151109 facts culture

FACTS ABOUT KOREA

Culture UNESCO Heritage in Korea, Traditional Arts Hallyu (Korean Wave)

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Since the earliest settlements on the Korean Peninsula and in southeastern Manchuria during prehistoric times, the people of Korea have developed a distinctive culture based on their unique artistic sensibility. The geographical conditions of the peninsula provided Koreans with opportunities to receive both continental and maritime cultures and ample resources, which in turn enabled them to form unique cultures of interest to and value for the rest of humanity, both then and now.

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Korea’s vibrant cultural legacy, comprising music, art, literature, dance, architecture, clothing and cuisine, offers a delightful combination of tradition and modernity, and is now appreciated in many parts of the world.

At the present time, Korean arts and culture are attracting many enthusiasts around the world. Korea’s cultural and artistic achievements through the ages are now leading many of its young talents to the world’s most prestigious music and dance competitions, while its literary works are being translated into many different languages for global readers. More recently, Korean pop artists have attracted huge numbers of admirers across the world, the most spectacular success being Psy’s global hit Gangnam Style.

The cultural prosperity Korea has enjoyed lately would have not been possible without its traditional culture and arts,

Gyeongju Historic Areas Gyeongju was the capital of Silla for about one millennium. The city still contains a wealth of archaeological remains from the Kingdom, and hence is often dubbed as “a museum without walls or roof.” The photo shows a scene of the Silla mound tombs located in the city.

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which were built on the Korean people’s traits of tenacity and perseverance combined with an artistic sensibility that has matured throughout the country’s long history. The unique artistic sensibility reflected in the diverse artifacts and tomb murals of the Three Kingdoms Period became richer and more profound as Korea progressed through the periods of Unified Silla (676-935), Goryeo (918-1392) and Joseon (1392-1910).

This aesthetic sensibility has been handed down through the generations to the Korean artists, and even ordinary members of the public, of our time.

Korea preserves a wealth of priceless cultural heritage, some of which have been inscribed on the lists of human legacies protected by UNESCO. Currently, a total of 40 Korean heritage items are listed either as World Heritage Sites or Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, or have been included on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

UNESCO Heritage in Korea World Heritage Sites Changdeokgung Palace Changdeokgung Palace, located in Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, is one of the five Royal Palaces of Joseon (1392-1910), and still contains the original palace structures and other remains intact. It was built in 1405 as a Royal Villa but became the Joseon Dynasty’s official Royal Residence after Gyeongbokgung, the original principal palace, was destroyed by fire in 1592 when Japanese forces invaded Korea. Thereafter it maintained its prestigious position until 1867, when Gyeongbokgung was and renovated and restored to its original status. Changdeokgung was 64

listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

A l t h o u g h i t wa s b u i l t d u r i n g t h e J o s e o n P e r i o d , Changdeokgung shows traces of the influence of the architectural tradition of Goryeo, such as its location at the foot of a mountain. Royal palaces were typically built according to a layout planned to highlight the dignity and authority of its occupant, but the layout of Changdeokgung was planned to make the most of the characteristic geographical features of the skirt of Bugaksan Mountain. The original palace buildings have been preserved intact, including Donhwamun Gate, its main entrance, Injeongjeon Hall; Seonjeongjeon Hall, and a beautiful traditional garden to the rear of the main buildings. The palace also contains Nakseonjae, a compound of exquisite traditional buildings set up in the mid-19th century as a residence for members of the royal family.

Injeongjeon Hall in Changdeokgung Palace The Palace Hall was used for important state events such as the Coronation of Kings, royal audiences, and formal reception of foreign envoys.

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Jongmyo Shrine Jongmyo, located in Hunjeong-dong, Jongno-gu in Seoul, is the royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). It was built to house eighty-three spirit tablets of the Joseon Kings, their Queen Consorts, and direct ancestors of the dynasty’s founder who were posthumously invested with royal titles. As Joseon was founded according to Confucian ideology, its rulers considered it very important to put Confucian teachings into practice and sanctify the institutions where ancestral memorial tablets were enshrined.

The two main buildings at the Royal Shrine, Jeongjeon Hall and Yeongnyeongjeon Hall exhibit a fine symmetry, and there Jongmyo Shrine The central Confucian shrine of Joseon housing the spirit tablets of Joseon Kings and their Consorts

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are differences in the height of the raised platform, the height to the eaves and the roof top, and the thickness of the columns according to their status. The entire sanctuary retains its original

features, including the two shrine halls which exhibit the unique architectural style of the 16th century. Seasonal memorial rites commemorating the life and achievements of the royal ancestors of Joseon are still performed at the shrine.

Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon Located in today’s Jangan-gu of Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Hwaseong is a large fortress (its walls extend for 5.7km) built in 1796 during the reign of King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800) of the Joseon Dynasty. Construction of the fortress was begun after the King moved the grave of his father, Crown Prince Sado, from Yangju in Gyeonggi-do to its current location near the fortress. The fortification is elaborately and carefully designed to effectively perform its function of protecting the city enclosed within it. The construction of the fortress and related facilities involved the use of scientific devices developed by the distinguished Confucian thinker and writer Jeong Yak-yong (17621836), including the Geojunggi (type of crane) and Nongno (pulley wheel) used to lift heavy building materials such as stones.

Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple Seokguram, located on the middle slopes of Tohamsan Mountain in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is a Buddhist hermitage with an artificial stone cave built in 774 to serve as a dharma hall. The hall houses an image of seated Buddha surrounded by his guardians and followers carved in relief, which is widely admired as a great masterpiece. The cave faces east and is designed so that the principal Buddha receives the first rays of the sun rising from the East Sea on his head.

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Completed the same year as Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple consists of exquisite prayer halls and various monuments, including two stone pagodas, Dabotap and Seokgatap, standing in the front courtyard of the temple’s main prayer hall, Daeungjeon.

The two pagodas are widely regarded as the finest extant Silla pagodas: the first is admired for its elaborately carved details, the second for its delightfully simple structure.

Dabotap, or the Pagoda of Abundant Treasures, is marked by a unique structure built with elaborately carved granite blocks. It also features on the face of the Korean 10 won coin. By contrast, Seokgatap, or the Pagoda of Shakyamuni, is better known for its delightfully simple structure which exhibits fine symmetry and balance. The pagoda is now generally regarded as the archetype of all the three-story stone pagodas built across Korea thereafter.

Among the other treasures preserved at the temple are the

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1. Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon This 18th century fortification was built on the basis of the most advanced knowledge and techniques known to both East and West at that time.

2. Bulguksa Temple This Silla temple established in the 6th century is architecturally known for being one of the finest examples of Buddhist doctrine anywhere in the world.

3, 4. Seokguram Grotto The principal Buddha seated on a lofty lotus pedestal at the center of the grotto

two exquisite stone bridges, Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge) and Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge), leading to Daeungjeon, the temple’s principal dharma hall. The bridges symbolize the journey every Buddhist needs to make to reach the Pure Land of Bliss.

Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) left behind a total of fortyfour tombs of its Kings and their Queen Consorts, most of which are located in and around the capital area including the cities of Guri, Goyang and Namyangju in Gyeonggi-do. Some of these Royal Tombs are arranged in small groups in the Donggureung, Seooreung, Seosamneung and Hongyureung. Of these, forty tombs are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Royal Tombs of Joseon are highly regarded as tangible 69

heritage that reflect the values held by the Korean people, which

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were drawn from Confucian ideology and the feng shui tradition.

