Other Traditional Games

The traditional culture of Korea is shared by North Korea and South Korea, but there are regional differences. The political differences between the north and the south of the peninsula also mean that there is a different focus on specific aspects of Korean culture. more...

Traditional Korean arts

Traditional music

The traditional music in Korea is based on the voice. It is thought that the voice is a distinctively Korean voice, reflecting the temperament and history of Korean people. There are two kinds of traditional music: Jeongak and Minsogak.

See also: Music of Korea

Jeongak

Jeongak is court music and has a strong intellectual emphasis. This kind of traditional music is closely related to the upper-class, the literate. Jeongak is played at a very slow pace. Some single beats can take three seconds. The beat matches the speed of breathing rather than the heartbeat as in most Western music. As a result of this slow speed, the music feels static and meditative. Most people do not take pleasure in listening to this kind of music.

The tone of Jeongak is soft and tranquil because the traditional instruments are made of non-metallic materials. String instruments have strings made of silk rather than wire. Almost all wind instruments are made of bamboo.

Minsogak

Minsogak is Korea's traditional folk music and is full of expressions and emotions. This kind of traditional music is closely related to the lives of common people. In opposition to Jeongak, the music of Minsogak matches the heartbeat.

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