The National Heritage Administration has appointed Won Il, a composer and director with a background as a performer of national intangible cultural heritage, to direct the opening and closing ceremonies of the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee Meeting in Busan this July. On April 6th, it was announced that Won Il, known for his achievements as a performer of ‘Piri Jeongak and Daechwita’, as well as his work as a composer, conductor, and director, has been selected as the general director of these official events. He is praised for his efforts to push past conventional fusion Korean traditional music, combining elements of Eastern and Western music to explore new contemporary aspects of Korean traditional orchestral music. His past roles include music director for the National Dance Company, artistic director for the National Gugak Orchestra, and artistic director for the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra. He has also been the music director for large events such as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the general director of the 2019 National Sports Festival.
At the appointment ceremony held on April 3rd at the National Palace Museum in Jongno, Seoul, Won Il expressed his determination to showcase the beauty of K-Heritage to delegates and participants from around the world and convey the significance of world heritage that resonates internationally. Director Heo Min of the National Heritage Administration emphasized leaving a lasting impression on the global audience through a production that bridges the past and future of K-culture, especially at a time when international interest in Korean culture is at its peak.