NCSOFT (co-CEOs Taek-jin Kim and Byung-moo Park) has released the soundtrack album 'Jung: Blossoming Hearts' for free in collaboration with the Contemporary Gugak Orchestra of the National Gugak Center, offering a unique experience to the public and game players through modern reinterpretations of traditional Korean folk songs.
This project was carried out as part of NCSOFT's cultural contribution initiatives, re-arranging public domain Korean folk songs to share with the public. It is released completely free of charge so that anyone—including public institutions such as the National Gugak Center and cultural events—can use the music freely. The album features a total of 12 rich tracks, including six arranged songs based on familiar traditional folk melodies such as "Arirang," "Doraji Taryeong," "Neoyeong Nayeong," "Gunbam Taryeong," and "Nilliliya," alongside instrumental (Inst.) versions of each track. The title track, "Arirang (Following the First Light)," captures the moment of taking one's first step with new light and hope. Blending traditional music performance by the Contemporary Gugak Orchestra of the National Gugak Center with a choir of students from the School of Korean Traditional Arts at Korea National University of Arts, the song achieves an original sound connecting tradition with modernity.
In the production process, NCSOUND led the project, collaborating with the Contemporary Gugak Orchestra of the National Gugak Center and students from the School of Korean Traditional Arts at Korea National University of Arts. NCSOUND oversaw the overall arrangement, with Gyeonggi Minyo singers Kim Hye-jin, Lee Yu-jeong, and Jang Su-min, Jeongga singer Maeng Hwi-seo, and Seodo Minyo singer Lee Si-eun featuring as vocalists. The Contemporary Gugak Orchestra of the National Gugak Center handled the instrumentation, vividly bringing out the beautiful tones of Korea's traditional instruments.
The tracks will also be actively featured in Chuseok seasonal events across major NCSOFT titles such as AION 2 and Throne and Liberty. Players can naturally enjoy reinterpreted traditional Korean music during gameplay. The soundtrack is available completely free of charge on major Korean music streaming platforms including Melon, Genie, Bugs, FLO, and VIBE, as well as global services such as Spotify and YouTube Music.
