Korea: History, Culture, and Geography of Music

Abstract

From the ancient kingdoms to the modern nation-state, music has always been at the core of Korean heritage and identity. From Confucian ritual music to the new K-pop sound, the diverse range of Korean music today reflects the social dynamics that the nation has experienced over 2 millennia, interacting with its neighbors and distant foreign countries. Adjacent to China’s northeast border and surrounded by the chain of Japanese islands, Korea’s geographic location has enabled it to contribute significantly to the formation of East Asia as a geocultural unit. However, the nation’s role as a cultural bridge between China and Japan should not overshadow the development of its own indigenous culture and creative adaptation of foreign cultures to the lives of native people. This entry examines the history of Korean music, from the premedieval period, to the Chosŏn Dynasty, to the postdynasty era.