Musical Night Under the Stars as a Mosquito Net Is Unfurled...Hwaeomsa’s Distinctive Concert Draws Attention: ‘The 6th Mosquito Net Film Music Concert’

A Thousand-Year-Old Buddhist Temple Where Starlight and Fireflies Pour Down, Becoming the Mecca of ‘Outdoor Musical’

If you’re tired of the usual indoor venues, turn your attention to a mountain temple where the breath of a thousand years lingers. Hwaeomsa Temple of the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order in Gurye, South Jeolla Province, will hold ‘The 6th Hwaeomsa Mosquito Net Film Music Concert’ on August 8 next month. More than just a music concert at a Buddhist mountain temple, it is a stage that has carved out its identity as a unique cultural content where nature and musicals interact.

This year’s theme is ‘Lie Down in Starlight, Soak in the Breeze’. Audience members will lie down in the ‘mosquito net seating’ spread out in the courtyard of the temple and watch a romantic musical gala show, using the starlight and fireflies of the night sky as illumination. This bold yet eco-friendly way of attending, which breaks the mold of the existing performing arts industry, strongly sparks public curiosity.

The lineup and programs for the 100-minute show are just as overwhelming. Actor ‘Lee Gun-myung’, known as the gentleman of the musical world, will host. Top-tier artists including ‘Lisa’, ‘Kim Shin-eui’, ‘Baek Joo-yeon’, and ‘Choi Ji-yi’ will take over the stage. All music will be led under the overall direction of ‘Kim Joo-yeon, music director’.

The set list was selected with songs that trigger nostalgia among the public. From ‘The Lion King’’s ‘Circle of Life,’ ‘Pocahontas’’s ‘Colors of the Wind,’ and ‘Aladdin’’s ‘A Whole New World’ to ‘Cats’’s ‘Memory,’ ‘Titanic’’s ‘My Heart Will Go On,’ and even the national folk song ‘Don’t Worry, My Dear’, melodies spanning all generations paint the night sky over Mount Jiri.

A fierce ticketing battle is also expected. Ticket applications will run as a pre-registration system through ‘the Hwaeomsa website’ starting at 1 p.m. on the 13th, and the final winners will be notified individually on the 30th. Seats are divided into ‘mosquito net seating’ for 200, general chair seating for 200 (100 each for sections A and B), and 50 on-site seats (section C), widening audience choices.

A Moment When Art Is Transcended Into Compassion, Completed Through ‘On-Site Participation Donations’ and Good Influence

The true value of this music concert lies in ‘sharing’. The event introduces a system in which attendees voluntarily donate 10,000 won per person and uses the full amount raised as the ‘On-Site Participation Happiness Sharing Fund’ that delivers it entirely to underprivileged groups in the Gurye area and social organizations. It has, in effect, built a virtuous cycle structure in which enjoying culture leads directly to social contribution.

Sung Ki-hong, head of the Hwaeomsa promotional committee, said, "This event, created by nature and music at a thousand-year-old temple, will leap forward as a ‘summer cultural brand’ representing Gurye," expressing confidence.

Then, Hwaeomsa’s head monk, U-seok (Zen master) said, "I hope that attending the performance leads to the practice of sharing and compassion and helps build an even greater connection to happiness," adding, "Based on Buddhist culture and historical value, we will continuously expand the opportunity for ‘cultural offerings’ that coexist with and support the local community."