Film at Lincoln Center, the New York Asian Film Foundation, and the Korean Cultural Center New York present a special New York Asian Film Festival event: The US Premiere of Kokdu: A Story of Guardian Angels, a fantasy world where traditional Korean music (gugak) meets cinema. The event features live traditional accompaniment performed by a 20-member ensemble from the National Gugak Center.

Director Tae-yong Kim, Music Director Jun-Seok Bang and the National Gugak Center have joined forces to acquaint Korean music and dance to an international audience by bridging several art forms and building a unique, heartwarming story of loss and redemption, steeped in local Korean folklore but with a universal appeal.

Melding fantasy and reality, Kokdu weaves between cinematic storytelling and a staged theatrical piece, creating a moving and magical experience. It explores Korean myths and traditions while dealing deftly with dark themes of death, guilt and mourning, with an empathetic, poignant, and ultimately uplifting touch.

Images of Kokdu: A Story of Guardian Angels. Courtesy National Gugak Center.

This performance is presented by Film at Lincoln Center, New York Asian Film Foundation, and the Korean Cultural Center New York; performed by the National Gugak Center.