SOUTH KOREA

MUSIC AND ARTS ACE TASK

TAEGEUK-THE SOUTH KOREAN FLAG
The Korean flag is called taegeukgi (pronounced teh-GUK-key). The colors of
the flag are red, blue, and black on a white background. The flag stands for the
three components of a nation: the land (the white background), the people (the
red and blue circle), and the government (the four sets of black bars or
trigrams). It was created in 1882 but the symbols are among the oldest found
on any nation's flag.The elements of the flag symbolize the dual forces of
nature. The red and blue circle in the middle of the flag is called taegeuk in
Korean (t'ai chi in Chinese), which, translated literally, means "supreme
ultimate." The circle is divided into two parts, each of which resembles a
comma. The upper, red part represents the forces of yang (yang in Chinese as
well), and the lower, blue part represents the forces of um (yin in
Chinese).The yang and um together form the to (tao in Chinese), signifying
the perpetually changing opposite yet complementary forces or principles
embodied in all aspects of life: light and darkness, good and evil, active and
passive, masculine and feminine. The thick round part of each comma
represents the beginning of all things and the tail section represents the end so
that where the yang begins, the um disappears and vice versa.The four sets of
South Korea is an East Asian nation of some
51 million people located on the southern
portion of the Korean Peninsula, which
borders the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and the
Yellow Sea. The United States and Soviet
Union divided control over the peninsula after
World War II, and in 1948 the U.S.-supported
Republic of Korea (or South Korea) was
established in the capital city of Seoul.
HISTORY OF KOREA
Around A.D. 668, several competing kingdoms were unified into
a single dominion on the Korean Peninsula. Successive regimes
maintained Korean political and cultural independence for more
than a thousand years; the last of these ruling kingdoms would be
the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910).After surviving invasions by
Japan at the end of the 16th century and the Manchus of East
Asia in the early 17th, Korea chose to limit its contact with the
outside world. A 250-year-long period of peace followed, with
few Koreans traveling outside their isolated country.This began
to change in the late 19th century, when Western powers like
Britain, France and the United States made efforts to open trade
and diplomatic relations with Korea, with little success.
COLONIAL PERIOD
At the outset of the 20th century, Japan, China and Russia vied
for control over the Korean Peninsula. Japan emerged the victor,
occupying the peninsula in 1905, at the conclusion of the Russo-
Japanese War and formally annexing it five years later.Over 35
years of colonial rule, Korea became an industrialized country,
but its people suffered brutal repression at the hands of the
Japanese, who tried to wipe out its distinctive language and
cultural identity and make Koreans culturally
Japanese.During World War II, many Korean men were
compelled to serve in Japan’s army or work in wartime factories,
while thousands of Korean women were forced into providing
sexual services for Japanese soldiers, becoming known as
“comfort women.”
KOREA DIVIDED
After Japan’s defeat in 1945, the United States and
the Soviet Union divided the peninsula into two zones
of influence. By August 1948, the pro-U.S. Republic of
Korea (or South Korea) was established in Seoul, led by
the strongly anti-communist Syngman Rhee.In the
north, the Soviets installed Kim Il Sung as the first
premier of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK), better known as North Korea, with its capital
at Pyongyang.
KOREAN WAR
South Korea’s declaration of independence in 1950 led
North Korea, backed by China and the Soviet Union, to
invade its neighbor in an effort to regain control of the
entire peninsula.U.S. and United Nations troops fought
alongside South Korean forces in the Korean War,
which would cost some 2 million lives before it ended
in 1953.The armistice agreement left the Korean
Peninsula divided much as before, with a demilitarized
zone (DMZ) running along latitude 38 degrees North, or
the 38th parallel.
PARK CHUNG-HEE
Over the decades to come, South Korea maintained a
continued close relationship with the United States,
which included military, economic and political
support.Though ostensibly a republic, its citizens
initially enjoyed limited political freedom, and in 1961
a military coup put General Park Chung-hee into
power.In the 1960s and ‘70s, under Park’s regime,
South Korea enjoyed a period of rapid industrial
development and economic growth (achieving a per
capita income some 17 times that of North Korea).
