SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - The National Gugak Center will stage its year-end performance Narye from December 18 to 21 at the Yeakdang Theater in Seocho District, Seoul.
Narye is a traditional ritual that dates back to the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Held on the final night of the lunar year, it was performed in royal courts, government offices, and private homes to drive away lingering misfortune and malevolent spirits, while praying for peace and prosperity in the coming year. It was one of the largest year-end ceremonies of the court, bringing together royal performers and the most skilled folk entertainers of the time. The event is remembered as a rare royal celebration that temporarily set aside distinctions of rank and status.
The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty note that on the day Narye was held, “even court historians were present but did not record the events,” suggesting that the occasion allowed an unusual degree of freedom. Various forms of popular entertainment of the era, including Yeonhwadaemu and other performances, were staged alongside the ritual.
Building on this historical context, the upcoming production reimagines the courtly Narye through a contemporary lens. Storytellers and fictional spirit figures are introduced to guide the audience through the ritual sequence. What was once an all-night ceremony has been condensed into a 90-minute stage performance.
The program is structured in four acts: Gocheonji, announcing the beginning of the ritual to heaven and earth; Seyeksin, appeasing the spirits; Gunahee, a series of performances meant to expel misfortune; and Gitaepyeong, offering prayers for a peaceful new year. Each act features musicians and dancers from the National Gugak Center’s Court Music Orchestra, Folk Music Orchestra, and Dance Company, presenting representative music and choreography associated with the royal rite.
A defining feature of this production is its reinterpretation of the traditional Narye procedures through newly created choreography that remains rooted in ritual form while appealing to contemporary audiences. More than 130 performers from the National Gugak Center’s ensembles take part in the production.
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