"Cause, ah-ah, I'm in the stars tonight. So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight."

These lines from Dynamite, a popular song of top K-pop band BTS, were accompanied by the rhythms of traditional Korean percussion drum beats and the soothing melodies of string instruments.

The mesmerizing mix subsequently converged seamlessly into the elegant Chinese folk favorite, Mo Li Hua, or Jasmine Flower.

Loud cheers and thunderous applause from the audience filled the air as the musical performance gently faded into its finale. Listeners' amazement grew when they learned that the beautiful renditions were performed by a group whose members were visually impaired.

In June, the Korean Traditional Music Orchestra of the Blind performed at the Korean Cultural Center in Beijing. Themed 600-year history of Blind Kwanhyun music echoes through Beijing, the performance showcased captivating traditional Korean music such as Arirang folk songs, as well as a mix of K-pop and classic Chinese tunes.

"I planned this performance in China several years ago and put a lot of thought into it," said Choi Dong-ic, the director of the orchestra.

"We presented six songs from our history and even attempted to sing Chinese songs. Additionally, we included more popular songs like Dynamite."

Korean traditional music is Choi's passion, but he never imagined it would one day serve as a bridge between the visually impaired community and people worldwide.

Born with healthy vision, Choi's life took a drastic turn when he was 9 after an accident left him visually impaired for life. But his deep love for Korean traditional music helped him surmount the impairment and led him to dedicate himself to upholding and passing down the cherished musical legacy.

"I want to revive traditional Korean music played by blind musicians, and I want to develop more fame for our music in the world," Choi said.

Visually impaired musicians have a unique place in Korean traditional music. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), visually impaired people with exceptional auditory abilities were provided professional music education and training by the royal palace. Known as "Blind Kwanhyun", they were designated as court musicians and performed during official engagements and royal festivals.

"Blind musicians can hear sounds even if they cannot see, so no one in this world should be abandoned," according to the dynasty's King Sejong (1397-1450). Historical records showed that he actively supported visually impaired musicians to overcome eye diseases and promoted their welfare.

But the Blind Kwanhyun tradition of court orchestras ended during the Japanese colonial period. In 2011, the Siloam Center for the Blind in Seoul launched the Korean Traditional Music Orchestra of the Blind with the support of the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Choi was inaugurated as the first director.

The orchestra now consists of 13 members and eight of them are visually impaired musicians. The musicians perform with traditional Korean instruments like the ajaeng, a large Korean bowed zither with seven strings, and the yanggeum, a trapezoidal wooden instrument with strings stretched over it.

The orchestra plays a variety of music genres, including Jeongak, which was performed during royal ceremonies of the Joseon Dynasty, folk music that reflects the lives of commoners, and fusion music where the past and present coexist.

On his 13-year tenure as the group's director, Choi said: "Looking back, I have no regrets. If the brilliant artistic spirit of the visually impaired blossomed over those 600 years, the last decade has been dedicated to reviving that flower that was once broken and disappeared."

Healing power

Being visually impaired, Choi also refers to himself as a "social worker for the blind", with his goal being to strive for equal social status for the visually impaired and helping them to heal through Korean traditional music.

In addition to promoting Korean traditional music, another mission of the Korean Traditional Music Orchestra of the Blind is to provide healing to the visually impaired and demonstrate their potential to excel as music specialists.

"I want our orchestra to bring happiness to sighted people and healing to those in pain," Choi said. "We aim to raise awareness about disabilities by showcasing the artistic spirit of visually impaired musicians."

Lee Hyun-a, a visually impaired Jeongga singer, is one of the orchestra's members. Jeongga is a traditional genre of Korean classical music known for its melodic beauty, emotional depth and poetic lyrics based on Confucian themes and values.

Lee first encountered Jeongga in the third grade. "I heard Jeongga playing on the radio, and its melodic and captivating sound caught my attention. That's when I developed an interest in this Korean traditional music," Lee said.

Her musical journey began when her piano teacher suggested that she explore the world of Jeongga. But the path for Lee has been challenging.

"Because I can't read music notes, I have to rely on recordings of melodies and instructions from my teacher, which I replay multiple times for practice," she said.

In vocal training, Lee faces another challenge: she physically touches her instructor's mouth to understand complex singing techniques and feels specific body movements to employ vocal methods effectively.

Also, to enhance her lung capacity for singing, Lee spends considerable time swimming.

"Swimming poses a greater challenge for me compared to others, as I need a teacher by my side for real-time guidance instead of observing others," she said.

Despite the numerous obstacles, Lee remains committed to her dream of performing traditional music.

"When I first heard Jeongga on the radio, it felt like a friend who could accompany me," she said.

"During moments of depression or when I feel like giving up, it provides spiritual comfort and support, serving as a profound source of healing."

"But no matter how difficult it may be, it will always be by my side, empowering me," Lee said of learning Korean traditional music.

She said that beyond the music itself, being part of the orchestra also brings healing to her.

"The people around me give me motivation," Lee said.

The orchestra's artistic director also transcribes musical scores into Braille to help visually impaired musicians familiarize themselves with the music, she said.

At the same time, he offers detailed guidance on vocal technique and provides thorough recommendations to each visually impaired musician.

"He (the director) provides tremendous help and encouragement to me and my teammates," Lee said. "I feel a sense of warmth within the orchestra."

Connecting cultures

A Chinese student from Beijing Normal University surnamed Guo, 21, said she really enjoyed the orchestra's latest show.

"I appreciate this style of performance because even though they may speak Korean, the music they create speaks to us all in a universal language. When they played Jasmine Flower, it easily resonated with us".

Chang Xinyi, a barista in Beijing, 23, was excited to learn more about Korean traditional instruments.

"It's so novel for me when I discover a brand new percussion piece which I cannot find in China. Everything in this place piques my curiosity and beckons me to explore further."

"In my view, getting in touch with different cultures can influence me in a positive way. The more you explore, the more beauty you will encounter in your life," Chang said.

The positive reaction from Chinese audiences was far beyond Choi's expectations, he said.

"It's a surprise for me that many Chinese people cried during the performance, they could feel the emotions of the singer."

The response was in line with one of Choi's main aims in staging the performance in Beijing — to convey a "universal expression of humanity" through music, he said.

"Our cultural history is similar to Chinese history, so I want the Chinese audiences to feel our music."

Looking ahead, Choi is planning for more performances in China and beyond. For that, he has two goals for the team's performances: to show and exchange their Korean traditional music, and to help visually impaired people live a good life.

"People have different appearances and cultures. But from music, we can understand other cultures," Choi said.

"We can contribute to world peace and harmony, we can be family."

Hu Xinyue contributed to this story.