The term gugak(국악), which literally means “national
music,” refers to traditional Korean music and other related art forms
including songs, dances, and ceremonial movements. It was only in the
early 15th century, during the reign of
King Sejong(세종 대왕) of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910),
that Korean music became a subject of serious study and was developed into
a system, resulting in the creation of the first mensural notation system
called jeongganbo(정간보) in Asia. The term gugak was
first used by the Jangagwon, a government agency of late Joseon
responsible for music, to distinguish traditional Korean music from
foreign music.
Korean music is typically classified into several types: the “legitimate
music” (called jeongak(정악) or jeongga(정가)) enjoyed by the royalty and
aristocracy of Joseon; folk music including
pansori(판소리), sanjo, and japga; jeongjae (court music
and dance) performed for the King at celebratory state events; music and
dance connected with shamanic and Buddhist traditions such as salpuri,
seungmu(승무), and beompae; and poetic songs beloved of
the literati elite such as gagok and sijo. Of the numerous folk songs,
Arirang(아리랑)—inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List
of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012—is particularly
cherished by the common people and there exist many variations with
special lyrics and melodies unique to each region such as Miryang,
Jeongseon, and Jindo.
Gugak instruments are similarly diverse. These traditional musical
instruments are generally divided into three categories: wind instruments
such as the piri, daegeum, danso, and
taepyeongso(태평소); stringed instruments such as the
gayageum(가야금), geomungo, haegeum, ajaeng, and bipa;
and percussion instruments such as the buk(북), janggu,
pyeonjong, pyeongyeong, kkwaenggwari, and jing.
