Synopsis
LEENALCHI’s Sugungga—is a pansori piece, a representative genre of traditional Korean music, which consists of musical storytelling by a vocalist and a drummer. It was a form of popular music with its mostly working class audience, but was eventually embraced by the elite in the 19th century.

Sugungga begins with the Dragon King of the Sea being suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness, using numerous medications to cure it with no success. A wizard appears out of the blue, examining the King’s condition and proclaiming that the only remedy for the illness is the liver of a rabbit. The King asks his ministers to volunteer to go out to the land to get it. They were hesitant to answer because it was a feat impossible for most sea creatures. Then, a softshell turtle, being able to navigate freely between the land and sea, offers to find a rabbit and bring it back. He meets dangerous animals such as the tiger, but cleverly escapes from the dangers, and eventually meets a rabbit, persuading him that if he comes down to the sea palace, he would be rewarded with a position of higher class and power. Convinced, the rabbit follows the softshell turtle into the sea, where he is captured by the guards and presented to the King, who demands his liver. Realizing that he had been tricked, the rabbit calmly tells the King that he had left it for safekeeping on the land, and that he would go fetch it if the King lets him go. Despite the skeptical softshell turtle, the King lets the rabbit go back to the land on the softshell turtle’s back. Upon reaching the land, the rabbit mocks the King’s foolishness and runs away into the woods. He escapes narrowly from a preying eagle, but nevertheless overcomes the dangers and spends the rest of his life peacefully on land. At the time of his death his spirit safely lands on the Moon.

About company
LEENALCHI are an alternative pop band that sing verses from the traditional tale Sugungga. The story tells of a dragon king from the Southern Sea, a softshell turtle and a wily rabbit. The seven-piece band comprises four traditional vocalists: Kwon Song Hee, Shin Yu Jin, Ahn Yi Ho and Lee Na Rae, who deliver musical storytelling through solos, choir, rapping and dance. The band also features a drummer Lee Chul Hee and two bassists: Jang Young Gyu and Jeong Jung Yeop. The story’s background beats and bass draw inspiration from the 80’s new wave while the performers build excitement by destroying and re-arranging traditional elements.

Reviews
“Though they’re named after a Joseon-era master of the craft, Seoul’s LeeNalchi aren’t preservationists overly precious about the past......LeeNalchi set off their vocal fireworks against an instrumental backdrop informed by post-punk, new wave, krautrock, and space disco, with kosmische synths and two bass guitars”
Rupert Bottenberg/2020.06

History
2020 Yeowoorock Festival / Seoul, Korea
2020 DMZ Peace Train Music Festival / Cheorwon, Korea
2020 Concert at LG Art Center / Seoul, Korea
2019 New Year’s Eve Concert, Asia Culture Center / Gwangju, Korea
2019 APAMM Showcase / Ulsan, Korea

*Photo Credit: woosangheestudio, LEENALCHI