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- Rope walking in South Korea is a traditional play and cultural art designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, a form of art that embodies the emotions and wisdom of Korean life passed down from the Goryeo Dynasty.
- Rope walking combines basic actions of walking on a rope made by a craftsman while maintaining balance with dance, singing, and comedy, entertaining the audience. The rope walker creates stories through body movements and language, interacting with the audience.
- It is currently presented at various cultural events and festivals both domestically and internationally, contributing to spreading the beauty and spirit of Korea, and was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011.
Tightrope walking in South Korea is one of the traditional Korean games and cultural arts, known as '줄타기' or '고무줄타기', and is a national pride that has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
It is recognized as an artistic form that embodies Korean sensibilities and life wisdom, beyond a simple feat.
The origin of tightrope walking is not clearly known, but it is believed to have been passed down from the Goryeo Dynasty. Traces of it can be found in various historical documents and murals, especially during the Joseon Dynasty, it is recorded that it was widely practiced not only in the royal court but also among the common people. Tightrope walking is based on walking on a rope woven by a craftsman while maintaining balance, but it combines various artistic elements such as dancing, singing, and comedy to provide entertainment to the audience.
On the other hand, the person who performs tightrope walking is called '줄광대'. 줄광대, beyond simply maintaining balance on the rope, creates stories with their gestures and language and communicates with the audience. In this process, 줄광대 incorporates the nation's sorrows and social satire, and sometimes delivers messages of comfort and hope.
Tightrope walking has traditionally been showcased at folk festivals, market days, and special village events. Today, it is shown not only in these traditional places but also at various cultural events and festivals at home and abroad, contributing to spreading the beauty and spirit of Korea. In 2011, it was officially registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, acknowledging its value as a cultural heritage.
Tightrope walking in South Korea clearly shows that it is an important medium for conveying the beauty and depth of Korean culture to the world beyond just entertainment. We expect this traditional art to continue to develop, be loved by many people, and
continue to convey the precious values of Korean culture.
You can see the tightrope performance at Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