1. Donggureung A complex of Royal Tombs built for nine Joseon Kings and their seventeen Queens and Concubines.

2. Yeongneung The tomb of King Sejong and his consort Queen Soheon 3. Mongneung The tomb of King Seonjo and his consort Queen Inmok

These historical remains are also valued highly for having been preserved in their original condition for anywhere from one to six hundred years.

Janggyeongpanjeon Depositories of Haeinsa Temple, Hapcheon The Printing Woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana, which was made during the Goryeo Period (918-1392), are housed in two depositories specially made for that purpose in 1488 at Haeinsa Temple. As the oldest remaining buildings at the temple, the Tripitaka depositories are marked by the uniquely scientific and highly effective method of controlling ventilation and moisture to ensure the safe storage of the age-old woodblocks. The buildings were built side by side at the highest point (about 700m above sea level) in the precincts of Haeinsa Temple, which is located on the mid-slope of Gayasan Mountain.

Stone Warrior, Guardian of the Royal Tombs Each of the royal tombs of Joseon consists of one or more semispherical mounds protected with curb stones set around the base, and with elaborately carved stone railings and stone animals, including a lamb and a tiger in particular, representing meekness and ferocity. In the front area there is a rectangular stone table that was used for offering sacrifices to the spirits of the royalty buried there, a tall octagonal stone pillar, a stone lantern, one or more pairs of stone guardians, and civil and military officials, with their horses. The mound is further protected by a low wall standing at the back and on both sides.

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What makes these depositories so special is their unique design which provides effective natural ventilation by exploiting the wind blowing in from the valley of Gayasan. Open lattice windows of different sizes are arranged in upper and lower rows on both the front and rear walls of the depositories to promote the optimum flow of air from the valley. Similarly, the floor, which was built by ramming layers of charcoal, clay, sand, salt and lime powder, also helps to control the humidity of the rooms.

Namhansanseong Fortress Namhansanseong Fortress, located about 25km southeast of Seoul, underwent large-scale restructuring in 1626, during the Namhansanseong Fortress A mountain fortress that served as a temporary capital during the Joseon Dynasty, showing how the techniques for building a fortress developed during the 7th-19th centuries

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reign of King Injo of the Joseon Dynasty, to create a refuge for the King and his people in the event of a national emergency. The foundations of Jujangseong Fortress, built almost one thousand years earlier in 672, during the reign of King Munmu of Unified Silla, served as the base of the renovated structure.

The defensive position of the fortress was reinforced by exploiting the rugged topography of the mountain (average height: at least 480m). The perimeter of its wall is about 12.3km.

According to a record dating from the Joseon Period, about 4,000 people lived in the town built inside the fortress.

Temporary palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and Sajikdan Altar were built in the fortress in 1711 during the reign of King Sukjong of Joseon. The fortress is also a result of the wide-ranging exchanges made and wars waged between Korea (Joseon), Japan (AzuchiMomoyama Period), and China (Ming and Qing) during the 16th-18th centuries. The introduction of cannons from western countries brought many changes to the weaponry inside the fortress and the way the fortress was built. The fortress is a “living record� of the changes in the way fortresses were built during the 7th-19th centuries.

Hunminjeongeum Manuscript The pages shown here contain a commentary on the three sounds, first, middle and last, that form the sound of a Korean character

Memory of the World Register Hunminjeongeum (The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People) Hangeul is the name of the Korean writing system and alphabet, which consists of letters inspired by the shapes formed by the human vocal organs during speech, making it very easy to learn and use. Hangeul was promulgated in 1446 by King Sejong, who helped devise it and named it Hunminjeongeum, or The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People. It was also in that same year that he ordered his scholars to publish The Hunminjeongeum 73

haeryebon (Explanatory Edition) to provide detailed explanations of the purpose and guiding principles of the new writing system.

One of these manuscripts is currently in the collection of the Kansong Art Museum and was included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 1997.

The invention of the Hunminjeongeum opened up a broad new horizon for all the Korean people, even women and those in the lowest social class, enabling them to learn to read and write and express themselves fully. The Hunminjeongeum alphabet originally consisted of 28 letters, but only 24 are used now. In 1989, UNESCO joined the Korean government to create the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize, which it awards to organizations or individuals who display great merit and achieve particularly effective results in contributing to the promotion of literacy.

Joseon Wangjo Sillok: Annals of the Joseon Dynasty The Joseon Dynasty left behind a vast collection of annual records of Joseon rulers and their officials covering the 472 years from 1392 to 1863. The records, Joseon wangjo sillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), comprise 2,077 volumes and are stored at the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, Seoul National University.

The annals of each Joseon ruler were usually compiled after his death during the early phase of his successor’s rule based on the daily accounts, called “historical drafts” (sacho), made by historiographers. The annals are regarded as extremely valuable historical resources as they contain detailed information about the politics, economy, culture and other aspects of Joseon society.

Once the annals had been compiled and placed in the “history 74

depositories� (sago), they would not be opened to anyone except in special circumstances where it was necessary to refer to past examples with regard to the formal conduct of important state ceremonies such as the memorial rites for royal ancestors or the reception of foreign envoys. Originally there were four history depositories, one in the Chunchugwan (Office of State Records) at the Royal Court, and three more in the main regional administrative hubs in the south, namely, Chungju, Jeonju and Seongju. However, these were destroyed in 1592 when Japan invaded Korea, and the Joseon Dynasty was compelled to build new depositories on some of the remotest mountains in the country, Myohyangsan, Taebaeksan, Odaesan and Manisan.

Seungjeongwon Ilgi: Diaries of the Royal Secretariat This collection of documents contains the records of the Joseon rulers’ public life and their interactions with the bureaucracy; they were made on a daily basis by the Seungjeongwon, or Royal Secretariat, from the third month of 1623 to the eighth month

Ilseongnok Private journals concerning personal daily activities and state affairs kept by the rulers of late Joseon from 1760 to 1910

of 1910. The records are collected in 3,243 volumes and include the details of royal edicts, reports and appeals from ministries and other government agencies. The diaries are currently kept in the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, Seoul National University.

Ilseongnok: Daily Records of the Royal Court and Important Officials This vast collection of daily records made by the Kings of the late Joseon Period (from 1760 75

to 1910) is compiled in a total of 2,329 volumes. The records provide vivid and detailed information on the political situation in and around Korea and the ongoing cultural exchanges between east and west from the 18th to the 20th century.

Uigwe: Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty This collection of beautifully illustrated books contains official manuals recording the details of Court Ceremonies or events of national importance for the purpose of future reference. The most frequently treated subjects in these books are Royal Weddings, the investiture of Queens and Crown Princes, State and Royal Funerals, and the construction of Royal Tombs, although other state or royal occasions such as the “Royal Ploughing”, construction or renovation of Palace buildings, are included. As for the latter, those published to mark the construction of Hwaseong Fortress and King Jeongjo’s formal visit to the new walled city in the late 18th century are particularly famous. These publications were also stored in the history depositories, sadly resulting in the destruction of early Joseon works by fire during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in Protocol on the Marriage of King Yeongjo and Queen Jeongsun (Joseon, 18th century) This is a manual of the state ceremony held for the marriage between King Yeongjo, the 21st ruler of Joseon, and Queen Jeongsun in 1759

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1592.

The remaining 3,895 volumes of Uigwe

were published after the war, some of which were stolen by the French Army in 1866 and kept in the Bibliothèque nationale de France until 2011, when they were returned to Korea following an agreement between the governments of Korea and France.

