Music of South Korea

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The first evidence of Korean music is ancient, and it has been well-documented by surviving written materials since the 15th century and was brought to heights of excellence during the Yi kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Japan's invasion of Korea eliminated Korean music from 1905 to 1945. A brief post-war period rewakened folk and patriotic music. By 1951, Korea was split, into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or North and the Republic of Korea or South Korea from which emerged two different approaches to music.

South Korea where the US and its allies maintained large forces initially accepted Western big band, rock and roll, then pop music, most often taking American styles and tunes and translating them into Korean. At the same time classical music that had a long history of performance by Koreans, became an area of great expertise in orchestral performances and created superb soloists who toured the world to great acclaim coming into is own in the 1980s, with great success internationally.

By the 1990s, Korean music that spoke to Koreans in a new vernacular began to be created; the traditional folk songs revived; and less derivative and more original music emerged. The contemporary culture of South Korea now includes world music elements, important new orchestral compositions featuring western orchestras with Korean soloists on traditional Korean instruments, and a new kind of musical nationalism that has emerged with new vitality particularly in scores for non-commercial areas. And in the film industry.

1 Korean music
2 K-Pop music
3 See also

[edit] Korean music

Main article: Korean music

Korean music includes kinds of both folk and classical, courtly music, including genres like sanjo, pansori and nongak.

The three types of Korean court music are aak, hyangak and dangak.

[edit] K-Pop music

Main article: K-pop

Korean popular music is a highly commercial industry throughout Asia. The music is created by young stars with high style, the latest looks, dance skills, and an ability to synthesize the music of the moment of the west whether it is done as Korean rap, Korean soul, Korean rhythm and blues, or Korean middle of the road music. Contemporary Korean music and pop stars are so popular, Asians have designated a word to reflect this fact. Hallyu, or Korean Wave, is the word noting how influential Korean culture has become in Asia.

See also: Contemporary culture of South Korea and Korean Wave

[edit] Teuroteu

Teuroteu (or somewhat derisively ppongjjak) is the oldest form of Korean pop, having developed in the years before and during the Japanese invasions and occupations. It has received criticism from nationalists, who allege that it derives from the Japanese music genre of drinking songs known as enka.

Defenders of teuroteu refute this claim, citing development prior to Japanese invasions and parallel development as the reason for the similarities. The name itself, the Koreanised form of "trot", derives from a shortening of "foxtrot", a ballroom dance which influenced the characteristic simple beat of the genre. The genre had largely fallen out of popularity in today's popular music scene. Recently, it has enjoyed a revival at the hands of Jang Yoon Jeong, who recorded the popular teroteu songs "Jjanjjara" and "Oemoena." Popular child actress and film star Lee Jae Eun has also recently recorded a "trot" album.

[edit] Tong guitar

Heavily influenced by American pop music, tong guitar (acoustic guitar) music developed in the early 1970s as a Korean version of folk singers like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. In the 1980s, tong guitar music became a form of soft rock ballad that earned critical scorn.

[edit] Norae Undong

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a form of Korean rock music with politically and socially aware lyrics was invented by pioneers like Kim Min-ki. It soon earned the name Norae Undong (Song Movement).