Renowned Korean Traditional Musician Lee Young-hee Plans to Dedicate Life to Nurturing Future Talents

At the 31st Bang Il-young Korean Traditional Music Award ceremony held on the 26th at the Koreana Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, the esteemed recipient Lee Young-hee (86) expressed her heartfelt gratitude. In her brief yet impactful speech, she stated, "I intend to dedicate the rest of my life to nurturing students who will become the pillars of the Korean traditional music community." Upon receiving the award, she revealed that her first thought was about donating the prize money of 80 million won. Kim Sung-nyeo, former artistic director of the National Changgeuk Company, remarked on the significance of this moment, noting that the award has been honoring those who have devoted their lives to popularizing Korean traditional music for 31 years.

Established in 1994 during the 'Year of Korean Traditional Music,' the Bang Il-young Korean Traditional Music Award is the most prestigious award in Korea for those who have contributed to the preservation and dissemination of traditional music. The announcement of Lee's award was met with comments from the traditional music community, stating that it was a long-overdue recognition of her contributions. Lee was designated as a holder of the national intangible cultural heritage for Gayageum Sanjo and Byeongchang in 1991 and has been preserving the vocal style of her mentor, Kim Yun-deok. She has also introduced the beauty of Korean traditional music to international audiences at events such as the 1968 Mexico Olympics and the 1972 Munich Olympics.

During the ceremony, Lee and her students (Kim Seung-hee, Kim Jong-mi, Shin Min-seo, and Kim Hye-rim) performed pieces including 'Kim Yun-deok's Gayageum Sanjo' and a trio composition titled 'Hanobaknyeon' by student Kim Sun. The audience was captivated by Lee's dynamic rhythm variations and the deep, powerful embellishments of her performance. Kim Sung-nyeo noted that Lee had specifically requested to showcase her students' original compositions during the event.

The atmosphere was filled with the sounds of smartphones capturing moments of Lee surrounded by her students, a testament to her dedication to traditional music education as a teacher at the Seoul National Traditional Arts School from 1962 to 1979 and as the chairperson of the Korean Traditional Music Association for 12 years starting in 2000. In 2022, she made a significant contribution by donating personal land and property valued at 20 billion won to the Cultural Heritage Administration to support the training of future artists. Former principal of the National Traditional Arts School, Shim Hyung-moo, praised Lee during his speech, highlighting the rarity of someone with her educational background, being an Ewha Womans University graduate, dedicating herself to traditional music education in the 1960s, calling her a historical figure in the field.

Lee also made headlines as the first recipient to influence the judging process of the Bang Il-young Korean Traditional Music Award. Jury chair Yoon Mi-yong explained that unlike previous years where nominees were suggested spontaneously during meetings, this year, nominees were submitted anonymously in advance. Despite the strong competition, the judges unanimously selected Lee Young-hee upon hearing her name.

The ceremony was attended by past awardees including Lee Saeng-gang (12th), Lee Chun-hee (21st), Lee Jae-sook (24th), Shin Young-hee (26th), Jo Soon-ja (29th), and Jeong Dae-seok (30th), as well as judges Yoon Mi-yong, former director of the National Gugak Center, Kim Young-jae, former director of the National Gugak Center, and Professor Lim Mi-sun from Dankook University. Notable guests included former National Assembly member Lee Jong-sik, former chairman of the Bang Il-young Cultural Foundation Jo Yeon-hung, Kim Jung-chae, chairman of the Im Bang-woo Korean Traditional Music Promotion Association, and many others, totaling over 150 attendees.