Printing Woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana and Miscellaneous Buddhist Scriptures The collection of Tripitaka woodblocks stored at Haeinsa Temple (established 802) in Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnamdo was made during the Goryeo Period (918-1392) under a national project that started in 1236 and took fifteen years to complete. The collection is generally known by the name Palman Daejanggyeong, literally “the Tripitaka of eighty thousand woodblocks,” as it consists of 81, 258 blocks of wood.

The Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks were made by the people of Goryeo who sought the Buddha’s magical power to repel the Mongol forces that had invaded and devastated their country in the 13th century. The Tripitaka Koreana is often compared with other Tripitaka editions produced by the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties in China, and has been highly praised for its richer and more complete content. The process of manufacturing the woodblocks played an important role in the development of printing and publication techniques in Korea.

Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks A total of over 80,000 woodblocks carved with the entire canon of Buddhist scriptures available to Goryeo in the 13th century

Human Rights Documentary Heritage 1980: Archives of the May 18th Democratic Uprising in Gwangju The May 18th Gwangju Uprising was a popular rebellion that took place in the city of Gwangju from May 18 to 27 1980, during which Gwangju’s citizens made a strong plea for democracy in Korea and actively opposed the then military dictatorship. The pro-democracy 77

struggle in Gwangju ended tragically but exerted a powerful influence on similar democratic movements that spread across East Asia in the 1980s. This UNESCO inscription consists of the documents, videos, photographs and other forms of records made about the activities of Gwangju’s citizens during the movement, and the subsequent process of compensation for the victims, as collected by the May 18 Memorial Foundation, the National Archives and Records Service, the National Assembly Library, and various organizations in the USA. Representative List of the Intangible Jongmyo Jeryeak (Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music at Jongmyo Shrine) The Royal Ancestral Memorial Rite held seasonally at the Jongmyo Shrine involves the performance of the civil and military dances Munmu and Mumu.

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Cultural Heritage of Humanity Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music The Royal Ancestral Rite (Jongmyo Jerye) now held on the first Sunday of May to honor the deceased Joseon Kings and their Queen Consorts at the Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul remained one of the most important state ceremonies after the establishment

of Joseon as a Confucian state in 1392. Designed to maintain the social order and promote solidarity, the ritual consists of performances of ceremonial orchestral music and dances praising the civil and military achievements of the Royal ancestors of Joseon. This age-old Confucian ritual combining splendid performances of music and dance is widely admired not only for the preservation of original features formed over 500 years ago, but also for its unique syncretic or composite art form.

Pansori Pansori is a genre of musical storytelling performed by a vocalist and a single drummer in which he or she combines singing (sori) with gestures (ballim) and narrative (aniri) to present an epic drama conceived from popular folk tales and well known historic events. The art form was established during the 18th century and has generated enthusiastic performers and audiences ever since.

Gangneung Danoje Festival This summer festival held in and around Gangneung, Gangwondo, for about 30 days from the fifth day of the fifth lunar month to Dano Day on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, is one of Korea’s oldest folk festivals and has been preserved more or less in its original form since its emergence many centuries ago. The festival starts with the traditional ritual of honoring the mountain god of Daegwallyeong and continues with a great variety of folk games, events and rituals during which prayers are offered for a good harvest, the peace and prosperity of villages and individual homes, and communal unity and solidarity.

The first event of the Danoje Festival is related to the 79

Gangneung Danoje Festival A masked couple dancing at the Gwanno Mask Dance during the Danoje Festival, which is held to celebrate the change of the seasons from spring to summer.

preparation of “divine drinks� (sinju) to be offered to gods and goddesses, thus linking the human world with the divine world.

This is followed by a variety of festive events such as the Gwanno Mask Dance, a non-verbal performance by masked players, swing riding, ssireum (Korean wrestling), street performances by farmers’ bands, changpo (iris) hair washing, and surichwi rice cake eating.

Of these, the changpo hair washing event is particularly widely practiced by women who believe that the extract of changpo will give them glossier hair and repel the evil spirits that are thought to bear diseases.

Ganggangsullae This traditional event combining a circle dance with singing and folk games was performed by women around the coastal areas of Jeollanam-do during traditional holidays such as Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival/Thanksgiving) and the Daeboreum (the first full moon of the New Year on the lunar calendar) in particular.

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While today only the dance part is selected to be performed by professional dancers, the original performance included several different folk games such as Namsaengi n ori (Namsadang vagabond clowns’ play), deokseok mori (straw mat rolling) and gosari kkeokgi (bracken shoot picking). The performers sing the Song of Ganggangsullae as they dance, and the singing is done alternately by the lead singer and the rest with the tempo of the song and dance movements becoming faster and faster towards the end.

Namsadang Nori Namsadang n ori, generally performed by an itinerant troupe of male performers, consisted of several distinct parts including pungmul n ori (music and dance), jultagi (tightrope walking), daejeop dolligi (plate spinning), gamyeongeuk (mask theater) and kkokdugaksi noreum (puppet theater). The performers also played instruments while they danced, such as the barrel buk (drum), janggu (hourglass-shaped drum), kkwaenggwari (small metal gong), jing (large metal gong), and two wind instruments called nabal and taepyeongso.

Yeongsanjae Yeongsanjae, literally meaning “Rites of Vulture Peak”, is a Buddhist ritual performed on the 49th day after a person’s death to comfort his or her spirit, and guide it to the Buddhist land of bliss. The ritual, known to have been performed since the Goryeo Period (918-1392), consists of solemn Buddhist music and dance, a sermon on the Buddha’s teachings, and a prayer recitation.

While it is an essential part of the Korean Buddhist tradition 81

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conducted to guide both the living and the dead to the realm of Buddhist truths and to help them liberate themselves from all defilement and suffering, it was sometimes performed for the peace and prosperity of both the state and the people.

Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut This age-old shamanic ritual was at one time performed in almost all the towns and villages in Jejudo, with worshippers praying for a good catch and the safety of fishermen working at sea. According to the traditional folk belief of Jejudo islanders the second lunar month is the month of Yeongdeung, during which Grandma Yeongdeung, a wind deity, visits all the villages, farming fields and homes across Jeju, bearing tidings about the harvest in the oncoming autumn.

Taekkyeon One of the surviving traditional martial arts developed in Korea, Taekkyeon, which is quite different from Taekwondo, used to be known by several different names such as Gakhui (“sport of legs”) and Bigaksul (“art of flying legs”), although such names suggest that it is related with the movement of kicking.

Like most other martial arts in which weapons are not used, Taekkyeon is aimed at improving one’s self-defence techniques and promoting physical and mental health through the practice of orchestrated dance-like bodily movements, using the feet and legs in particular. Contestants are encouraged to focus more on defence than on offense, and to throw the opponent to the ground using their hands and feet or jump up and kick him in the face to win a match.

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1. Falconry It was once a serious activity conducted to gain food but now an outdoor sport seeking a unity with nature 2. Namsadang Nori Performance presented by a traveling troupe of about 40 performers led by a percussionist called Kkokdusoe 3. Yeongsanjae A Buddhist memorial ritual performed on the 49th day after one’s death to guide the spirit to the pure land of bliss 4. Pansori Performance of a solo artist assisted by a drummer where singing is combined with dramatic narratives and gestures to present a long, epic story (National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts)

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Jultagi In the traditional Korean art of jultagi (tightrope walking), a tightrope walker performs a variety of acrobatic movements, as well as singing and comic storytelling, as he walks along a tightrope. He is generally assisted by an eorit gwangdae (clown) on the ground who responds to his words and movements with witty remarks and comic actions intended to elicit an amused response from the spectators. Tightrope walking was formally performed at the Royal Court to celebrate special occasions such as the (Lunar) New Year’s Day or to entertain special guests such as foreign envoys. However the aspiration of Joseon’s rulers towards a more austere lifestyle gradually pushed it toward villages and markets, and it ultimately became an entertainment for the common people. Whilst tightrope walking in other countries tends to focus on the walking techniques alone, Korean tightrope walkers are interested in songs and comedy as well as acrobatic stunts, thereby involving the spectators more intimately in the performance.

