○ Sungyong Park: This is the time for “Gyeong Gi Culture,” <Tell Me~ GGC>, to quickly deliver the cultural news of Gyeonggi Province. We are together every Friday. Let's meet Reporter Park full of bright energy. Hello. Reporter Park!

▶ Suyoung Park: Hello. This is Suyoung Park, a ‘Culture News Messenger’ that quickly delivers cultural news such as various exhibitions and performances in Gyeonggi-do. Last month, I introduced the “Gyeonggi-do-style Culture New Deal Project,” a project to overcome the crisis in the culture and arts business, which is having a hard time with COVID-19. Do you remember?

○ Sungyong Park: Yes, the support projects are very diverse, and the scale of support was large.

▶ Suyoung Park: That's right. We secured a whopping 10.3 billion won. Of these, the GyeonGi Cultural Foundation has prepared 5 billion won and is carrying out various support projects. This new project of the GyeonGi Cultural Foundation has been launched and has been brought up quickly.

○ Sungyong Park: It's another project following the ‘Miracle of Million Won’ that I introduced last time.

▶ Suyoung Park: Yes, GyeonGi Cultural Foundation's COVID-19 culture and art support project ‘Art Vaccine Project' is one of the five projects, ‘Driving Theater'. This is a support project where anyone can watch performances and independent films that were canceled due to COVID-19 in a car for free. For more details, I will hear from Hak-Sung Lee, Deputy General Manager of the Corona Art Vaccine TF Team at GyeonGi Cultural Foundation.

▲ <Art Vaccine Project>'Driving Theater' 1st Goyang Classic Performance 

[Interview/ GyeonGi Cultural Foundation Deputy Director Hak-Sung Lee]

“It is a project that supports the works of 40 teams, such as performances canceled or postponed due to COVID-19, or new planned performances that talk about COVID-19 overcoming and hope, through public offerings of up to 20 million won per team. For independent films, about 50 screening rights from Gyeonggi-do director's works or works from distributors located in the province will be purchased as a joint project with the Gyeonggi Contents Agency and will be screened with performances in four car theaters.”

○ Sungyong Park: For performances, 40 teams' work is supported, and 50 independent film works are purchased so that you can watch performances and independent films at 4 car theaters. But are you watching various performances on the screen like a movie in a car?

▶ Suyoung Park: The way we watch the stage is similar to watching a movie in a car theater. It is an FM radio transmission method that allows you to watch movies and perform in the car. However, because the special stage is decorated, not the screen, you can comfortably watch the performances of real musicians in the car.

○ Sungyong Park: I think COVID-19 has changed the way we enjoy cultural life. Actually, when I go to performances, I often get hit by people and get tired. It is attractive that you can see it comfortably in the car.

▶ Suyoung Park: I hope that many people will be interested in this ‘Driving Theater' so that the performance will continue after August. With the prolonged COVID-19 outbreak, many artists are having a hard time. The Noreummachi Performing Arts Corps, which had been desperate due to the number of performances reduced to just two in three months, showed a positive aspect of trying to overcome this crisis with this “Driving Theater” performance. I have heard from CEO Joo-Hong Kim about the situation of the Noreummachi Performing Arts Group that has changed since the COVID-19 crisis.

▲ <Art Vaccine Project>'Driving Theater' 2nd Ansan Musical & Dance Performance

(Hwarang Amusement Park 2nd Parking Lot)

[Interview/ CEO Joo-Hong Kim of Noreummachi Performing Arts]

“Because of COVID-19, the season coming in the spring is hardly working until now. Especially in the case of our team, it would be true if the number of performances decreased by 90% compared to last year. There were only two performances from March to June 1 this year. Now, our planning office and members are eight, and it was almost impossible to live with those two performances.”

○ Sungyong Park: It's really serious. If there were only two performances from March until now... It would be difficult to make a living..

▶ Suyoung Park: Right. I heard ‘difficult to be difficult', but it was more serious when I heard the current situation from an actual artist.

