A Scholarship for Traditional Korean Music Performers
Pernod Ricard Korea, the Korean unit of France-based wine and spirits group
Pernod Ricard, announced on Feb. 9 that it has provided scholarships to a total of 54 talented students of Gugak, traditional Korean music, at the National Gugak Middle and High School.
The scholarship awards ceremony was held in a non-face-to-face manner this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the National Gugak Middle and High School’s online graduation ceremony, which took place on Feb. 9 and 11 respectively, Frantz Hotton, CEO of Pernod Ricard Korea, extended his congratulations and best wishes for a bright future to scholarship recipients and
graduates via video.
The ‘Pernod Ricard Gugak Scholarship Program,’ which marks its 21st anniversary this year, is part of the company’s efforts to sponsor arts following its founder Paul Ricard’s philosophy that ‘Art is in our DNA.’ The scholarship program has continued to help boost the foundation for the development of Gugak, foster the next talented generation who will inherit Korean traditional arts, and contribute to the growth and popularization of traditional culture.
The company has offered scholarships to 641 talented Gugak students at the National Gugak Middle and High School, totaling approximately 2.5 billion won to date. Starting this year, the company will increase the scholarships to 100 million won per year for the next five years and select 18 additional students in addition to the current 36 students to offer scholarships to a total of 54 students per year (a total of 270 students over the next five years).
In addition, some of Pernod Ricard Korea’s funding has been used to support students’ performances in an effort to provide students with more opportunities to appear on stage and help them grow into high-quality Gugak performers.
Thanks to the support, the graduates who have received the Pernod
Ricard Gugak Scholarship are now actively performing their work in leading Gugak institutions such as the National Gugak Center and the National Orchestra of Korea.
Frantz Hotton, CEO of Pernod Ricard Korea, noted, “Pernod Ricard Korea is making efforts to follow its founder’s philosophy and contribute to the development of traditional Korean culture through the Gugak scholarship program. We will continue to endeavor to help nurture talented Gugak performers, bolster the foundation for Gugak education and contribute to the development and popularization of beautiful Korean Gugak through the Gugak scholarship program.”
Meanwhile, in recognition of the company’s efforts to help develop traditional Korean arts and culture, Pernod Ricard Korea received a commendation in 2020 and a certification as an exemplary institution supporting culture and arts in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.