“Voice of Liberation, Captured by AI”
Utilizing sheet music published in newspapers
Exhibition at the National Library of Korea starting on the 11th
[Reporter Jang Byung-ho from Edaily] The “Welcoming Song of the Provisional Government,” sung at the 1945 welcome ceremony for the Provisional Government, has been restored using artificial intelligence (AI) technology and will be publicly revealed.
The National Library of Korea announced on the 6th that in celebration of its 80th anniversary, it will reveal, for the first time, the sheet music of the “Welcoming Song of the Provisional Government” at the exhibition “Voice of Liberation, Captured by AI,” which will be held from November 11 to December 31. The exhibition will also showcase the song restored using AI technology.
This exhibition is composed of two themes: “Experience the Emotion of the Day through Sound” and “The First Steps of the Library.” It aims to let visitors vividly experience the emotions of liberation through content utilizing AI technology.
Under the first theme, “Experience the Emotion of the Day through Sound,” the sheet music of the “Welcoming Song of the Provisional Government” will be publicly unveiled for the first time. This sheet music was published in the December 17, 1945, edition of “The Central Newspaper” and has not been disclosed by any other institution until now.
Based on the sheet music, the National Library of Korea has restored the melody of the song, whose lyrics alone have been passed down, using AI technology for the first time in 80 years. Additionally, it will feature an audio podcast in which AI interprets the content of the “Korean Language Broadcast” by the Voice of America (VOA) that reported the news of liberation, organized in a dialogue format, and a rendition of the “National Anthem” composed by Ahn Eak-tai, distributed for free by the Korean Independence Association after liberation.
The second theme, “The First Steps of the Library,” will include audio content of an article about the National Library’s opening published in the October 15, 1945, edition of “Maeil Sinbo” and video content adapted from the “Library Department Diary” written by librarians of that time, all utilizing AI technology. Various materials will also be displayed, such as the record “Taps for Private Tussie” (1945), known as a precursor to today’s audiobooks.
Director Kim Hee-seop of the National Library of Korea said, “This exhibition is a special attempt to inform the public of a forgotten ‘history,’ beyond just showing simple records,” and stated, “The National Library will continue to actively discover, share, and utilize valuable historical records with related institutions.”
This exhibition is open for free viewing without prior reservation.