MILITARY RULE TO DEMOCRACY
Park was assassinated in 1979, and another general, Chun Doo-
hwan took power, putting the country under strict military rule.
An armed uprising by students and others to restore democratic
rule led to many civilian deaths at the army’s hands.Martial law
was lifted in 1981, and Chun was (indirectly) elected president
under a new constitution, which established the Fifth
Republic.By 1987, popular dissatisfaction with the government
and mounting international pressure pushed Chun from office in
advance of another revised constitution, which allowed direct
election of the president for the first time.Roh Tae-woo, a former
army general who won the country’s first free presidential
election in 1987, further liberalized the political system and
tackled corruption within the government.
SEOUL OLYMPICS
The reforms of the Sixth Republic came just in time for
South Korea to host a successful Summer Olympic
Games in Seoul in 1988, despite continued student
protests and a boycott by North Korea.The 1980s also
saw South Korea increasingly shift its economy toward
high-tech and computer industries, and improve its
relations with the Soviet Union and China. Continuing
the transition away from military rule and toward
democracy, South Korea elected Kim Young-sam, its
first civilian president in more than 30 years, in 1993.
KIM DAE-JUNG
Kim Young-sam’s successor, Kim Dae-jung (who took office in
1998) would win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his
contributions to democracy in South Korea, as well as his so-
called “sunshine” policy of economic and humanitarian aid to
North Korea.That same year, Kim Dae-jung and his northern
counterpart, Kim Jong-il, held an historic summit in
Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea.Despite that brief
period of relatively sunny relations, however, things soon
deteriorated between the two countries, largely due to the
North’s continued development of nuclear weapons.The rise to
power in 2011 of a volatile new North Korean leader, Kim
Jong-un, and his regime’s repeated tests of nuclear missiles
only exacerbated the problems.
PARK GEUN-HYE
Meanwhile, South Korea elected its first female
leader, Park Geun-hye (the daughter of Park Chung-
hee), in 2013.But in late 2016, she was implicated in a
scandal involving corruption, bribery and influence
peddling, and the National Assembly passed an
impeachment motion against her that December.After
her impeachment was upheld in March 2017, the center-
left candidate Moon Jae-in won a special presidential
election in a landslide, pledging to solve the crisis with
North Korea using diplomatic means.
 South Korea: Culture and Tradition
Korea is a small peninsula located between China and Japan. As a result
of the Allied victory in World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into
two sovereign states with different political ideologies: the Republic of
Korea to the south and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the
north. This ended Japan’s 35 year rule of Korea. Korea is greatly
influenced by the Chinese and Japanese cultures. This influence can be
seen by Confucianism, which established many traditions that can be
seen in modern Korea today. These traditions include the ethical code of
conduct in social life and showing respect to the elders and family.
LANGUAGE
Hangul is the name of the Korean alphabet. Although the
spelling, alphabet and vocabulary differ slightly between
the two countries, Korean is the official language of both
South Korea and North Korea. Linguists believe the
Korean language is a member of the Altaic family of
languages, which originated in northern Asia.There are
five major dialects in South Korea and one in North
Korea. Despite differences in the dialects, speakers from
different areas can understand each other.The Korean
alphabet is easy to learn and Korea enjoys one of the
highest literacy rates in the world.
CULTURE
Despite the political unrest that resulted in the division of the
region, these two countries still share the same culture and
traditional values. Korea is divided by boundaries, but still united
by culture.Korea is greatly influenced by the Chinese and
Japanese cultures. This influence can be seen by Confucianism,
which established many traditions that can be seen in modern
Korea today. These traditions include the ethical code of conduct
in social life and showing respect to the elders and
family.Koreans also believe in sincerity and loyalty and follow
certain codes of conduct while meeting, eating, praying and even
celebrating. At times when many other cultures would shake
hands, Koreans bow. They bow as a sign of gratitude and respect
to the person they are meeting.
