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Korean-American Community Hosts Traditional Jisinbalbgi Folk Event to Celebrate the First Full Moon Day of 2023
Country
United States
Date
2023.02.21

In hopes of arousing comfort and prosperity to Korean-American communities in New Jersey this year, the traditional Jisingbalbgi folk ritual event took place on Saturday, February 11 to celebrate Jeongwol Daeboreum, the day of the first full moon on the lunar calendar of 2023. The event, co-hosted by the MinKwon Center's New Jersey branch, the Korean-American Association of New Jersey, the Korean-American Senior Citizen's Association of New Jersey, and New Jersey Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park, was held at Palisades Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. Jisinbalbgi, which means a tread on the God of the Earth, is one of Korean traditional folk plays that has been taken place between Lunar New Year's Day and Jeongwol Daeboreum, highlighted with joyful performances by a folk band called "durae" playing Korean traditional musical instruments. Traditionally, the band would go around a village in an attempt to stamp out evil spirits and pray for fortune. Residents would greet and join the band by either serving some food or donate money.


Photo: A folk band performs on a street of Palisades Park during the Jisingbalbgi event.

Photo: A folk band performs on a street of Palisades Park during the Jisingbalbgi event.



In order to vitalize traditional Korean folk plays, the MinKwon Center that spearheaded the event has held the event annually since 1995 - in tandem with a New York Korean cultural group called Binari - in regions like Flushing and a Koreatown in Manhattan, New York. The group would visit stores in the Koreatown and offer a free gift called bokjori, a rice strainer made out of bamboo strips as a symbol of good luck, to wish for peace and prosperity of Korean-American communities.

Despite the cold weather, the event proceeded through Broad Avenue, the main street in Palisades Park, with the folk band visiting 23 Korean stores. The center offered bokjori and bokjumeoni, or a fortune pouch, that have been supplied directly from South Korea to an owner of each Korean store. According to the 2020 United States census, about 20,000 people are living in Palisades Park and approximately 60 percent among them are Korean-American. The borough is de facto a Koreatown since both the former and the sitting mayor are Korean-Americans.


Photo: A folk band visits a Korean store in Palisades Park.

Photo: A folk band visits a Korean store in Palisades Park.



Nuri folk band, comprised of NYU students, was led by Bong Park who is known for a Korean classical musician performing in New York. The owner of each store would open the front door at firsthand for the band to enter. President Lee Chang-hun of the Korean-American Association of New Jersey, President Cha Yeong-ja of the Korean-American Senior Citizen's Association of New Jersey, and Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park took turns to deliver bokjori. Store owners then offered New Year greetings and well-wishing remarks in return and shared their wish for the revival of a regional economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm thrilled to be part of running this event in Palisades Park, the heart of the Korean-American community after that of New York," said Jang Mi-eun, a senior executive of the center. "I want to strengthen the center to a volunteering group that provides a number of service programs to Korean-Americans in New Jersey. Officially opened its New Jersey branch in December last year, the center is an non-profit organization—founded in 1984 and designed to protect civil rights of Korean and Asian immigrants—providing assistances and ways to respond to a renewal of citizenship and permanent residency, programs on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) for the young without proper documents, a membership of health insurance for children and teenagers, an application of the ANCHOR program for leasers and tenants, and a tax return errors for taxpayers' poor documentation. Moreover, the organization is a well-known Korean-American civic group in New York promoting activities of solidarity for the civil rights of Korean and Asian immigrants.


Photo: Nuri folk band comprised of NYU students plays traditional Korean musical instruments.

Photo: Nuri folk band comprised of NYU students plays traditional Korean musical instruments.



"My father has been working for the center since the beginning and I followed suit naturally as I grow up," said Jennifer Kim who plays Janggu, a traditional hourglass-shaped drum, in the annual event. "I'm so proud to be a member of this organization that helps people in need." Kim also said that whenever she comes across children while playing Janggu, she would let them have chance to play the instrument so that children of other ethnic groups may able to experience Korean culture.


Photo: A kid from the street takes a chance to play the janggu.

Photo: A kid from the street takes a chance to play the janggu.



Amber Reed under another civic group AAPI Montclair, Amy Torres under the Immigration Justice Coalition of New Jersey, and Kim Chang-jong of the Open Forum showed combined support by joining the event.

"Many activities are already active in New York, but we have a long way to go here in New Jersey followed by a recent opening of the center's new branch office," said Kim Seong-won, a hands-on staff at the center's New Jersey branch. "We want to share a variety of programs we have in the center with residents of New Jersey."


Photo: President Cha Yeong-ja of the Korean-American Senior Citizen's Association offering a bokjori to a Korean store owner.

Photo: President Cha Yeong-ja of the Korean-American Senior Citizen's Association offering a bokjori to a Korean store owner.



"I think it's great to learn the fact that Korean traditional culture is being unveiled here in New Jersey," Cha said. "In particular, I'm glad that our association with many senior citizens was able to dole out bokjori."


Photo: Members that participated in the Jisinbalbgi event takes a group photo.

Photo: Members that participated in the Jisinbalbgi event takes a group photo.



A host of Korean traditional folk events are expected to take place hereafter followed by news that a new head of the Korean Cultural Center New York has been named after a year-long vacancy and growing opportunities for Korean-American communities to introduce Korean culture in New York and New Jersey.




 Overseas Korean correspondent