Synopsis

​ The piano arrived in Korea in 1900, about 200 years after its invention. The first people who saw the piano people who first saw the piano were said to have heard an unintelligible sound coming from inside the barrel and called it 'ghost barrel'. 'Ghost Barrel' is a music documentary that retraces the footsteps of the piano in Korea over the past 120 years. The journey 'Ghost Tong' follows pianists Won Jae-yeon and Kim Jae-won, musicologist Heo Ji-yeon, piano tuner Yang Hyung-joo, carrier Cho Hyung-chun, Kim Ki-seon, and Kim Sung-jong, a piano tuner, repairer, and distributor. past, present, and future of the piano.

Program Note

​ Music, the most ineffable of art forms, finds its expression through visual art in this remarkable film. The themes explored—such as the modern interpretation of time through music, the enigmatic yet intimate world of pianists, and a radical approach to the piano—transcend the boundaries of a conventional documentary. With an idiosyncratic personality, this work manages to connect deeply with the audience, avoiding any sense of detachment. It poses a lot of thought-provoking questions: This film pays homage to the exquisite grandeur of the piano while simultaneously lamenting the fading cultural significance it represents. (Lee Yongcheol)

Director

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  • Kim Jaehoon
  • Kim Jaehoon is a performance artist known for his minimalist music and humanistic themes. In 2021, he released his second album, S.W.I.M, featuring refined melodies and a piano quintet. As a director, he debuted with the performance of S.W.I.M at the National Theater of Korea, which showcased his unique composition principles. In his latest work, Kim Jaehoon's P.N.O, which was inspired by his piano research in New York and Korea, he explores the story of an old human instrument and the creation of a new one, P.N.O., from an abandoned piano. The premiere of this work in 2023 received widespread acclaim, showcasing his talents as a director and musician.