FAMILY STRUCTURE
Family is the most important part of Korean society and
the father is the leader of the family. They also believe
in a hierarchical structure and children help their parents
and must obey them and show respect to the elders. As
Confucius teachings have a deep influence on Koreans
lives, they believe in duty, loyalty, honor and sincerity.
That’s why children live with their parents after they
became adults as they believe it is their duty to take care
of their parents.
RELIGION
Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity are the main
religions. Buddhism is the religion in Korea with the
most followers and its teachings have a great impact on
Korean lifestyle, culture and art. Yungdrung is a main
symbol of Korean Buddhism and can be found in all
temples and religious places in Korea.The division of
Korea has also caused a divergence in religious life in
the two countries due to the different political
structures. South Korea has been characterized by a rise
of Christianity and Buddhism, while North Korea is
considered a secular state.
CELEBRATIONS
Festivals have great importance in Korean life. Korean
festivals are full of life, colors and joy and they are
celebrated throughout the year. Most celebrations and
festivals are related to harvest and family.The Korean
society depends on farming so many of their
celebrations focus on events to pray for a good harvest.
These events have gradually turned into popular
celebrations and festivals held regularly in Korea, like
the Hanshi (Cold Food Festival) celebration, which
marks the beginning of the farming season. Hanshi is
celebrated 105 days after Dongji (Winter Solstice).
MEALS
Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles,
vegetables and meats. Some of the famous Korean dishes
include bibimbap, bulgogi and dakgalbi. The Korean
culture is based on politeness and respect and this is
clearly evident in Korean table manners.
Here are some Korean manners for sharing meals with
others:
• Older people should sit down first at the table.
• A guest says “jal meokkessumnida”, which means “I will enjoy the meal”, as
a sign of respect to the host.
• Eat at the same pace of other people sitting at the table.
• Chew your food with your mouth closed and do not make noises while
chewing.
 KOREAN MUSIC

The Music of South Korea has evolved over the

course of the decades since the end of the Korean
War, and has its roots in the music of Korean
people, who have inhabited the Korean peninsula for
over a millennium. Contemporary South Korean
music can be divided into three different main
categories: Traditional Korean folk music, popular
music, or K-pop, and Western-influenced non-
popular music.
Korean music, the art concerned with combining vocal or
instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional
expression, specifically as it is carried out in Korea, or the
Korean peninsula, where a strong indigenous tradition has
been influenced by the Chinese and the Mongols.

Musician playing a kŏmungo, a type of Korean zither with six strings.

On a map the Korean peninsula, which comprises the countries of
North Korea and South Korea, looks like a finger pointing from the top
of China down to the lower part of Japan. Thus, one would expect its
music to reflect its “bridge” position between two such powerful
traditions. The movements of foreign, particularly Chinese, armies and
cultures are indeed major factors in Korea’s tradition. But beneath these
reflections lies a deeper core of indigenous musical styles that, at first
hearing, seem most strange to the ear of listeners with preconceived
notions as to what East Asian music sounds like. A possible additional
factor in the growth of Korean music is the region’s position as a
peninsula jutting out from Manchuria and from the native ground of
many Mongolian hordes. Archaeological sources indicate that various
Mongol peoples from northern Asia did indeed occupy areas of Korea
from at least 2000 BCE, and Chinese writings show that their people and
armies were active in Korea from the period of the Chinese Han
Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) on. Obviously, a study of Korean music
contains riches extending far beyond its geographic borders.
SHAMAN MUSIC
The earliest references to music in Korea are found in a 3rd-
century-CE Chinese text that comments on agricultural festivals
(nong’ak) with singing and dancing among the tribes of
northwestern Korea. Such events are still a strong part of Korean
life. Another ancient but long-lived tradition in Korea is
shamanism, or communication with the unseen world by a
shaman in a state of trance. This is of special interest because
such a belief is historically characteristic not only of all northern
Asian tribes but also of other peoples (such as Eskimos [Inuit])
who live in the northernmost regions of the world. Korea is one
of the few regions south of the Arctic that maintains strong
shamanism in the face of foreign religious adoptions such as
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity.
