Music of

Korea
Historical Periods
of Korea
I.Proto – Three Kingdoms Period
(before 57 BC)
❑They involved music in shamanistic
rituals and agricultural festivals.
❑Tomb murals and ceramics from this
period depicted their string instruments.
II.Three Kingdoms Period
(57 BC – 668 AD)
A.Goguryeo
❑Men and women gathered every night to sing
and dance.
B.Baekje
❑Their music was said to be the root of Chinese
music.
C.Silla
❑They had court ballet dance as a depiction of
performing arts.
III.Unified Silla (668-935)
❑A variety of musical tones were
played which was adopted from
music of Goguryeo and Baekje.
IV.Goryeo Period (978-1392)
❑A variety of entertaining arts,
stunts and instrumental music
which are the cultural demands of
noble class and commoners
including merchants and craftsmen.
V.Jeoseon Period (1392-1910)
❑They had new musical concepts
and took place on the recreation
of instruments, musical notation
and some of its music.
Common Elements
of Korean Music
❑Korean music is mostly
monophonic.
❑It is in triple time meter or groups
of three beats.
❑Basically, it has the same structure
with the Chinese pentatonic scale.
Traditional Korean
Music
I.Vocal Music
a) Gagok – it is a solo or duet song.
b)Sijo – it is a classical Korean lyric which can
be sung with an hourglass instrument.
c) Kasa – it is considered as a long song.
d)Pansori – it is a classical narrative song.
e) Sog-ak – music of the underclasses.
II.Instrumental Music
a) Bohoeoja – it is an instrumental music which
originated from traditional Chinese song.
b)Sujechon – it is considered as one of the
utmost success in traditional Korean music.
c) Cheong-seong-gok – it is played solo for
daegum and is describe as a high-tone piece
in instrumental music.
Korean Musical
Instruments
Kayagum – it
is a 12-
stringed
instrument
similar to that
of the Chinese
chin.
Hyang-bipa –
it is a five-
stringed
instrument
played with a
pick.
Haegum – it
is a two-
stringed fiddle
instrument
from China.
Saeng-hwang
– it is a mouth
organ with 17
bamboo
tubes.
Taepyongso – its
body is made up
of hardwood and
a has a metal
cone that is tied at
the end.
Hyang-piri – it
is known in
Korean music
culture because
it carries the
main melody in
music ensemble.
Changgo
- it is
shaped
like an
hourglass.
Buk – it is a
barrel drum
considered as
one of the
oldest Korean
instruments.
Bak – it is made
from six pieces
of birch wood
and also used at
the beginning
and end of the
musical piece.
Cultural characteristics,
compositions, functions
and techniques of
Korean music
Religious forms of Korean
music
Buddhist and Shaman music is
consist of vocal and instrumental
music.
Folk song
It includes farm, fishing, work,
ceremonial marriage and
children’s song.
 Arirang
Korean Version English Version
Arirang Arirang Arariyo Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo
Gogarui num ugad da Crossing over Arirang Pass
Na rui burigo gasinun nim Dear who abandoned me
un Shall not walk ten li before
Sip rido motga his/her feet hurt.
subalbyung nan da.
 Popular Korean Music (K-pop)
❑It is typically referred to as K-pop in
English, and “gayo” in Korean.
❑It is a highly commercial industry
throughout Asia.
❑It has dominated by dance groups featuring
young entertainers with the latest looks and
Insert Korean pict
❑This has been described by the word “Hallyu”,
or the Korean wave.
❑The dominant trend in this music is the “idol
groups”.
❑Some of the most famous K-pop groups include
BIGBANG, EXO, BTS, Super Junior, SHINee,
TWICE, TVXQ, T-ARA, WINNER, Monsta X,
KNK, Seventeen, iKON, Red Velvet, Wonder
Girls, 2NE1, Blackpink and Girls Generation.