Falconry Korea has a long tradition of keeping and training falcons and 1 2

other raptors to seize quarry, such as wild pheasants or hares.

Archaeological and historical evidence show that falconry on

1. Taekkyeon A traditional Korean martial art marked by elegant yet powerful physical movements

the Korean peninsula started several thousand years ago and

2. Jultagi Performance of tightrope walking combined with singing, comedy and acrobatic movements

south, and was conducted usually during the winter season

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was widely practiced during the Goryeo Period (918-1392) in particular. The sport was more popular in the north than in the when farmers were free from farm work. Falconers would tie a leather string around the ankle of their bird and an ID tag

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and a bell to its tail. The Korean tradition was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 along with those preserved in eleven other countries around the world including the Czech Republic, France, Mongolia, Spain, and Syria.

Arirang The most widely loved of all Korean folk songs, Arirang features the refrain “Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo.”

Arirang Arirang is the name of a folk song sung by Korean people since olden times. There are many variations of the song, although the lyrics of their refrains have the words “arirang” or “arari” in common. The song was sung for many different purposes such as to reduce feelings of boredom during work, confess one’s true feelings to one’s beloved, pray to the divine being for a happy and peaceful life, and to entertain people gathered together for a celebration.

One element that has helped Arirang remain in the hearts of Korean people for so many years is its form, which is designed to allow any singer to easily add their own words to express their feelings. The importance of Arirang in the daily life of the Korean people is succinctly described in an essay, Korean Vocal Music, written in 1896 by Homer B. Hulbert (1863-1949), an American missionary and ardent supporter of Korean independence: “The first and most conspicuous of this class is that popular ditty of seven hundred and eighty-two verses, more or less, which goes under the euphonious title of A-ri-rang. To the average Korean this one song holds the same place in music that rice does in his food—all else is mere appendage. You hear it everywhere and at all times.

The verses which are sung in connection with this chorus range through the whole field of legend, folklore, lullabies, drinking

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songs, domestic life, travel and love. To the Korean they are lyric, didactic and epic all rolled into one. They are at once Mother Goose and Byron, Uncle Remus and Wordsworth.�

Kimjang: Making and Sharing Kimchi in Korea Kimjang is the activity of making kimchi that is conducted all over Korea during late autumn as part of the preparations to secure fresh, healthy food for the winter season. Now gaining a worldwide reputation as a representative Korean food, kimchi has always been one of the key side dishes required to complete the everyday meals eaten by Korean people since olden times.

That is why Kimjang has long been an annual event of paramount importance for entire families and communities across Korea.

The preparations for making kimchi for the winter season follow a yearly cycle. In spring, households procure a selection of seafood including shrimps and anchovies in particular, which they salt and leave to ferment until they are ready for use in the

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Kimjang season. They then obtain fine-quality sun-dried sea salt in summer and prepare red chili powder and the main ingredients, kimchi cabbage and Korean white radish, in autumn. Then, with winter approaching, members of families and communities alike gather together on a mutually agreed date to make kimchi in sufficient quantities to sustain families with fresh food through the long, harsh winter.

While Korea is now a modern, industrialized nation, the ageold tradition of making kimchi is still maintained as a collective cultural activity contributing to a shared sense of social identity and solidarity among today’s Korean people. The tradition was registered by UNESCO on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 5, 2013.

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World Heritage Sites 1

Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple Archetypes of Buddhist architecture developed in Silla.

Location Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Website www.sukgulam.org

2 Janggyeongpanjeon Depositories of Haeinsa Temple, Hapcheon The oldest buildings at Haeinsa Temple, storing over 80,000 woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana.

Location Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do Website www.haeinsa.or.kr 3 Jongmyo Shrine A Confucian shrine storing the memorial tablets of Joseon’s Kings and their Queen Consorts.

Location Jongno-gu, Seoul Website jm.cha.go.kr 4 Changdeokgung Palace The official Royal Palace of the Joseon Dynasty for 258 years from 1610 to 1868.

Location Jongno-gu, Seoul Website www.cdg.go.kr 5 Hwaseong Fortress An architectural masterpiece of Joseon fortifications combining beauty and practicality.

Location Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do Website www.swcf.or.kr 6 Gyeongju Historic Areas The well preserved remains of Gyeongju, the capital of Silla for one millennium.

Location Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Website guide.gyeongju.go.kr 7 Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites Countless lithic monuments dating from prehistoric Korea.

Location Gochang-gun of Jeollabuk-do,

Hwasun-gun of Jeollanam-do,

and Ganghwa-gun of Incheon 8 Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes Volcanic cones and lava tubes formed by eruptions of Hallasan Mountain, the highest mountain in South Korea Location Hallasan Mountain, Geomunoreum,

and Ilchulbong of Seongsan,

Jejudo Island Website jejuwnh.jeju.go.kr 9 Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty Fifty-three Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty preserved in their original condition.

Location Seocho-gu of Seoul, and Guri-si

and Yeoju-si in Gyeongggi-do

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10 Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong Villages formed by aristocratic families of Joseon based on Confucian ideology.

Location Andong-si and Gyeongju-si,

Gyeongsangbuk-do 11 Namhansanseong A Mountain fortress that served as a temporary capital during the Joseon Dynasty, showing how the techniques for building a fortress developed during the 7th -19th centuries Location Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do 12 Baekje Historic Areas Location Gongju-si and Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do Iksan-si, Jellabuk-do

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Memory of the World 13

Hunminjeongeum (The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People) A single-volume xylographic book printed in 1446, containing commentaries on the Korean writing system.

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Joseon Wangjo Sillok: Annals of the Joseon Dynasty A huge collection of the annals of the Joseon dynasty from 1392 to 1863, bound in 1,893 volumes in 888 books.

Website sillok.history.go.kr

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Baegun Hwasang Chorok Buljo Jikji Simche Yojeol (vol. II), the second volume of an “Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests' Zen Teachings” An advanced-level textbook published for monk-scholars in medieval Korea.

Website www.jikjiworld.ne

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Seungjeongwon Ilgi: Diaries of the Royal Secretariat Daily records of Joseon’s rulers, containing a wealth of historical information.

Website kyu.snu.ac.kr

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Uigwe: Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty Rare and exquisite collections of illustrated records on important state and royal occasions of the Joseon Dynasty.

Website kyujanggak.snu.ac.kr

18 Printing Woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana and Miscellaneous Buddhist Scriptures A superb collection of the Buddhist canon of scriptures carved on 80,000 woodblocks, providing valuable information on the politics, culture and philosophy of Goryeo in the 13th century.

Website www.haeinsa.or.kr

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Dongui Bogam: Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine An encyclopedic work on medicine developed in East Asia since ancient times.

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Ilseongnok: Daily Records of the Royal Court and Important Officials Diaries kept by Joseon rulers between 1752 and 1910, containing records of state affairs and the daily activities of Joseon’s Kings.

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Human Rights Documentary Heritage 1980 Archives for the May 18th Democratic Uprising against Military Regime, in Gwangju A vast collection of documents, videos, photographs, etc. on the democratic movements that spread in and around Gwangju in May 1980.

