miral welfare foundation

June 5, The 22nd Miral Concert held at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

On Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m., ‘The 22nd Miral Concert’ was held successfully at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall and with the warm support of many people.

Now in its 22nd year, the Miral Concert was organized to support the self-reliance of persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups overseas.

With the participation of numerous sponsors and citizens, it became an even more meaningful stage.

The Miral Concert delivered deep resonance and value beyond performance.

Here, we bring you the warm moments of sharing from that evening.

A Barrier-Free Concert for Everyone: People with and Without Disabilities Enjoying Music Together

A wheelchair user boarding an accessible vehicle to attend the Miral Concert

The Miral Concert was held as a “barrier-free” performance that everyone could enjoy together, regardless of disability.

To ensure that the emotion of music could be fully conveyed to everyone who visited the concert, we provided sign language interpretation, subtitles, accessible seating, along with other features designed for accessibility. In addition, transportation was arranged for persons with disabilities and the elderly who required mobility support. Through these efforts, we were able to offer people with disabilities a rare and valuable cultural opportunity that is often difficult to experience in daily life, while also providing non-disabled persons with a chance to better understand and empathize with disability.

Lobby of the Seoul Arts Center before the performance

Jeong Hyung-seok, Executive Director of Miral Welfare Foundation, who hosted the concert, said: “The greatest meaning of the Miral concert is that people with and without disabilities can enjoy culture together and share their hearts through music. We will continue to create a concert culture where everyone can be together without discrimination.”

A Stage of Grace and Deep Resonance

This year’s Miral Concert stage was enriched by the participation of top artists from Korea and abroad.

Under the planning of Professor Yoon Kyung-hee of Sejong University and the excellent conducting of Music Director Yang Jae-moo, musical actress Jung Young-joo, vocal ensemble I Maestri, blind violinist Kim Ji-sun, pianist Jung Ho-jung, and the Sejong Chamber Ensemble came together to present a wide range of genres including classical, musical theater, and ensemble works.

The performances not only moved the audience but also served as a meaningful reminder of the true value of sharing.

Poster of the 22nd Miral Concert

Blind Violinist Kim Ji-sun, Who Connects the World Through Music

The Miral Concert opened with a performance by blind violinist Kim Ji-sun.

She captivated the audience instantly with her beautiful and profound melodies, showing how she connects with the world through her music.

Blind violinist Kim Ji-sun

Kim Ji-sun has been blind since birth.

Having to learn the world with her ears instead of her eyes, she became fascinated with music around the age of five and began learning the violin.

Despite the challenges of memorizing scores and performing, her relentless effort led to excellent results in various competitions, earning her widespread recognition for her talent. After graduating from the Korea National University of Arts and earning a master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music in the U.S., she is currently active as a member of an arts troupe and teaches visually impaired performers.

Kim Ji-sun performing on the violin

One of Kim Ji-sun’s goals is “to create more moments where persons with and without disabilities can stand on stage together.”

Her heartfelt performance filled the concert hall with gentle emotion and served as a meaningful opening, showing that this concert was a place of empathy and connection that transcended disability.

“Through Ms. Kim Ji-sun’s stage,

I once again felt that music has no boundaries.

She showed, through her sincere performance,

that anyone can shine on stage.”

- Audience interview -

31 Years on Stage, Veteran Musical Actress Jung Young-joo

Musical actress Jung Young-joo captivated the audience with her unique deep emotions and solid stage presence.

On this day, she performed two pieces, “His Eyes on the Sparrow” and “Ave Maria.” Drawing from her decades of stage experience, she delivered a performance full of depth and maturity. Her delicately expressed songs filled the concert hall with warm resonance, and her heartfelt voice deeply touched the hearts of the audience.

Musical actress Jung Young-joo

Jung Young-joo had previously shared warm acts of giving with children in Malawi through KBS 1TV’s “Love Beyond the Sea, Season 3” in partnership with Miral Welfare Foundation. At this concert as well, through songs filled with sincerity, she shared with the audience the preciousness of life lived together, further deepening the meaning of the performance.

“Jung Young-joo’s voice truly felt like comfort.

Every word of the lyrics carried emotion,

warming my heart and bringing me to tears.”

- Audience interview -

Korea’s Finest Harmony, I Maestri

Founded in 2006, I Maestri is Korea’s representative male vocal ensemble, actively performing worldwide in Japan, Russia, Taiwan, and beyond. Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, they have further solidified their place as a leading cultural group by presenting the original opera Yi Sun-sin.

I Maestri

At the Miral Concert, they performed “Sacred Flame” and “Song of the Turtle Ship” from the opera Yi Sun-sin, delivering a profound stage. Their restrained harmony, combined with melodies carrying Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s noble spirit and strong will, filled the concert hall with a powerful emotional impact.

Their stage, as if depicting a scene from history, not only gave the audience a deep sense of immersion but also conveyed weighty emotion and lasting resonance through a new operatic form.

I Maestri

“It was amazing to see Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s story expressed in such a grand and moving way.

It didn’t feel like a simple vocal performance but like watching a narrative unfold.”

- Audience interview - 

Plan for the Use of Concert Proceeds

Donations collected from this Miral Concert will be used to support the self-reliance of people with disabilities and vulnerable groups overseas.

They will be carefully spent to create real change in the lives of neighbors in need, in areas such as healthcare, education, and vocational training.

The warm hearts of the audience who attended the performance are becoming seeds of hope that change the lives of others far away and help build a better world.

Disability Rights Fund

Through a sewing training project underway in Malawi, we are supporting job creation for persons with disabilities to achieve independence.

Donations will be used for systematic support, including the operation and production management of workshops, job competency training for staff, and the development of sales and promotional strategies for products.

Job creation support for persons with disabilities through sewing training in Malawi

Emergency Support

Emergency support is provided for families of people with disabilities who are in crisis overseas.

Additionally, support such as food aid and housing improvements for both persons with and without disabilities in vulnerable groups is being provided to help restore daily life and guarantee basic living conditions.

Emergency relief for overseas families of persons with disabilities in crisis

Medical Support

We provide rehabilitation therapy and medical services for children with disabilities.

By identifying cases of children with disabilities, continuous rehabilitation services are offered, and assistive devices such as wheelchairs and medicines are provided together, with the goal of supporting children’s healthy growth.

Rehabilitation support for children with disabilities

The Miral Concert: The Emotion Continues

The Miral Concert does not end with just one day of performance.

The music and sharing from that day continue even now to bring great power to change someone’s life.

So that your support may become the precious foundation that changes the world,

Miral Welfare Foundation will continue to walk the path of warm change together with you.

We sincerely thank you for being with us.

Finale of the 22nd Miral Concert, performed by I Maestri