A female Korean shaman (mudang) may use many
combinations of musical instruments. The simplest
and potentially most significant accompaniment is a
small, flat gong with a slight rim. It brings to mind
the single-headed pan drum with a wooden or bone
hoop found in the shamanism of most of
Central Asia and in the Arctic Circle as far away as
Lapland and Hudson Bay. A drum sound itself is
produced in Korea by the most popular
percussion instrument, the changgo, an hourglass-
shaped, two-headed drum struck by the hand on the
left head and a stick or a ball-headed beater on the
other. In Korean shaman rituals, flutes, double reeds,
fiddles, and other gongs and drums may be used that
 than to Chinese music. For example, the flute part in
a small shaman ensemble may employ such devices
as microtonal slides (shifts in pitch that are less than
a semitone, or half step), intervals that are “out of
tune” with the ancient Chinese lü
(bamboo) tuning pipes, and syncopated rhythms,
which together yield a very un-Chinese jazzlike
sound. Korean music also exhibits a tendency
toward a six-beat metric unit as well as a kind of
polymetric character; while some parts are organized
in six-beat units, others might seem to follow beats
of four, so all parts come together only after 12 beats.
Triplets and even five-beat forms are found as well.
These stylistic features are indeed unique to Korea
COURT INSTUMENTAL MUSIC
According to legend, the Three Kingdoms of Koguryŏ in the north, Paekche in
the southwest, and Silla in the southeast were established in the century before
the 1st century CE along with the “lost kingdom” of Kaya. The subsequent
organization of courts and the introduction of Chinese religions resulted in an
ever-increasing importation of various elements of Chinese music. Indications of
this can be found in such sources as paintings in a tomb (357 CE) near Anak, a
colony of China at that time. A horseback band of the Chinese Han-dynasty style
is seen with drums and a small bell hit with a hammer. One brave rider
apparently is able to play the Chinese panpipes in transit. Deeper in the tomb a
zither, a lute, and a very long end-blown flute can be seen accompanying a
dancer whose long nose and costume imply that Central Asian traditions may
have traveled even as far as Korea by the 4th century. The Silla dynasty
domination (668–935) coincided closely with the heyday of the Chinese
Tang dynasty (619–907), and the subsequent Koryŏ (935–1392) and Chosŏn
dynasties (1392–1910) also tended to match parallel Chinese periods. Thus,
Korea’s court-music traditions tended to reflect those of China.
Being on the border of Chinese culture, Korea was able to maintain certain
ancient traditions during periods of foreign domination in China proper.
Such marginal survivals are of particular importance because many have
continued to the present day, thus giving extremely rare examples of music
traditions long gone from the land of their origin. For instance, in the Silla
period, court music was divided into hyang’ak, Korean music; tang’ak,
Tang and Song Chinese music; and a’ak, Confucian ritual music. The
instruments used for these ensembles were of Chinese derivation and
included sets of tuned stones (in Korean p’yŏn’gyŏng) and bells
(p’yŏnjong), mouth organ (saeng), and instruments in all the other eight
categories of Chinese classical traditions (e.g., those based on the materials
used in their construction). In the 21st century both North and South Korea,
unlike China, continue to support national institutes that train players for
ensembles using such instruments in the institutes themselves and in
Confucian rituals. Among the many instrumental treasures still played in
Korea is the ajaeng, a zither—with seven strings and movable bridges—
that is not plucked but, most unusually, bowed with a rosined stick of wood.
very earliest artifacts of Chinese music, has been
played in Korean Confucian temples since the 12th
century, as has a chi flute, which has a bamboo
mouthpiece plugged into the mouth-hole with wax.
In addition to five finger holes it has a cross-shaped
hole in what on other flutes is the open lower end.
