverside cliff of Buyongdae in Hahoe Village, a World Heritage site.
The festival will then move on to the Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon. It will open on September 18, with a performance to be staged with the fortress as the backdrop, depicting the ideals of Joseon King Jeongjo (who reigned 1776-1800) in constructing the fortress, as well as reflecting on the heritage value of the "uigwe," a type of record traditionally written after an official ceremony or event, which documented the fortress' construction. The festival in Suwon will continue through October 10, featuring a variety of performances, exhibitions and hands-on experience events.
"Jeju's Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes," a Korean natural heritage landscape to be designated as a World Heritage site, will be the last venue of the festival. Under the theme, "Encounter with Jeju's Hidden Nature," the festival will take place from Oct. 1 to 17, culminating with a 26.5-km walk along the traces of the lava that erupted from the volcanic cone, Geomunoreum, some 10,000 years ago. The walking trail encompasses many scenic spots that the participants of last year's festival loved. A range of other programs is being prepared to bring the pristine nature of Jeju into the spotlight, so that participants can fully experience the island's unique beauty and natural heritage value.
International travel remains stalled this year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though it's impossible to travel outside of Korea, I hope that many people will take the chance to find solace at these cultural heritage sites inside of Korea. This year, I would like to recommend that we travel to discover Korea's cultural heritage.
Kim Hyun-mo is the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration.
