Humor and epic martial arts demonstrations: South Korea showed MASA audiences a tantalizing slice of its culture and immense creativity.

By Siamlo Victoria Sedji

It’s not just cutting-edge technology that boosts South Korea’s image. The land of the new morning is well known for its ingenious advances in telephone manufacturing, but this Korea, as lively as it is playful, drew in the MASA public who turned out in droves on the evening of April 14th.

From April 13 to 20, 2024, the Abidjan metropolis hosts the 13th edition of this market for the performing arts, whose vast program draws on a wide range of cultural and artistic diversity. To enrich the program this year, the Ivorian authorities have designated Rwanda as guest of honor. But they have also thought of a special guest: South Korea, one of the world’s leading economic powers. In their suitcase for MASA, the South Koreans have chosen to open the ball with two complementary shows – one more festive, the other more dramatic, to represent their country.

« Nanta »: musical comedy in the midst of South Korean cuisine

With measured dance steps, songs and shouts of gaiety, they made their entrance on stage from the audience gallery of the mythical « Kodjo Ebouclé » hall at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan-Treichville.

Walking down the steps in their chef costumes, energetically banging their percussion instruments, the « Nanta » chefs enter their « kitchen » (stage) hoping to share their stories and deliriums with the audience.

Art and culture are catalysts for humanity. And since love remains the best art there is, the story they’re about to tell takes shape around an unexpected wedding, for which three creative chefs are required to prepare the banquet on the firm instructions of a demanding manager. This hasty mission will be organized in the most musical of ways. The 4 chefs, pawns of the « Nanta » troupe, are fine artists. They wield their utensils like instruments. And the sounds they produce take their audience on a journey. It’s no accident that the whole audience is carried away.

A non-verbal stage show combining traditional Korean percussion and comedy, the « Nanta » effect is undoubtedly one of the best-selling cultural events in this East Asian country. Since it first appeared 27 years ago, « it has entertained over 15 million people, across 325 cities visited in 60 countries, » the performance’s manager states. These statistics are proof that humor will always occupy a special place in the hearts of nations seeking to forge their own greatness.

On stage, the « Nanta » chefs use kitchen tools to perform « Samulnori », traditional Korean percussion music. The art is in their blood.

In a concert of instruments, the four chefs send their knives flying, chopping vegetables and measuring their dexterity. The banquet ends with an eminently « captivating » drum roll, to signify its success.

« It was fun, quite funny, I liked it a lot, » confides Audrey Hachem, a French architect attending a Korean show of this type for the first time. « (…) I think the cultural mix is always positive. For example, here, the Korean artists and the spectators form a very good combination, » adds Jesús Estéban Sanz, a Spanish cultural actor, praising the beautiful communion between the group « Nanta » and the audience who came from different horizons to discover South Korea from a new angle.

« We made an effort to highlight traditional Korean rhythms so that other citizens of the world would be led to appreciate them. We were amazed by the warmth of the MASA audience. (…) Through our traditional rituals, we wanted to bring laughter, smiles and the beauty of Korean culture to the public, » said Kim Seung Guk, representing the Nanta troupe. When the circus ends, the audience wants more.

After the circus, it’s time for « Kukkiwon », a South Korean taekwondo performance.

Boards creak as they are violently kicked and split by highly-trained athletes, and the audience frantically holds and releases its breath, totally transfixed. South Korea, MASA’s special guest, closed the show with a « taekwondo demonstration » worthy of the great masters of « Kukkiwon », the world headquarters of this martial art originating from South Korea.

« What we see is that these are truly trained athletes. (…) The performances I’ve just seen show that martial arts are no laughing matter, and that these are real scenes. I’d like to ask – and it’s my wish – that the athletes from Côte d’Ivoire be just as well trained. (…) Their fighting spirit inspires me. I was amazed by the high jumps, especially the suspension of one of the taekwondoists, » exclaimed Israël Avy, an Ivorian who had come to discover the Korean martial art.

Taekwondo aims to train the mind and achieve self-mastery through combat movements. No surprise there. On stage, the taekwondoists link forms and multiply the most famous figures, straddle and clash, overlap and smash almost everything in their path, to the cheers and applause of the audience. Whistles rose and echoed throughout the assembly, like a reward for stunts and feats.

The audience was treated to a musical ballet, mock « rough » fights between opposing teams, and a grand multi-colored finale featuring contemporary dances, « danced fights », and acrobatics.

South Korea, through this ultimate menu of a skilfully orchestrated « artistic dinner », shared, then conquered. If culture entertains, it also models and brings people together. A thought shared by all the officials present on these two stages, notably the Ivorian Minister of Culture, the President of the World Taekwondo Academy and the Mayor of Cocody, who is also President of the Ivorian Taekwondo Federation. The latter also expressed the federation’s ambition to draw inspiration from Korean expertise.

« The Ivorian Taekwondo Federation is the second largest in the world after Korea. This show strengthens our ties. More and more Ivorian talent is arriving. You’re going to see more and more shows like this. That’s why we’re in the process of strengthening cooperation between Kukkiwon and Côte d’Ivoire, to ensure more demonstrations of this kind by Ivorians, » he said.

Ivory Coast and South Korea have a lot to offer each other on the cultural front. This is thanks to MASA, which aims to be a platform for the expression of diversity, opening up countless opportunities for all creative minds.