The lower end of the chi can thus be closed by the
little finger of the left hand. This unique flute, known
to have been in Korea by at least the 11th century,
has totally disappeared from the rest of East Asia. By
contrast, the p’iri cylindrical double-reed aerophone
(wind instrument) has many relatives in Asia, but
the rich saxophone-like tone produced by its
deceptively narrow tube body and large reed are not
buzzing sound, and open holes near the end would seem to be a Chinese
instrument, except for its spectacular length of about 31 inches (80 cm)
and its gigantic mouth-hole. A 7th-century Korean musician, Wang San-
Ak, is credited with the invention of the kŏmungo, a zither with six
strings that was apparently an adaptation of the Chinese seven-string
zither qin. Two strings on one side of the kŏmungo and one on the other
have movable bridges, whereas the central three strings pass over 16
bridges. The instrument is played by plucking the strings with a wooden
stick. A similarly indigenized Korean instrument is the haegŭm two-
stringed fiddle. While an obvious relative of the Chinese erhu, with the
bow passing between the strings, the neck is bent toward the strings
(rather than away from them, as in the rest of the world), and the pegs
seem to be inserted backward, so the strings are wrapped around the
large round part of the pegs instead of the narrower end, which sticks out,
unused, from the back of the neck. The warm sound of the kayagŭm
zither with 12 strings and 12 movable bridges is surprising to those
accustomed to Chinese and Japanese zither melodies, which have a
brighter timbre (sound quality). It is held that the kayagŭm was created
in the 6th century in the Kaya area; an early example of the instrument
Much of what is known about the origin of instruments is
derived from Chinese and Korean historical books and
administrative documents, such as the grand list of presents sent
by the Chinese Song emperor to Korea in the year 1111. The list
includes 10 sets of stone chimes and 10 bronze bell sets, along
with five iron equivalents that sound in a higher register and
numerous other instruments. Korean musicians performed
successfully at the Chinese court, and Korean monks attended
the international training centres in China to learn Buddhist
chant. During the reign of Sejong (1419–50), new imperial
shrine music and traditional Confucian ritual music were
emphasized along with musical settings of epics written in the
newly developed Hangul (Chosŏn muntcha) Korean alphabet.
The grand traditions of China were preserved under the guidance
of the court master of music, Pak Yŏn (1378–1458).
chapters of this work contain pictures of all the court
instruments along with their fingerings or tunings,
costumes and accessories for ritual dances, and the
arrangements of dance designs and orchestral
seatings. The first three chapters deal with music
theory and contain ample evidence of the
continuation of the complete Chinese classical
tradition. The only differences are the pronunciations
given to the Chinese characters in which the
terminology is written. Over the centuries the
naming and interpretation of the pentatonic (five-
pitch) modes in Korea have varied greatly. In
contemporary practice, the kyemyŏnjo and p’yŏngjo
modes are considered basic. Ujo is a variant
three major court orchestras. By the 15th century the Chinese-
style tang’ak and the Confucian a’ak ensembles concentrated on
Chinese instruments such as bell and stone-chime sets, and the texts of
surviving tang’ak pieces such as Luoyangzhun (“Spring in Luoyang”)
follow the Chinese ci poetical form. Processional military music
(ch’wit’a) begins in the style seen in ancient drawings, with drums,
gongs, and accompanying conch shell and straight trumpets, in addition
to a “barbarian” oboe with a conical body. This ensemble is followed by
a softer one with the more typical Korean hourglass drum (changgo) and
cylindrical oboe (p’iri), the unusual Korean fiddle (haegŭm), and flutes
(taegŭm). The softer ensemble can also be heard in dance music
(samhyŏn), whereas chamber music (chŏng’ak) softens this group
further by using a smaller oboe along with the later addition of the
Chinese “western” dulcimer (yangqin, or, in Korean, yanggŭm). The
most famous suite of movements in this and in orchestral traditions is
the Yŏngsan hoesang, which consists of nine pieces—normally
performed eight or nine at a time—that together may take nearly an hour
to play. The title is based on a former religious chant about the Buddha
preaching on Yŏngsan (Mount Yŏng), but the pieces attached to this
The survival of so many old traditions is partly
due to the preservation of notation books. Many
are in the traditional Chinese forms. In the late
15th century, however, a Korean
mensural system (i.e., a notation showing time
values) was created that, through the use of
columns of 16 squares, gave a clearer indication
of rhythm and tempos than do most Chinese
notations. This system, usually with
modifications into 6- or 12-square groups,
continues to be used to notate the six-beat
rhythms of Korean music.