22 Nanjung Ilgi: War Diary of Admiral Yi Sun-sin A collection of private journals kept by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, recording his daily activities and battle situations during the Imjin Waeran (Japanese Invasion, 1592 1598).

23 The Archives of Saemaeul Undong A collection of historical records on the Saemaeul Undong (“New Community Movement”), an exemplary movement that led to the successful development of farming communities and the eradication of poverty in the 1970s

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity 24 The Royal Ancestral Rituals and Music at the Jongmyo Shrine A traditional performance of music, song and dance presented during the memorial rite held at the Royal Ancestral Shrine 25 Pansori The traditional art of the dramatic song performed by a solo performer to the accompaniment of a single drummer, presenting an epic story by combining singing, narratives and gestures.

26 Gangneung Danoje Festival A time-honored summer festival held on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.

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27 Ganggangsullae A traditional folk entertainment with singing and dancing performed by women to celebrate moon festivals.

28 Namsadang Nori Folk performances traditionally presented to rural communities by an itinerant troupe of about forty performers (Namsadang) led by the chief musician (Kkokdusoe).

29 Yeongsanjae A Buddhist ritual performed to comfort and guide the spirits of the dead to the Buddhist land of bliss.

30 Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut A traditional shamanic ritual practiced at Chilmeoridang, a shrine for the village tutelary of Geonip-dong, Jeju-si.

31 Cheoyongmu A Court dance performed by five dancers wearing Cheoyong masks and costumes in five cardinal colors.

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Gagok, Lyric Song Cycles Accompanied by an Orchestra Traditional vocal music performed by putting a poem to a melody with an accompaniment of orchestral music.

33 Daemokjang, Traditional Wooden Architecture The art of building traditional works of architecture designed and supervised by a master builder.

34 Falconry The traditional art of keeping falcons and training them to hunt for quarry.

35 Jultagi A traditional folk entertainment in which a tightrope walker performs acrobatic movements and tells comic stories as he walks along the rope.

36 Taekkyeon A traditional Korean martial art practiced for self-defence purposes and known to be beneficial to one’s physical and mental health.

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Weaving of Mosi (Fine Ramie) in the Hansan Region The tradition of weaving ramie, a fine-quality fabric used for the production of summer clothing, preserved in Hansan.

38 Arirang A folk song with many variations cherished by the Korean people throughout history.

39 Kimjang, Making and Sharing Kimchi in Korea The cultural tradition of preparing for and making kimchi to be eaten during the winter season, typically with the participation of an entire family or community.

40 Nongak Community band music, dance and rituals in the Republic of Korea

For further information on Korea’s cultural heritage, please visit ‘www.cha.go.kr’.

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Performance of Yeomillak (“Joy of the People”), court music composed during the reign of King Sejong in the 15th century.

Traditional Arts Gugak The term gugak, which literally means “national music,” refers to traditional Korean music and other related art forms including songs, dances and ceremonial movements. The history of music in Korea should be as long as Korean history itself, but it was only in the early 15th century, during the reign of King Sejong 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 oldest mensural notation system, called jeongganbo, in Asia. King Sejong’s efforts to reform the court music led not only to the creation of Korea’s own notation system but also to the composition of a special ritual music to be performed during

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the Royal Ancestral Rite at the Jongmyo Shrine—inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001—and Yeomillak, or “Joy of the People.” 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.

Traditional Korean music is typically classified into several types: the “legitimate music” (called jeongak or jeongga) enjoyed by the royalty and aristocracy of Joseon; folk music including pansori, 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, and beompae; and poetic songs beloved of 93

the literati elite such as gagok and sijo. Of the numerous folk songs, Arirang—inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012—is particularly cherished by the common people as there are many variations with special lyrics and melodies devised to touch their hearts.

The Korean people have also developed a wide range of musical instruments. These traditional musical instruments are generally divided into three categories: wind instruments such as the piri, daegeum, danso and taepyeongso; stringed instruments such as the gayageum, geomungo, haegeum, ajaeng and bipa; and percussion instruments such as the buk, janggu, pyeonjong, Buchaechum (Fan Dance) A traditional form of Korean dance usually performed by groups of female dancers holding fans with floral designs on them.

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pyeongyeong, kkwaenggwari and jing.

Folk Dance Korean people have inherited a great variety of folk dances such as salpurichum (spiritual purification dance), gutchum (shamanic

ritual dance), taepyeongmu (dance of peace), hallyangchum (idler’s dance), buchaechum (fan dance), geommu (sword dance), and seungmu (monk’s dance). Of these, talchum (mask dance) and pungmul nori (play with musical instruments) are known for their satirical targeting of the corrupt aristocracy of Joseon and their close connection with rural communities, which had long been the bedrock of Korean culture and tradition. Most performances are presented in a marketplace or on the fields and involve drumming, dancing, and singing.

Painting and Calligraphy Painting has always been a major genre of Korean art since ancient times. The art of ancient Korea is represented by the tomb murals of Goguryeo (37 BCE – 668) which contain valuable clues

“Myeong-Seon (Meditation with Tea)”

by Kim Jeong-hui (penname: Chusa, 17861856) (Joseon, 19th century)

to the beliefs of the early Korean people about humanity and the universe as well as to their artistic sensibilities and techniques. The artists of Goryeo (918-1392) were interested in capturing Buddhist icons and bequeathed some great masterpieces, while the literati elite of Joseon was more attracted to the symbolism of plants and animals, such as the Four Noble Lords (Sagunja, namely, the orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and plum tree) and the Ten Creatures of Longevity (Sipjangsaeng), as well as idealized landscapes.

Korea in the 18th century saw the arrival of two great artists, Kim Hong-do and Sin Yun-bok, both of whom developed a passionate interest in depicting the daily activities of ordinary 95

Ssireum (Korean Wrestling) by Kim Hong-do (1745-1806) This genre painting by Kim Hong-do, one of the greatest painters of the late Joseon Period, vividly captures a scene of traditional Korean wrestling where two competing wrestlers are surrounded by engrossed spectators.

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people in their work. Kim Hong-do preferred depicting a kaleidoscope of people in various situations and scenes of everyday life, whereas Sin Yun-bok, for his part, devoted his efforts to capturing erotic moments in works that were surprisingly voyeuristic for the period.

Calligraphy, which developed in Korea under the influence of China, is the art of handwriting in which the beauty of the lines and forms of characters and the energy contained in brush strokes and subtle shades of ink are appreciated. While calligraphy is an independent genre of art, it has been closely related with ink and wash painting since these forms use similar techniques and the tools commonly called the “four friends of the study� (i.e. paper, brush, ink stick and ink stone). Korea has produced an abundance of master calligraphers of whom Kim Jeong-hui (1786-1856) is particularly famous for developing his own style, which is known as Chusache or Chusa Style (Chusa was his pen name). His calligraphic works fascinated even the Chinese masters of his time and are still widely admired for their remarkably modern artistic beauty.

