Korean court music

[1] Korean court music and its historical origins can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BCE–668), the Unified Silla (668–935), Goryeo (918–1392) and Joseon dynasties (1392–1910).

The instruments used in Korean court music vary depending on the specific genre but do show various overlaps between the three different types.

Korean court music and its origins have been traced as early as the Unified Silla period (668–935); however, the three categories commonly began their spread across Korea during the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), mainly due to Chinese influence.

As time went on, it eventually also included forms of music played for aristocrats, nobility and court officials.

[6] Dangak music is typically accompanied with folk dance performances referred to as hyangak chongjae.

During the Yi dynasty of 1392–1910, the genre further developed through an increase in the creation of compositions for instrumental dangak music.

Korean court performances included traditional banquet dances alongside musical accompaniments.

[5] Performances are also played at certain ceremonies such as the Seokjeon Daeje, held at the Munmyo shrine of the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.

The dance required musicians and entertainers to enter the stage alongside the beat of hyangak music.

[1] The instruments used in Korean court music vary depending on the specific genre; however, they also show various overlaps between the three categories of aak, hyangak and dangak.

Instruments used for aak may include the tungga, honga, pyeonjong, pyongyong, kum, sul, saenghwang, and pak, along with the eight necessary types of materials (metal, stone, silk, wood, bamboo, leather, clay and gourd).

[1] Instruments used for hyangak may include the geomungo, konghu, gayageum, koto, pipa, taegum chunggum, sogeum, pak, taego, piri, janggu, haegeum, junggeum, daegeum, tang-p’iri, tang-jok, and tang-pip’a.

[1] Instruments used for dangak may include the tango, yogo, janggu, pak, shō, hwengjok, tungso, piri, saeng, tang-pip’a, chang, konghu, panghyang, taego, tang-p’iri, ajaeng, kyobanggo, wolgum, haegeum, taepyeongso, pyeonjong, pyonyong, daegeum, and cholgo.

[1] In North Korea, traditional court music and performances have mostly died out as a result of the nation's strong political ideologies.

The South Korean government advocates for the preservation of traditional court music within contemporary society.