○ Sungyong Park: I hope that the “Driving Theater” project of this art vaccine project will become a solid stepping stone for artists and a new pleasure for the citizens of the city to enjoy culture and art.

▶ Suyoung Park: That's right. Kim Joo-hong, the CEO of the Noreummachi Performing Arts Group, added that he thanked the GyeonGi Cultural Foundation throughout the interview. This support project is said to have been a valuable help to artists, such as “drinking rain”.

▲ <Art Vaccine Project> Before the 1st performance of ‘Driving Theater', COVID-19 quarantine was implemented

[Interview/ CEO Joo-Hong Kim of Noreummachi Performing Arts]

“This project has been of great help as it rains in a drought. Now that this (COVID-19) is getting too long, it becomes vague to think that you can do art. Therefore, the artists themselves are very difficult because their hearts are unstable, their livelihoods are tight, and they cannot perform artistic activities... They seem to be taking action.”

▶ Suyoung Park: I think some of you may be wondering about the schedule for the ‘Driving Theater' performance. Performances usually start at 5pm on Saturdays until 11pm, and are held before and after sunset. I will listen to the detailed story from Hak-Sung Lee, Deputy General Manager of GyeonGi Cultural Foundation.

[Interview/ GyeonGi Cultural Foundation Deputy Director Hak-Sung Lee]

“The spread of COVID-19 has extended social distancing. So there was the first Yangpyeong performance on June 13th, and the performance was postponed to July 11th. Next, the Goyang performance on June 20, Ansan performance on June 27, and Goyang performance on July 4 are scheduled to proceed as scheduled. Only those that were canceled on the 13th (June) moved to July 11th. The performance hours are from 17:00 to 23:00. The program will be divided into a performance before sunset and a performance after sunset.”

▶ Suyoung Park: On June 20, you can meet classical performances at the Goyang performance, the Ansan performance on June 27, musical and dance, and the July 4 performance, a crossover of music and various art genres, and July 11 Performance can meet traditional art stage.

○ Sungyong Park: Since there are various genres, there will be many things to see in every performance. Suyoung Park Reporter Are there any tasting performances today?

▶ Suyoung Park: Of course I prepared it. Let's listen to a sneak peek of the performance being prepared by the artistic director and vocalist, Joo-Hong Kim of the Noreummachi Performing Arts Group.

[Interview/ CEO Joo-Hong Kim of Noreummachi Performing Arts]

-Taste performance by Joo-Hong Kim, CEO of Noreummachi Performing Arts Company

“We ask for the participation and interest of many people for the Noreummachi performance in Yangpyeong on July 11th.”

○ Sungyong Park: The Noreummachi Performing Arts is decorating the last performance. We ask for your interest in everything from the Goyang concert next Saturday to the last concert in Yangpyeong on July 11th. I want to go see all four performances because of my heart.

▶ Suyoung Park: Yes! You can see all four performances because you can make multiple reservations. We are currently accepting reservations in advance. Let’s take a closer look at how to make reservations with Hak-Sung Lee, Deputy General Manager of GyeonGi Cultural Foundation.

[Interview/ GyeonGi Cultural Foundation Deputy Director Hak-Sung Lee]

“There is a GyeonGi Cultural Foundation homepage or GGC members site. You can make a reservation in advance after signing up for this site. It's a free performance. Duplicate reservations are possible from 1st to 4th, with only one vehicle per person. However, it is limited to 300 vehicles per episode, so you have to make a reservation quickly. Since it is a free performance, a no-show may occur. Please note that a penalty will be imposed if a no-show occurs. The biggest advantage is that you can watch performances of various genres together with movies in one place, so it would be nice if you visit a lot of non-face-to-face “Driving Theaters” with your family on weekends and enjoy good performances and movies.”

▶ Suyoung Park: This is a performance where you can enjoy various genres of performances in one place along with independent films for free. After the four performances, I hope that it will continue to become a vitality for artists to continue their art activities without giving up on art.

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