- Discover the many instruments of Korea
- Learn about Korean culture
- Learn about what each instrument is used for
- Also, check out our post on these instruments from Japan
The Korean people are known for their cultural heritage and traditional music that have spanned centuries.
In this article, we’ll look at 20 of the region’s most famed instruments that have lived on through the years.
Let’s dive in!
A Brief History of Traditional Music in Korea
North and South Korea were once one entity for thousands of years before Japan’s takeover in 1910. Then came the division of the peninsula by Russia and the US after WWII.
Nevertheless, these past 70-odd years have made each region of Korea culturally different, with traditional music at the forefront.
South Korea has made it a point to preserve traditional Korean music just as it has been for centuries.
It tries to inherit the tradition of Korea’s various music genres, which include Buddhist, folk, shaman ritual, and court music.
Even when artists try to cross over certain genres, they make it a point to keep their traditions intact.
On the other hand, North Korea has been selective in what music genres to present to its people.
It reinterpreted Korea’s long-standing traditional music to fit within the framework of the regime.
Thus, there are only certain kinds of traditional music in North Korea, otherwise known as ‘national music.’
Yet, at the end of the day, there’s no denying that Korean music stems from the same origin, and so do the region’s traditional instruments.
Korean Musical Instruments: Categories
All of Korea’s traditional instruments were documented and chronicled, dating back to the primitive age up until now. These instruments fall under three categories: string, wind, and percussion.
- String instruments are made of paulownia wood and a few other materials. Each instrument is classified based on the playing technique.
- The Ajaeng produces sounds when its strings are pulled with a bow. Then, there’s the Yanggeum which produces sound when strings are hit with a stick.
- Finally, you have the instruments that make sounds when plucked, such as the Geomungo and the Gayageum.
- The wind instruments are generally made of bamboo. They’re classified based on the posture of the musician. For example, the Danso, Piri, and Taepyeongso are vertical instruments, whereas the Daegeum and the Sogeum are played like typical horizontal flutes.
- Then, you have the percussion instruments made of animal skin, stone, wood, bamboo, and metal. Percussions fall into two categories: those with pitch and those without. The Bak, Buk, Janggu, Jing, Jwago, Kkwenggwari all have no pitches. Alternatively, the Pyeongjong and the Pyeonggyeong can produce different pitches.
With categories out of the way, let’s dive into 20 Korean instruments in detail.
Traditional Musical Instruments of Korea
Korea’s traditional musical instruments include:
- Ajaeng
- Bak
- Buk
- Daegeum
- Danso
- Gayageum
- Geomungo
- Haegum
- Janggu
- Jing
- Jwago
- Kkwenggwari
- Piri
- Pyeongjong
- Pyeonggyeong
- Saenghwang
- Senap
- Sogeum
- Taepyeongso
- Yanggeum
1. Ajaeng
The ajaeng is probably the most complex of all the string instruments on our list. It consists of seven or eight strings, depending on the type.
These strings are made of twisted silk fibers and are played with the help of a wooden stick.
The instrument with seven strings is the bigger of the two. Called a daeajaeng, it’s usually used for court orchestral music.
The soajaeng has eight strings and is typically reserved for solo performances and folk music.
2. Bak
The bak consists of six rigid wood boards tied together at one end. When spread, they make a fan shape.
Artists sound this instrument any time there’s a significant change in rhythmic beats and patterns. They’re also used once to signal the start of the music.
3. Buk
The buk, also called the soribuk, is a round drum made of animal skin, paulownia, or pine. It’s played using the player’s open left hand and a stick made of birch in the right hand.
There are two types of buk drums. The one played alone consists of tacked heads, while the type used in percussion quartets features laced heads.
4. Daegeum
The daegeum is one of the most authentic instruments known to Korea. It consists of a mouthpiece with a closed end.
At this end, there’s a membrane opening that the player gently blows into.
This creates air pressure within the reed stem, producing the buzzing sound unique to this instrument.
5. Danso
The danso is possibly one of the easiest to recognize because it resembles a flute.
When it first appeared in Korea in the mid-15th century, it was traditionally made of bamboo, but nowadays, it’s mostly made of plastic.
Five evenly spaced holes run across the body of the instrument. Then, on one end is the curved, U-shaped mouthpiece.
6. Gayageum
The gayageum is a complex instrument invented by Uruk in the 6th century AD. It produces sound by both plucking and strumming the strings.
It consists of a soundboard made of paulownia wood with 12 movable bridges that support 12 strings made of twisted silk.