KPOP INDUSTRY
In reality, the K-pop industry has been around for far longer than most Western fans
realize. Although the very beginning of the K-pop industry can be traced back all the way
to the end of 19th century, the current form that everyone usually talks of started forming
in the early 90s. Seo Taiji and Boys took the lead in making K-pop popular. Their
pioneering also led to the emergence of the Korean hip hop and R&B scene through artists
and groups like Jinusean, Drunken Tiger, and 1TYM. This was also around the time that
SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment formed. As far as the
modern Kpop industry in its current idol form goes, that started with the idol boy band
called H.O.T., back in 1996. They were shortly followed by Sechs Kies, S.E.S., Fin K.L,
Baby V.O.X., Shinhwa and g.o.d. These idol groups make up the first generation of K-pop
that lasted into the early 2000s.The second generation of K-pop emerged in the early
2000s, first with BoA and Rain, and shortly after with TVXQ (otherwise known as Dong
Bang Shin Ki). Their success opened doors to the birth of the majorly popular groups like
SS501, Big Bang, Super Junior, Wonder Girls, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, and 2NE1.
Many of these groups are still active today, more than ten years later. It was the second
generation of K-pop that thoroughly broke into other Asian markets with their music, thus
starting the Hallyu Wave. Of course, the Hallyu Wave isn’t just limited to K-pop, it also
includes Korean dramas, movies, and even cosmetics.
KOREAN ART
decoration and bold colors or sounds.The earliest examples
of Korean art consist of Stone Age works dating from 3000
BC.These mainly consist of votive sculptures and more
recently, petroglyphs, which were rediscovered.This early
period was followed by the art styles of various Korean
kingdoms and dynasties. Korean artists sometimes modified
Chinese traditions with a native preference for simple
elegance, spontaneity, and an appreciation for purity of
nature.The Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392) was one of the most
prolific periods for a wide range of disciplines, especially
pottery.The Korean art market is concentrated in the
Insadong district of Seoul where over 50 small galleries
exhibit and occasional fine arts auctions. Galleries are
cooperatively run, small and often with curated and finely
designed exhibits. In every town there are smaller regional
galleries, with local artists showing in traditional and
temperatures around 700 degrees Celsius.The earliest pottery style, dated
to circa 7,000 BC, were flat-bottomed wares (yunggi-mun) were
decorated with relief designs, raised horizontal lines and other
impressions.Jeulmun-type pottery, is typically cone-bottomed and
incised with a comb-pattern appearing circa 6,000 BC in the
archaeological record. This type of pottery is similar to Siberian styles.
Mumun-type pottery emerged approximately 2000 BC and is
characterized as large, undecorated pottery, mostly used for cooking and
storage. Between 2000 BC and 300 BC bronze items began to be
imported and made in Korea. Koreans have always tried to import
Chinese technology and reshaped it in their own in order to make it
uniquely Korean and in order to develop new technology.By the seventh
century BC, an indigenous bronze culture was established in Korea as
evidenced by Korean bronze having a unique percentage of zinc. Items
manufactured during this time were weapons such as swords, daggers,
and spearheads. Also, ritual items such as mirrors, bells, and rattles were
made. These items were buried in dolmens with the cultural elite.
Additionally, iron-rich red pots began to be created around circa 6th
century. Comma-shaped beads, usually made from nephrite, known as