Traditional Korean singer joins Recording Academy as voting member

Renowned pansori (traditional lyrical storytelling) singer Cho Su-hwang has been invited to join the Recording Academy as a voting member for 2026, giving the traditional musician a voice in selecting Grammy Award winners.

Cho graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Korean traditional music and won the Presidential Award in the master singer division at the Korea Namdo folk song competition in 2022.

At age 10, Cho began training in pansori under Shin Young-hee, a master of pansori and the holder of Korea's National Intangible Cultural Heritage title.

Cho is also now a certified practitioner of pansori in the manjeongje style, a style of pansori known for its refined vocals.

Last year, Cho was also elected as a scholarly fellow of three Royal Societies in Britain, continuing efforts to expand the global reach of Korean traditional music.

As K-pop has expanded the global reach of Korean music, exchanges between overseas music organizations and artists in Korea's traditional vocal music scene have also increased, creating new opportunities for gugak (Korean traditional music).

The selection marks a milestone by bringing a traditional musician rooted in pansori into the global music community.

"This is a meaningful example of Korean traditional music officially becoming part of one of the world's key music industry decision-making bodies," gugak sources said. "Taking part in the process of selecting Grammy Award winners also creates a foundation for cultural diplomacy through exchanges and collaboration with music professionals from around the world."

As a new member of the Recording Academy, Cho is expected to participate in networking and other academy programs while supporting global education in Korean traditional music and initiatives to protect creators' rights.

"This recognition goes beyond a personal achievement, and shows that the artistic depth of Korea's traditional sounds and rhythms can resonate on the global mainstream music stage," Cho said. "I will engage with artists from around the world and work to ensure traditional Korean music is respected and firmly established on the international stage through the global network of the Grammy Awards."

BY HAN A-REUM [[email protected]]