National Gugak Center was established as the second institution after the National Gugak Center to preserve, transmit, popularize, and develop traditional Korean music. Since its opening in 1992, the Institute has been active in revitalizing folk music and fostering balanced cultural development across regions.
It houses talented traditional opera, instrumental, and dance troupes, leading the field with high-quality branded, regular, and planned performances. Its modernized traditional operas of the five pansori tales are signature performances. Additionally, its traditional music performances held overseas and in culturally underserved areas serve as a cultural link between Koreans and the global community. The Institute also conducts educational and experiential programs to promote proper understanding and enjoyment of traditional music, targeting the general public and youth, and providing custom experiences for tourists, thus offering firsthand experiences of our traditional culture and arts.
Furthermore, it publishes academic materials such as collections on folk music scholarship and a series on folk music education, and produces and distributes audiovisual materials to lay the groundwork for the preservation and transmission of folk music.