The International Percussion Festival mainly led by professor Choi Jong-shil, the pioneer of Samulnori, is the nation’s first festival devoted to the percussion instrument and its musicians. Gaining a huge popularity at the Korean Festival Exhibition, this 4-day festival will be held to promote the excellence of Samcheonpo Korean farm music with 12 episodes, which was designated as Intangible Asset No. 11 and the Hanryo Maritime culture. Performance Guide: The festival’s hightlight is Samcheonpo Korean farm music containing 12 episodes. The Samcheonpo Korean farm music mainly consists of Street Military Music that was used by military personnel when they played Obangjinchigi. The first episode is a stage to have Obangjinpuri, which means soldiers are guarding the enemy’s territory after taking it. The second episode is a stage for the soldiers to feel safety and to gather around for a feast after capturing their enemy. In the third episode, farm musicians will spin the Sangmo (Korean hat with a ribbon) and present acrobatic performances by laying their bodies sideways. All 12 episodes will create unique and exciting performances. During the festival period, the Percussion Instrument Festival will also be held with the participation of world famous percussionists from the US, Taiwan, Japan, France and Brazil. As an additional event, the Percussion Instrument Exhibition will display 1,000 kinds of musical instruments. What’s more, there will be a World Percussion Musical Academic Convention, a National Percussion Musical Contest, and a Percussion Musical Experience. Festival Highlights: During the festival, visitors can learn all about the traditional percussion music around the world and experience the traditional Korean folk cultures at ‘Goyouje’ and ‘Gilnori,’ which pray for the successful opening of the festival. ‘Goyouje’, a ritual ceremony to pray for success before any important event, will show a glimpse of what traditional Korean religious services are all about, whereas the ‘Gilnori’ will show what real Korean folk plays are all about by showing Pungmulpae and mask dance performances. Sacheon is also a very good tourist place to visit since there are famous destinations like Samcheonpo Bridge, Namildae Elephant Rock, Bongmyeong Mountain, and Dasolsa.