KOREA FOUNDATION

On the last Saturday of May, the Korean Culture Class had a wonderful time at the National Gugak Center, playing traditional musical instruments and taking in performances.
  First, the class learned about janggu, a traditional Korean double-headed drum that is famously easy to play. They learned about the process behind making the drum, as well as the proper technique with which it should be played. Next, the class listened to hwimori jangdan, the fastest of all the drumbeats, before trying it for themselves. They also played the three other instruments included in samulnori, the traditional percussion quartet—the kkwaenggwari, a small gong; the buk, a standard drum; and the jing, a large gong.
  The program ended with a performance of the traditional musical harmony created by several instruments, including the six-string geomungo, the 12-string gayageum, and the daegeum, a transverse flute. Thanks to their time at the National Gugak Center, the class developed a fresh appreciation for gugak, traditional Korean music, and learned that the world of Korean music goes far beyond the latest K-pop hits.

KFVN Reporter Choi Jin-woo