Pottery Korean pottery, which nowadays attracts the highest praise from international collectors, is typically divided into three groups: Cheongja (blue-green celadon), Buncheong (slip-coated stoneware), and Baekja (white porcelain). Celadon refers to Korean stoneware which underwent major development in the hands of Goryeo potters some 700 to 1,000 years ago. Celadon pottery is marked by an attractive jade blue surface and the unique Korean inlay technique used to decorate it. Gangjin of Jeollanam-do 97

Kiln Site in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do The remains of ancient kilns can be seen in Gangjin, which was one of the main producers of celadon wares during the Goryeo period.

and Buan of Jeollabuk-do were its two main producers during the Goryeo Period (918-1392). White porcelain ware represents the ceramic art of the Joseon Period (1392-1910). While some of these porcelain wares display a milky white surface, many are decorated with a great variety of designs painted in oxidized iron, copper, or the priceless cobalt blue pigment imported from Persia via China. The Royal Court of Joseon ran its own kilns in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, producing products of the very highest quality. The advanced techniques used in the production of white porcelain wares were introduced to Japan by Joseon potters kidnapped during the Imjin Waeran (Japanese Invasion of Korea, 1592-1598).

The third main group of Korean pottery, Buncheong, was made by Goryeo potters after the fall of their Kingdom in 1392.

This type of pottery is characterized by its slip-coated surface and delightfully simple decorative designs created using several different techniques.

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1. Celadon Melon-shaped Bottle (Goryeo, 12th century) 2. Celadon Jar with Peony Design (Goryeo, 12th century) 3. Buncheong Bottle with Lotus and Vine Design (Joseon, 15th century) 4. White Porcelain Bottle with String Design in Underglaze Iron (Joseon, 16th century) (Source: National Museum of Korea)

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Handicrafts In the past Korean craftsmen and women developed a wide range of techniques to produce the items they needed at home. They made pieces of wooden furniture such as wardrobes, cabinets and tables marked by a keen eye for balance and symmetry, and wove beautiful baskets, boxes and mats with bamboo, wisteria or lespedeza. They used Korean mulberry paper to make masks, dolls and ceremonial ornaments, and decorated diverse household objects with black and red lacquer harvested from nature.

Later they developed the art of using beautifully dyed oxhorn strips, and iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell to decorate furniture. Embroidery, decorative knot making (maedeup) and natural dyeing were also important elements of traditional Korean arts and crafts, which were widely exploited to make attractive garments, household objects and personal fashion ornaments.

Two-tier Chest This exquisite wooden chest used for storing clothes is lavishly decorated with a motherof-pearl inlay design.

(The National Folk Museum of Korea)

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1. Women’s toiletry cases 2. Naturally dyed fabrics 3. Embroidered accessories 4. Korean mulberry paper dolls

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Hallyu (Korean Wave) A term now widely used to refer to the popularity of Korean entertainment and culture across Asia and other parts of the world, Hallyu or the “Korean Wave” first appeared during the mid-1990s after Korea entered into diplomatic relations with China in 1992 and Korean TV dramas and pop music gained great popularity in Chinese-speaking communities. When one of the first successful TV dramas, What Is Love?, was aired by CCTV in 1997, it had an audience rating of 4.2%, meaning that over 150 million Chinese viewers watched it.

Korean pop music, especially dance music, began to gain popularity among Chinese teenagers after it was introduced in earnest in 1997 by a radio program called Seoul Music Room broadcast from Beijing. The decisive moment in igniting Korean pop culture fever in China was the concert of Korean boy band H.O.T., held at the Beijing Workers' Gymnasium in February 2000. Korean news reports used the term Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, in describing this concert. The Korean Wave, acknowledged in an article published by Beijing Youth Daily as early as November 1999, began to finally be recognized by “Gangnam Style” by Psy The Psy’s “Gangnam Style” took the world by storm with the horse riding dance. It became the first K-Pop title to break into and top the UK Official Singles Chart Top 40 in 2012. The song also spent seven weeks at the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The photo shows Psy performing for his Korean fans gathered at the Seoul City Hall Plaza the same year.

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Koreans themselves from this point.

The Korean Wave landed in Japan in 2003 when the KBS TV drama series Winter Sonata was aired via NHK. The drama became an instant mega hit, making its male hero, Yon Sama, a household name, compelling his enthusiastic Japanese fans to visit various film locations, including Namiseom Island, in Korea.

The ‘Korean Wave’ craze has expanded to Korean traditional culture, food, literature and language, creating more and more enthusiasts. According to the latest figures, there were 987

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Hallyu-related organizations as of July 2013 with a combined membership of 9 million people.

A great majority of these organizations are K-Pop fan clubs, but lately new groups of people whose interests are more diverse have begun to emerge.

K-Pop One area that is growing more rapidly than any other is 21st century K-Pop, or Korean pop music, which spans dance-pop, pop ballads, techno, rock, hip-hop, R&B, and so on. First gaining popularity in East Asia, K-Pop entered the Japanese music market towards the turn of the 21st century, and grew from a musical genre into a subculture among teenagers and young adults of East and Southeast Asia. Currently, the spread of K-Pop to other regions of the world, via the Korean Wave, is seen in parts of Latin America, Northeast India, North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and immigrant enclaves of the Western world.

The rise of K-Pop on the global stage is probably best represented by Psy’s Gangnam Style, which swept the world as soon as it was released in late 2012. The song was the first K-Pop title reach No. 1 on the British Official Singles Chart, took 2nd place on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the US, and also topped the charts in more than 30 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Canada, and Australia. The YouTube video of the song has been watched by more people than any other, with over 2 billion so far.

The worldwide success of “Gangnam Style” was preceded by a surge of K-Pop idol groups, such as TVXQ, Super Junior, Big Bang, 2NE1, Beast, Girls’ Generation, 2PM and Wonder Girls, who

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Two leading K-Pop idol groups: Big Bang (above) and 2NE1 (below)

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K-Pop fans in Spain

dominated pop music markets across Asia. TVXQ had a total of 65 tour concerts in Japan from 2006 to 2012, bringing together about 700,000 fans and selling over 6.3 million albums, while in late 2009 Wonder Girls became the first Korean group to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with the song “Nobody�.

The popularity of K-Pop singers is largely based on their excellent vocal abilities, dazzling stage presence and wellchoreographed, impeccable dance performances among other things. While they may look comfortable and charismatic on stage, their performance is the result of many years of hard work rather than any inborn talent.

More recently, K-Pop idol groups have tended to be more interested in joint performances with other performers contracted with the same agency. One of the most successful events of this kind took place in June 2011 when the artists of SM Entertainment staged a joint concert at Le Zenith de Paris in the French capital, attracting over 7,000 fans. The event is regarded as 106

an important momentum for K-Pop artists to be received more seriously by the European music market.

The year 2011 saw similar events held in several different cities around the world, starting with a K-Pop Festival that attracted over 45,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome in July. JYJ had concerts in Spain and Germany, and the artists of CUBE Entertainment performed in Britain and Brazil. In October, Girls’ Generation held a special concert at Madison Square Garden in New York whose success was covered on the front page of New York Daily News with a large photo of a concert scene and the rather sensational headline, “Attack of the K-Pop Stars.” In February the following year, another major K-Pop festival was held at the Palais Omnisports Bercy Stadium in Paris with over 10,000 fans coming from across Europe to fill the entire stadium.

TV Dramas The great overseas success of What Is Love? (MBC) and Winter Sonata (KBS) in China and Japan played an important role in boosting the craze for Korean TV dramas across Asia and beyond.

These hits were followed by Dae Jang Geum (MBC), an epic TV series about an orphaned kitchen cook who went on to become the King's first female physician. Originally aired between 2003 and 2004, the drama became one of the highest-rated TV dramas in Korea before being exported to 87 countries around the world —including the Islamic states like Iran where it received as much as 80% of the viewers—to fascinate viewers with its portrayal of traditional Korean culture such as Korean Royal Court cuisine and traditional costumes and medicinal knowledge.

