Students from KDI School of Public Policy and Management spent part of their recent spring break engaging with the cultural life of Korea through attendance at a classical recital  exploring themes of resilience, maturity and emotional reflection.

The recital was supported by the Sejong Special Self-Governing City and the Sejong Cultural Foundation through the 2026 Professional Arts Support Project. The project hopes to integrate local talent into Sejong’s wider vision as a Hangeul Cultural Capital and a sustainable creative ecosystem that supports both established professionals and emerging voices in the pure arts sector.

The event, which was held at the BOK Art Centre over the weekend, was titled “Bulhok: The Unswayed Forty” and brought together violinist Juhyun Kim, pianist Chiguk Jeong and cellist Youngchul Ko for an evening of music and storytelling centred on the emotional complexity of life after the age of 40. It featured works by composers including Jules Massenet, Edvard Grieg and Bedřich Smetana, all written during the later stages of their lives.

For many of the students, the event was an opportunity to connect more deeply with the social and cultural identity of Sejong. The student delegation was coordinated by the KDI School Cycling Club under the leadership of Jongsu Chae, a 2025 Master in Development Policy student, who worked directly with organisers to arrange participation for students interested in attending the recital. According to Chae, the initiative was designed to encourage international students to engage deeply with Korean culture.

“Our aim was to use the concert as an opportunity to step outside the dormitory and engage with the soul of Sejong City,” Chae said. He explained that the effort included securing tickets valued at ₩20,000 at no charge for participating students, and interpreting the cultural and historical background of the performance to students who may be unfamiliar with the language of the art.

The recital revolved around the East Asian philosophical concept of Bulhok (불혹), a term associated with Confucian teachings and commonly understood as the age at which an individual becomes “unswayed” by external pressures or uncertainties. However, the concert challenged the traditional interpretation by presenting the 40s not as a period of emotional stillness, but as a stage marked by reflection, vulnerability and renewed emotional awareness.

One of the attendees, Hana Mohamed Sayed, a PhD in Development Policy student from Egypt at KDI School, described the recital as deeply personal and emotionally resonant, particularly in its interpretation of the Confucian idea of Bulhok. 

“It was genuinely moving. What struck me most was the concert’s theme, ‘Trembling Forty, Unshaken.’ Massenet’s lyrical tenderness and the performances together painted a portrait of a life that has been fully felt,” she said.

Sayed added that classical music has become an important source of calm amid the pressures of doctoral research. “Music has always been my reset button. Classical music in particular has this rare ability to untangle my thoughts. As a PhD student, that matters more than I can explain,” she said, noting that the violin’s ability to carry tension while remaining melodic reflected the concert’s broader message of remaining whole even in difficult moments.

Through narration and performance in the hall that night, the artists explored how composers continued to grapple with grief, identity, personal struggle and resilience even after reaching an age traditionally associated with stability and maturity.

One of the most powerful moments of the evening came during the performance of Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15 by Smetana, the Czech nationalist composer whose work reflected both personal tragedy and national identity. The narration accompanying the piece explained that the composition emerged after the death of Smetana’s daughter, with the cello representing the sorrow of the father and the violin expressing the grief of the mother. The emotional progression of the music moved from sorrow and remembrance toward hope and renewal.

Reflecting on the experience, Chae said the recital offered lessons that extended beyond music or entertainment.

“Experiencing Smetana’s narrative of hope through sorrow provides us with a different kind of insight; one that prioritises human emotion and resilience in the face of national and personal hardship,” Chae said.