Korean Arts & Music
A short look at the artistic and musical traditions of Korea.
Traditional Visual Arts of Korea
Like much of its culture, Korea’s historic art has been influenced but not dominated by that of China. Its primary arts included ceramics, calligraphy, poetry, music, painting, drama, and sculpture. During the Goryeo period (918-1392), Korea became known for its Buddhist statues and fine celadon ceramics. Its celadon was especially prized for its grey-green color, reminiscent of jade. While Chinese ceramics tended to feature colorful imagery, Korean artists preferred more subtle natural designs, if any. This carried into their paintings, particularly in the Confucian Joseon era. Korean painters turned to their landscape’s many mountains and streams for inspiration. Paintings of daily life grew more common in the dynasty’s later centuries. Folding screens decorated with shelves of books and scholarly tools were also popular among the yangban.
Korean Poetry, Literature, and Music
Korean writers wrote in Chinese until the 15th century. Even after the invention of Hangul, the Korean alphabet, Chinese remained a preferred language of the yangban nobility. They wrote poems in a variety of styles, often with musical undertones. Poetry was not a marginal activity in society; it featured in the civil exams taken by men to qualify for official posts. Most upper-class women did not learn how to read or write. Women’s poetry instead came from the gisaeng class of courtesans and entertainers. Alongside the records, poetries, philosophies, and fictions of the scholars, there also existed a second body of folk literature. These myths and stories were frequently performed as ballads, masked plays, or puppet shows. Pansori, a type of storytelling performed by a singer and musician, emerged as a folk custom before growing popular with the yangban.
Modern Arts in Korea
Today, South Korea is a global influence through its music, film, and television. As of 2016, K-pop alone is a $4.7 billion industry. The nation also produces wildly popular dramas, fueled by a thriving fashion scene. Outside commercial arts, the artists of Korea continue to explore both traditional and modern themes in a variety of media. Bold colors, minimalist design, natural imagery, and multimedia are all popular elements in modern Korean art.
References
Clark, Donald N. Culture and Customs of Korea. Greenwood Press. 2000.
Hwang, Kyung Moon. A History of Korea. Macmillan International Higher Education. 2016.
Kim, Djun Kil. The History of Korea. 2nd ed. Greenwood Press. 2014.
Kim, Sohee. “The $4.7 Billion K-Pop Industry Chases Its 'Michael Jackson Moment'.” Bloomberg, Bloomberg, 22 Aug. 2017, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-22/the-4-7-billion-k-pop-industry-chases-its-michael-jackson-moment.
Ku, Yangmo, Inyeop Lee, and Jongseok Woo. Politics in North and South Korea. Routledge. 2017.
“The World Factbook: KOREA, NORTH.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 18 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kn.html.
“The World Factbook: Korea, South.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html.
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