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K-Dramas that have charmed overseas viewers: Big Thing (left) and Love Rain (right)

in the 2010s with Big Thing (SBS, 2010), Giant (SBS, 2010), Secret Garden (SBS, 2011), Love Rain (KBS, 2012) and That Winter, The Wind Blows (SBS, 2013). Of these, Love Rain was exported to Japan for KRW 9 billion and That Winter, the Wind Blows to some local broadcasters in North America as well as ten Asian countries including China and Japan.

Movies The worldwide popularity of Korean pop culture resulted in the reemergence of Hallyu (Korean Wave) movie stars such as Bae Yong-joon (better known as Yon Sama in Japan), Jang Donggun, Lee Seo-jin, Kwon Sang-woo, Won Bin, Jang Keun-suk, Lee Byung-hun, Rain, Jun Ji-hyun and Bae Doona. Of these, the last four have appeared as main characters in Hollywood movies.

The outstanding international reputation that certain K-movie directors and stars enjoy today is in part due to the international film festivals held in Korea including the Busan International Film 108

Festival (BIFF), the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) and the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan).

International film communities have recently begun to show a keen interest in Korean films and film directors. The Korean directors who have attracted the attention of Western critics include Im Kwon-taek, Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, Hong Sang-soo, Kim Ki-duk, Kim Jee-woon, Im Sang-soo and Bong

Film Festivals in Korea

Busan International Film Festival (October 2-11, 2014) Quickly becoming a top Asian film festival after its launch in 1996, the BIFF provides the Asian movie community with an opportunity to present, watch, discuss and trade new films, documentaries, commercials, and independent films, both digital and analogue, amid worldwide media coverage. www.biff.kr

Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (July 17-27, 2014) Held every July in Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do since 1997, BiFan presents Korean movie lovers with horror films, thrillers, mystery and fantasy movies produced in Korea and other Asian countries. www.bifan.kr

Jeonju International Film Festival (May 1-10, 2014) Launched in 2000 and held annually in Jeonju, the home of traditional Korean culture, the JIFF focuses upon films that are marked by their artistic creativity whilst challenging existing conventions. www.jiff.or.kr

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Kim Ki-duk, Film Director Flanked by Lee Jung-jin and Jo Min-su (right) who acted in his film, Kim became the first Korean film director to win the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival with PietĂ .

Joon-ho, all of whom have produced masterpieces as if to reward their support and the expectations surrounding them, such as Strokes of Fire (2002) by Im Kwon-taek, Secret Sunshine by Lee Chang-dong (2007), Thirst (2009) by Park Chan-wook and The Taste of Money (2012) by Im Sang-soo.

For Kim Ki-duk, a memorable moment came in September 2012 when he became the first Korean director to win the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival with PietĂ .

He made his debut as a director in 1996, just three years after suspending his art studies for which he stayed in Paris from 1990 to 1993, and began to pour out such works as Birdcage Inn (1998), The Isle (2000), and 3-Iron (2004), causing controversy among film critics and audiences alike.

Alongside him, Park Chan-wook, Kim Jee-woon and Bong Joon-ho who have all been successful both commercially and critically and have been invited to Hollywood to make films for the wider film going public. In 2012, The Thieves, a film by Choi Dong-hoon, was invited to compete at the Contemporary World 110

Cinema Program of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

The increased interest in Korean films among Korean filmgoers has recently produced some mega box-office hits. The Thieves, for instance, attracted 12.98 million viewers in Korea alone, and was sold to eight Asian countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Several other films also attracted more than ten million viewers including Masquerade (2012), Silmido (2003), Taegukgi (2004), The King and the Clown (2005), The Host (2006) and Haeundae (2009). Meanwhile, the Guanajuato International Film Festival designated Korea as the guest of honor in July 2011, and showed a total of 76 Korean films including Whispering Corridors and Bedeviled under programs focused on Korean Horror Films and two film directors, Bong Joon-ho and Kim Dong-won.

Music The Korean classical music community has continued to produce artists of the highest international standard in both vocal and instrumental music. For instance, five young Korean artists won five prizes in the disciplines of piano, solo vocal and violin at the International Tchaikovsky Competition held in 2011, one of the top three international music competitions.

Korea has continued to produce distinguished vocalists of whom Sumi Jo (soprano), Hong Hei-kyung (soprano), Shin Youngok (soprano), Kwangchul Youn (bass) and Samuel Yoon (bass baritone) are eagerly sought after by classical music lovers in many parts of the world. Regarding instrumental music, Yeol Eum Son (piano), Dong-hyek Lim (piano), Sarah Chang (violin) and Zia Hyunsu Shin (violin) regularly perform for their fans - mostly in 111

Korea, the USA, and various European countries. Lee Hee-ah, a four-fingered pianist, is also a widely acclaimed pianist not only for her great performances but also for her heroic fight against a challenging physical condition.

They were preceded by Korea’s first generation of classical musicians, including two pianists, Han Tong-il and Kun-woo Paik, who fascinated international audiences between the 1950s and the 1970s and who still play to many enthusiastic fans. Myungwhun Chung, the current maestro of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, started his career in the world of classical music as a pianist, regularly playing as a member of the Chung Trio with his two sisters, Chung Kyung-wha, who won worldwide recognition as a violinist, and Chung Myung-wha, who plays cello. Later he turned to conductorship and has conducted some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, and Paris Orchestra, before going on to serve as music director and resident conductor of the Opéra de la Bastille in Paris.

Maestro Chung Myungwhun served as music director and resident conductor of the Opéra de la Bastille in Paris.

He received the Una Vita Nella Musica award from the Teatro La Fenice in Venice in July 2013.

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Musical Theater Korean theater goers have recently begun to pay more attention to musical comedies presented on theater stages. The increased demand for good-quality musicals has resulted in the performance of world-famous musicals such as Jekyll & Hyde, Chicago and Cats either by the original or Korean teams, and the production of new musicals written and directed by Korean talents. Some of these Korean productions have been invited to perform in Japan and Southeast Asia. Korea’s thriving musical theater scene has resulted in the creation of a group of stars such as Choi Jung-won, Nam Kyung-joo and Jo Seung-woo, whose reputation has grown with stage musicals, and Yoon Bok-hee, Insooni and Ock Joo-hyun who have become great musical actresses based on their success on the K-Pop stage.

Modern Dance and Ballet The launch of the National Dance Company of Korea in 1962 provided the momentum for a surge of interest in modern

Kim Ki-min and Olesya Novikova performing in Swan Lake by the Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra. Kim is the first Asian dancer to join the Mariinsky Ballet.

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dance in Korea. The changed environment eventually led to the birth of a great dancer, Sin Cha Hong (or Hong Sin-ja, born in 1943), who is now credited as Korea's first avant-garde dancer and premier performance artist. She learned dance from Alwin Nikolais in the United States and worked there until 1990, and then returned to Korea to involve herself in various activities related with modern dance.

Korea in the 1980s saw the foundation of two ballet companies, Universal Ballet (1984) and Seoul Ballet (1986), which are still actively producing classical ballet performances in Korea Gwangju Biennale Emerged as a major installation art show in Asia, the Gwangju Biennale has played a key role in linking the city of Gwangju with the rest of Korea and the world via contemporary art since the establishment in 1995 as the first of its kind in Asia.

and abroad. The increased popularity of ballet resulted in the arrival of distinguished ballet dancers including Kang Sue-jin, who became the first Asian to be a member of the Stuttgart Ballet in 1986, where she is now a principal dancer. Other successful ballet dancers include Seo Hee who joined the ABT Studio Company in 2004 and became a principal dancer at the ABT in 2012, and Kim Ki-min who became the first Asian ballerina to join and become First Soloist at the Mariinsky Ballet in 2012.

