Performance arts are probably the most visceral and immersive way of experiencing different kinds of cultures, whether it be traditional or modern. The regular consumption through art keeps us well cultured. However, it seems that most people do not do so, perhaps because of the lack of time especially now that school is starting or the assumption that these events are too inaccessible for our feeble student wallets. It is true that some events can seem quite costly, like the upcoming KAIST Art and Music Festival, but there are some in Daejeon that do not cost a single penny. Perhaps it is time to reconsider avoiding events just because the price tag on the ticket is upsetting.

The first of these performances is Heunggyeopgo Shinnago, which translates to Fun and Exciting. The title may not give away much, but it is traditional Korean performance arts like pansori, a genre of Korean traditional music characterized by vocals performed with simple percussions, or ip dance, a kind of traditional Korean folk dance. The performances started back in March and are due to go on until November on the first and third Saturdays of each month at 3:00 p.m. Every month follows a different kind of traditional Korean performance art: September focuses on salpuri dance, which is a folk dance traditionally performed to dispel curses and bad luck; October focuses on ip dance; and November focuses on pansori. The performances are sponsored by the Daejeon Intangible Cultural Heritage Center (DICHC) in hopes of developing, spreading, and cultivating the Korean traditional and cultural heritage. In the spirit of this goal of spreading the culture and its accessibility, the performances are held at the DICHC free of charge, a great opportunity for Koreans to revisit and foreigners to experience traditional Korean culture. More information can be found on the DICHC website www.djichc.or.kr.

The next performance is a more modern example: the ongoing 2013 Saturday Festival that started on July 6 and is planned to go on until October 12 on the Saturdays of each month, as the name suggests, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the afternoon at Woorideul Park in Daeheung District. The festival puts on different events every week on different pop cultural arts, ranging from street dance performances to rock concerts. The event on October 12 is the Korean Hip-Hop Festival, where popular Korean hip-hop artists, including Beenzino and Dok2, will perform. If that is not interesting enough, the event on September 28 is Gugak Meets Hip-Hop, where gugak refers to Korean traditional music. Sookmyung Women’s University’s Gayagum Orchestra, the first official orchestra of the Korean traditional string instrument gayagum and hip-hop artists like Beatbox DG and DJ Mulder will come together to perform a fusion of traditional Korean music and hip-hop. The goal of the 2013 Saturday Festival is to create an occasion where a performance can be held for the populace’s consumption, the artisans’ expression of their craft, and the development of a cultural center, and for that reason, the festival is held completely free of charge. For more information, go to www.토요페스티발.com.

These are only a few examples of great performances that are around for the financially mindful. There are more than can be found if one were to put an effort. It is important to realize that these events are only ones that have no admission fee, and there are other great events that are more accessible to you and probably would cater to you better than the ones mentioned above. Some examples of these performances would be the 2013 International Guitar Festival or the Daejeon Fantasy, which is the classical music concert in celebration to the ten-year anniversary of the opening of the Daejeon Culture & Art Center. Performances and events may not be as inaccessible as some may think, so go out there and find an event that suits you!