Lorre, the first foreigner to quit a large French corporation and come to Korea

Laure (41), who worked as an accounting expert at the large French corporation C, has become the first foreigner to successfully perform a full rendition of the pansori 'Heungboga.' Her life, revealed on June 30, 2026, through KBS 1TV's 'Neighbor Charles,' captures the challenging process of leaving a stable career behind to devote herself to traditional Korean art.

Life Transformation from a Global Corporate Employee to a Pansori Singer

Born in Cameroon and raised in Paris, France, Laure had a solid professional foundation, having majored in accounting auditing and joining the global corporation C. After leading a stable life in France for over 20 years, she decided to move to Korea, settling all her life's foundations to pursue the new path of pansori.

The Decisive Moment: Being Captivated by Master Min Hye-seong's Voice

The turning point that changed Laure's life was a pansori workshop held at the Korean Cultural Center in France. Attending the annual workshop hosted by Master Min Hye-seong, Laure was deeply moved after hearing 'Ssukdaemeori' from 'Chunhyangga' sung by Master Min. Despite not knowing Korean at the time, she felt the deep emotions embedded in the song with her entire body. Laure shared her feelings at the time, saying, "Even though I didn't know Korean, I could feel the emotions in the song, and I was truly happy in that moment. I started pansori with the desire to become happy myself."

A 3.5-Hour Struggle and Overcoming a Health Crisis

The process of overcoming the high barriers of pansori as a foreigner was a series of hardships. While preparing for the full performance, she faced a crisis where she had to receive injection treatment due to severe cold complications, but Laure never stopped practicing while managing her vocal condition. She focused on memorizing lyrics as well as mastering complex rhythms, pitches, and 'sigimsae' (vocal ornamentation), striving toward the 3-hour and 30-minute full rendition of 'Heungboga.'

A Historic Stage Achieved with a Standing Ovation

In the final full performance, Laure set a record as the first foreigner to complete the full rendition of 'Heungboga.' After finishing the long 3.5-hour journey, the audience responded with a standing ovation. Family, friends, and broadcaster Seo Ju-hee attended the venue to offer their support. Her mentor, Master Min Hye-seong, said, "It was amazing that Laure came to Korea in the first place, and because her will toward pansori was so firm, I tried my best to help her." Laure expressed her determination to continue promoting the charm of pansori, stating that she sings for her mother in Cameroon.