Foreword

It is a great privilege for the National Folk Museum of Korea (NFMK), to announce the recent publication of Volume 14 of the International Journal of Intangible Heritage. Since its inception, the Journal has consistently served as a medium to consolidate diverse research work on intangible cultural heritage (ICH) from around the world, and is therefore dedicated to preserving the intrinsic value and meaning of ICH as well as to promoting essential research and social activities to sustain it. The Journal was successfully indexed by the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), the Korean Citation Index (KCI), the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI), Scopus 2011 and other reputable scholarly journals, both domestic and international, thus increasing public confidence in the Journal worldwide.

The 14th volume contains eleven articles, carefully evaluated and chosen - all of which go well beyond mere case studies on ICH by providing viable suggestions for proactively safeguarding ICH in today’s everchanging environment. The articles discussing the utilisation of virtual reality and other relevant digital technologies as a way to safeguard ICH provide good examples. It is noteworthy, moreover, that the research article on the preservation of Pansori, a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a drummer, was produced and submitted by an Irish researcher, while the memory of social housing in Hong Kong is the subject of research by Canadians. This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the dissemination of inclusive research and mutual understanding. As in the examples mentioned above, significant efforts from both technological and cosmopolitan perspectives have been made to safeguard intangible heritage.

We at the NFMK consistently seek ways to use the research articles on ICH productively. In addition to strengthening the bonds of cultural diversity within regional communities, etc., we aim to establish a network hub through which productive communications can take place among locals, ICH inheritors and others.

At NFMK, we are currently in the process of upgrading our official website to more effectively serve readers, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers worldwide. The enhanced website will eventually serve as an online cultural space in which researchers from diverse backgrounds will greatly benefit from sharing and engendering ideas with others. As an established research institution of ICH, we are dedicated to continually and faithfully serving its critical missions by sustaining collaborative efforts with international institutions such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

Finally, we are indebted to the researchers for selflessly sharing their research findings with us, and to the editor-in-chief, Alissandra Cummins, for taking the time to review and select the articles for the current publication. We are equally indebted to others – including the advisory council, the editorial board, the text editor and staff members - for their enduring assistance and wisdom. We want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and appreciation to them.

We hope the Journal will provide a valuable opportunity for many others to truly appreciate the value and importance of ICH.