Modern Art The first generation of Korean modern artists represented by Nam June Paik (1932-2006), who is considered to be the founder of video art, was followed by a new generation of distinguished artists such as Chang Ree-suok, Chang Doo-kun, Paek Young-soo, Chun Kyung Ja, Kim Tschang-yeul and Suh Se-ok. More recently, the Korean art world is represented by a group of painters and sculptors such as Chun Kwang Young, Park Seo-bo, Lee Jong-

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sang, Song Soo-nam, Lee Doo-shik, Lee Wal-jong, Youn Myeungro, Lee Il, Kang Ik-joong, Lim Ok-sang, Kim Young-won and Choi Jong-tae, all of whom have gained international fans.

Korea’s rapid economic growth in the 1970s resulted in the establishment of numerous public and private art institutions of which about 60 are located in downtown Seoul, Insa-dong and Samcheong-dong in particular, such as Gana Art Space, Seoul Art Center Gongpyeong Gallery and Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art. More recently, Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam-gu south of the Hangang River has emerged as a hub of Korean fine art. As for international art events, the Gwangju Biennale launched in 1995 has grown to be a major contemporary art exhibition in Asia.

Modern Literature The publication in English of Please Look After Mom, a novel by Shin Kyung-sook, by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group in the United States in April 2011 was regarded as a sign of the Korean Wave spreading to the international literary world. The book was listed in Amazon’s top ten bestsellers as soon as it was released

The English edition of Please Look After Mom by Shin Kyung-sook (left), and Ko Un (right), one of the most widely admired poets in today’s Korea

on the American market, and was promptly published in about 30 countries in Asia (including Japan) and Europe, and in Australia. In June 2012, the author held a successful meeting in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, to mark the publication of her work in the Slovenian language. Then, 115

another work, Li Chin, was translated into French and published by the French publishing company Philippe Picquier. Gong Ji-young is another very successful Korean novelist of our time some of whose works, Our Happy Hours (2005), My Joyful Home (2007) and The Crucible (2009) were made into massive box-office hits and translated into Japanese.

Korean contemporary poetry is represented by one big name, Ko Un, who has routinely been mentioned as one of the front runners for the Nobel Prize in Literature for quite a long time. He has continued to write poems that touch his readers’ hearts since his debut with Tuberculosis in 1958. He completed a massive series of poems, Ten Thousand Lives, in 2010, and had anthologies of his poems published in Germany and Turkey the following year.

For contemporary Korean novels, the last two decades have offered novelists precious opportunities to find new readers overseas. Korean novels translated into foreign languages during the period include Secrets and Lies (Russian, 2009) by Eun Heekyung, The Rainy Spell, Firewood, and Sailing Without a Mast (Swedish, 2009) by Yun Heunggil, and A Distant and Beautiful Place (Chinese and Turkish, 2010) and Contradictions (Bulgarian, 2010)

by Yang Gui-ja. The opening of the Korean Studies Department in Sofia University, Bulgaria, in 1995 led to the interpretation of a selection of Korean contemporary novels and short stories for local readers including A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball by Cho Sehui and Our Twisted Hero by Yi Mun Yol. The global craze for K-Pop has resulted in greater attention being paid to Korean literary works and the Korean language, particularly among young people. The King Sejong Institute, an institution established in 2008 to support Korean language 116

education conducted across the globe increased the number of its affiliated schools from 17 in 2008 to 113 in 2013.

Meanwhile, the 78th International PEN Congress took place in Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom for one thousand years, in September 2012. The gathering, held in Korea for the third time after 1970 and 1988, attracted 700 men and women of letters from 114 countries across the world, including Nobel laureates such as Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio of France, Akinwande Oluwole Wole Soyinka of Nigeria, and Ferit Orhan Pamuk of Turkey.

Korean Cuisine and Culinary Customs The Korean Wave now seems to be expanding to other cultural areas such as food and culinary traditions. Restaurants serving traditional Korean dishes began to open in the world’s leading metropolises such as New York, London and Paris, attracting praise even from the choosiest gourmets. Kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbap and other dishes loved by Korean people through many generations are now beginning to appear in homes around the world.

Chefs in some restaurants in the United States began to combine traditional Korean dishes with Western traditions, creating the bibimbap burger, kimchi hotdog and gochujang steak for New Yorkers who are always ready to accept whatever’s new and exotic. Similarly, the number of Korean restaurants increased to about 100 in Paris alone, with many customers now being local French citizens, although in the past only Korean expatriates and their Asian friends formed the majority of customers. According to the latest research, the most popular dishes served by the Korean restaurants in Paris are bibimbap and bulgogi of which the former 117

is particularly highly regarded for it nutritional balance as well as its flavor and taste. In July 2012, a special Korean style dinner was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to celebrate the London Olympic Games. The 300 or so guests were greatly impressed by the Korean dishes served at the dinner.

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National Museums in Korea

11 Jinju National Museum Location: Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do Closed: Mondays & NYD jinju.museum.go.kr

14

Gongju National Museum 12 Location: Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do Closed: Mondays & NYD gongju.museum.go.kr

10

16 1 15 17

Naju National Museum 13 Location: Naju-si, Jeollanam-do Closed: Mondays & NYD naju.museum.go.kr

18 12

7

5 19 2

6 4

3

11

8

Korea National Arboretum 14 Location: Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Closed: Sundays, Mondays, NYD, Lunar NYD & Chuseok www.kna.go.kr 15 National Palace Museum of Korea Location: Jongno-gu, Seoul Closed: Mondays www.gogung.go.kr

20 13

9

16 The National Folk Museum of Korea Location: Jongno-gu, Seoul Closed: Tuesdays & NYD www.nfm.go.kr

1 National Museum of Korea

6 Daegu National Museum

Location: Yongsan-gu, Seoul Closed: Mondays & NYD www.museum.go.kr

Location: Suseong-gu, Daegu Closed: Mondays & NYD daegu.museum.go.kr

2 Gyeongju National Museum

7 Cheongju National Museum

Location: Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Closed: Mondays & NYD gyeongju.museum.go.kr

Location: Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do Closed: Mondays & NYD cheongju.museum.go.kr

3 Gwangju National Museum

8 Gimhae National Museum

Location: Buk-gu, Gwangju Closed: Mondays & NYD gwangju.museum.go.kr

Location: Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do Closed: Mondays & NYD gimhae.museum.go.kr

4 Jeonju National Museum

9 Jeju National Museum

Location: Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do Closed: Mondays & NYD jeonju.museum.go.kr

Location: Jeju-si, Jeju Closed: Mondays & NYD jeju.museum.go.kr

5 Buyeo National Museum

10 Chuncheon National Museum

Location: Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do Closed: Mondays & NYD buyeo.museum.go.kr

Location: Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do Closed: Mondays & NYD chuncheon.museum.go.kr

Location: Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do Closed: Mondays www.seamuse.go.kr

National Museum of Korean 17

Contemporary History

Location: Jongno-gu, Seoul Closed: Mondays & NYD www.much.go.kr

18 Postal Museum Location: Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do Closed: Mondays, Public Holidays, NYD, Lunar NYD & Chuseok www.postmuseum.go.kr

The National Lighthouse Museum 19 Location: Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Closed: Mondays, Lunar NYD & Chuseok www.lighthouse-museum.or.kr 20 National Research Institute of

Maritime Cultural Heritage

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