The issue that aroused the most changes in 2020 is COVID-19. Accordingly, the aspect of cultural life, which people enjoyed freely, also has been changing. Various cultural events and festivals have been cancelled or held online in the social distancing period. Let’s check out what interesting events and festivals people can enjoy from the safety of their own homes.

  Well known as the DIMF, Daegu International Musical Festival opened a live-action video of the musical ‘Turandot’ prelude online to the public. It was shared on DIMF official YouTube channel during the long weekend, from April 30th to May 5th. Moreover, people can still enjoy some red-carpet videos, musicals and additional events from all around the world. In addition there are ‘DIMFgikcam videos; which refer to videos taken by fans and posted on the same YouTube channel.
  The world’s first online outdoor music festival ‘On your H.A.N.D’ was held at Incheon. The city of Incheon and Incheon tourism organization, following the social distancing campaign, hosted a music festival, ‘Have a nice day’ online without an audience. It broadcasted on the DJTVsee channel on YouTube on May 30th.
  There was also some cultural content for those who love dance more than music. The international modern dance festival, MODAFE had a live broadcast on Naver TV and V live from May 14th to 29th.  The subject was ‘Little Heros, Come Together’ and it was held at both the grand and little theater as well as E-Eum art hall of Daehak-ro Arko Arts Theater.
  There are some more music and dance contents that people can enjoy. Cheongju City Art Company released ‘Art delivery on live’ to the public from May 8th online at Cheongju City Art Company channel on YouTube. The first concert, ‘Bombom with artists from Cheongju’ (Bom means spring in Korean) performed with Mieum, Korean traditional music group, and gayageum Byeongchang-mean sing together. Park Hyeon Jin and Solot, a company of samulnori- Korean traditional orchestra from May 8th.  On the 9th and 10th, there was ‘Hopes at home concert’ collaborating with local saxophone player, Ahn Tae Gun, and piano player, Lim Hyun Jung, and this concert was presented by the Cheongju City choir. Cheongju City symphony orchestra held a concert with baritone, Park Young Jin presiding solo and they played ‘Spring’ from Four Seasons of Piazzolla and four more songs. Cheongju city dance team released a dynamic and splendid dance concert with Korean traditional musical instruments, ‘2020 Majung’ (Majung means to go somewhere to wait for someone, in Korean) appeared on MBC Chungbuk morning program on May 22nd. Every concert from Cheongju Korean traditional music company, choir and orchestra are available on YouTube as live broadcastings and videos.
  Jung Mi Ran who works at the culture department of Cheongju City hall said, “We agonized over how to deal with depressed chances to enjoy cultural life nowadays and we decided to create some opportunities for the public to enjoy cultural events online. Therefore, we planned and proceeded with YouTube Live concerts. Every concert is available at Cheongju City Art Company channel on YouTube.” She also said, “Starting from the concert ‘Pastorale and Destiny’ of Cheongju city orchestra at Cheongju arts center grand hall on June 4th at 7:30 PM, there will be a chorus concert ‘Music For Hope’ from Cheongju City choir at Cheongju Art Hall on June 11th  at 7:30 PM, and on June 18th at 7:30 PM, there will be another concert ‘Aribada’ from Cheongju City dance team at Cheongju art center grand hall and ‘Brunch Concert’ from Cheongju City choir at Cheongju Arts Center little hall on June 24th at 11 AM. We hope CBNU students will show lots of interest in these concerts.”
  In Europe, an online festival has been going on as well. The 75th ‘Prague’s spring international music festival’ was held on May 15th, at 8 PM (May 16th, 3 AM Korean time), and art elementary students and honor students of the music school ‘Menart’ performed at the online concert ‘Salon ZUS’. There were violin solo and arietta of Mozart and Music written by Czech and German composers. Also, there will be more concerts. One of them is the ‘Czech philharmonic & Jakub Hrůša Live from Rudolfinum’. The world famous conductor, Jakub Hrůša will perform Beethoven’s 9th symphony and another song with the Czech Philharmonic (June 5th, 03 AM in Korean time). This festival will be shown on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The name of the YouTube channel is the ‘Prague Spring Festival’ and people can watch lots of videos there.
  The 26th Seoul International Book Festival, which was supposed to be held in June, has been canceled. According to the Korean Publishers Association, they will proceed to other events online instead.
  CBT reporters have no idea when the social distancing and daily life distancing will end, but it is our sincere hope that CBNU students may enjoy a more diverse cultural life through music, dance and books. To that end CBT hopes that this information will help them to survive this boring and tough time.

By Ahn Young-tae l ytann05@cbnu.ac.kr
By Yang Jin-ah l 2016020101@cbnu.ac.kr