Even more impressive is that there are different designs for different types of music.
For example, the sanjo gayageum is for folk music, the pungnyu gayageum is for literati music, and the modified version is used for modern music.
7. Geomungo
The geomungo consists of six strings made of twisted silk that run across 16 convex frets and three movable bridges. The front plate is made of paulownia, while the back plate is made of chestnut wood.
It’s played using the fingers as well as a long pick made of bamboo. Thanks to its ability to produce a wide range of pitches, it’s widely arranged in orchestras and solo performances.
8. Haegum
The haegeum consists of a hollow sound box made of wood. It has two silk strings attached to a rodlike neck, which the performer holds vertically on the left knee.
With the left hand, the player presses down on the string to control the pitch. Then, the right-hand moves the bow across the strings producing the notes.
9. Janggu
The janggu has an hourglass shape made of wood and animal skin.
This type of drum is typically used in classical or court music, where it’s played with one hand and a stick. When used for folk music and the janggu dance, this drum is played with two sticks.
10. Jing
The jing is basically a gong made of brass. It’s struck with a stick with layers of cloth at one end to soften the sound somewhat.
It’s mainly used to keep the beat and signal the end of the music.
11. Jwago
The jwago is made of animal skin tied together by a wood frame and metal nails.
It’s hung on a wooden fixture, and the musician plays it using a wooden stick with tassels on one side while sitting on the floor.
This drum is arranged in orchestras to cue the first beat or the start of the music. It’s also used to help amplify the sound of the janggu drum.
12. Kkwenggwari
This handheld gong is typically used in farmer’s music or nongak. It’s played by the lead performer to produce elaborate beats and rhythms.
It’s made of forged brass with a rope handle. The musician hits the gong with an unpadded stick, producing a deep, resonating sound.
13. Piri
According to historical records, the Piri first made its debut in Korea in 114 AD. It’s categorized as ‘double-reed’ because it’s made from two pieces of wood tied together.
It’s typically made of bamboo, which is lightweight and easy to carve.
The musician blows into the opening on one end when playing this small instrument. This causes the air to move inside the cylinder pipe and through the two reeds, thus producing sound.
14. Pyeongjong
The pyeongjong is a massive instrument made of 16 bronze bells hung from a wooden structure. Each bell produces a different pitch, with thicker bells making higher pitches.
To play this percussive instrument, the musician uses a stick. Made of a cow horn, this stick is how the artist can boost the pitch’s intensity or tone it down.
15. Pyeonggyeong
Similar to the pyeongjong, the pyeonggyeong has 16 stones hanging from a wooden frame rather than bells. Each stone has a different thickness to create varying pitches.
16. Saenghwang
The saenghwang is a free reed wind mouth organ that produces sound when the musician blows into the wind chamber.
On the other end, there’s a windchest made of dried gourd, as well as several bamboo pipes and small metal boards.
As the air flows through the reed and into the windchest, it creates air pressure. This air pressure resonates in the pipes and comes out as different pitches.
17. Senap
The senap first became popular in the 13th century because of its cheerful, upbeat sounds. It’s usually used in farmer’s music as a solo instrument.
Yet, thanks to its colorful tonalities and large sound volume, this double-reed wind instrument also works well in an ensemble.
18. Sogeum
The sogeum is similar to its larger counterpart, the daegeum. Yet, it doesn’t have the same buzzing membrane.
It’s basically a small flute, played horizontally, and is held parallel to the performer’s shoulders. The soeguem is known for its crisp tones and its high pitches.
19. Taepyeongso
This unique-shaped wind instrument is another double-reed wind instrument, similar to the bassoon and the oboe.
It has a wooden, conical body with a cup-shaped metal cup, known as the dongpallang, at one end. On the end is the metal mouthpiece with a flat opening.
20. Yanggeum
The final string instrument on our list, the yanggeum, first appeared in Korea in the 18th century.
It consists of 14 sets of strings, with each set having four wiry metal strings that produce sounds when struck with a thin bamboo stick.
Together, these 56 strings are tied onto two frets placed on either end of a trapezoid-shaped sound box.
Wrapping Up
Preserving age-old traditional music is a great way to link past and present. It also acts as a great reminder for all Koreans of their rich history.
With the help of the traditional musical instruments of Korea, that history will be safeguarded for all generations to come.
Want to learn more about the unique instruments of the world? Check our guide to the 9 Musical Instruments Of Israel (You’ve Probably Never Heard Of)!