On September 4th, in the auditorium of the National Classical Music Institute, a large audience gazed at a music performance. This music performance was named ‘The Night of Choyun Music’. It is a classic Korean musical. Although this music is somewhat slow and monotonous, many audiences showed interest in this Korean classical music performance. “Frankly speaking, I did not have an interest in Korean classical music in the past. However, I became curious, because recently it has become a topic of conversation in many speeches. I think, it has a renewed fascination in that it makes people to be calm,” said Ko Woo-ri, a university student living in Bucheon.
Over the last several years, Korean classical music has come into the spotlight. Unlike in the past, the numbers of Korean classical music performances are increasing, and we can listen to and hear Korean classical music being play more often around us. Advertisements that feature Korean classical music are appearing more frequently, too. These trends are evidence of the fact that Korean’s are becoming more interest in Korean classical music. First of all, there is a change in people’s minds. In the past, if a person expressed his plan to learn and major in Korean classical music, his parents or friends would be opposed to it. However, nowadays many people do not regard majoring in Korean classical music as shameful. This phenomenon allows for the development for Korean classical music.

Why did Korean classical music not become more noticed until recent times?
Until the late Joseon era, various Korean traditional art forms were performed in the Royal Courts and civic society performances. However, these were oppressed by the Japanese in the early years of the 20th century. For example, ‘Jangakwon’, the royal music academy which kept the traditions of Korean traditional music, was forced to reduce the number of students it could admit. Folk music had the same experience. ‘Gut’ music and much civic music, part of a popular Korean farming ritual and seasonal event, were strictly prohibited by Japan.
 The problem was not only that the Japanese’s suppressed institutional studies, but Korean’s also had a conscious change about Korean culture. A lot of western art forms were being imported by students studying abroad. Therefore, these imported western art forms, which used to be considered the pronoun for high-class art, where deposited into the center of Korea’s declining art culture. “The idea that western art had a higher value has continued until now. Korean’s neglect of Korea’s culture slowed the development of Korean culture to the root,” said Park Ok Jin, head of the Business in Performance Planning and Marketing Department at The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts.

Korean classical music has attracted attention around the world.
First, there is a new interest in cultural arts, and expenditures in the performing arts are increasing a lot. According to ‘Ticket Link’, the website dealing with general culture performances, the number of spectators, who visited various kinds of performance in the first quarter of this year, increased 10 percent compared to last year’s numbers. Especially, the number of spectators who watched performances exceeded to one hundred thousand in last March, an increase of 40 percent compared with last year. With this trend, an increase of favor about culture is connected with an increase of favor in Korean classical music.
 Second, for several years, some movies dealing with traditional art, such as Seopyonje, the King and The Clown, Untold Scandal, Chihwaseon and others, were in the limelight of movie and drama fans. Through these popular cultural events, people can become more interested in traditional matters and subjects. Finally, it can relieve peoples past resistance of Korean traditional music.
 Third, Korea’s Korean Wave has attracted foreigner’s interest in Korean culture. A trend of performing Korean classical music in foreign countries has increased because of the Korean Wave, which showed that Korean culture can be congenial to the world. Especially, ‘Dae-janggum’, a TV drama dealing with a female cook’s life in the Royal Court, played an important role in informing non-Koreans about Korean culture to other Asian countries.
 Additionally, many Korean classical musicians have made a lot effort to be intimate with people, and it is an important cause of the interest in Korean classical musicians. They have performed close to the people. One way they do this is doing street performances.

Concrete situations of Korean classical music’s development
 ‘The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts’ (NCKTPA) is the biggest auditorium in Korea. “Korean classical music still remains considered a ‘hard to enjoy’ art form. For this reason, we are carefully planning the various performances, which will help guide Korean tradition art back to the people. For example, there are various performances that are for working with children, juveniles, twenty somethings, and families, so these performances enable more of the masses to come into contact with Korean classical music. Likewise, the four Korean Traditional Performing Art troupes are participating in foreign main events and a music festivals to let foreigners know more about Korean traditional music’s world of art,” said Park Ok Jin. In addition, NCKTPA is operating the ‘Gugak Museum’ that has various resources related to Korean classical music. There are three thousand pieces of materials, musical instruments, rare books, and sound/image materials. Moreover, there are places to watch 3D animations, and sing along with Korean classical music. So, spectators can personally experience what Korean classical music is all about.
 Singers dealing with Korean classical music are appearing more often around us. Singer, Ian, is famous for singing ‘Onara’, which is a theme song for the drama ‘Dea-janggum’. She harmonized Korean classical music with a popular song. So, she is gaining popularity among youth. Now, she has released a second solo album named ‘Call it love’, and is giving concerts for people, who are living in poverty.
Another example is the Korean classical music group ‘IS’, who are triplets, Kim Jin-ah, Kim Seon-ah, and Kim Min-ah. The sisters each play a Korean musical instrument, the Gayageum, geomungo, and Hae-gum respectively. They performed the song, ‘Spring’, as royal musicians in the drama ‘Gungs’. In addition, there are various fusion performances. For example, there are the B-boy + Gayageum concert and a Hae-gum plus concert. Cannon ‘s performance was with a Korean musical instrument, and so on. All these performances are a novelty to the people.

The problem with fusion Korean classical music today
 It is a fact that Korean classical music has become noticed around the world, since many kinds of fusion music have appeared. However, there are some opposite views about the merits of fusion music. “Fusion music is a portal to finding a universal musical appeal through matching the music that foreigner’s like with traditional music. However, there are special formations of Korean traditional music, so we must make the music by bearing these characteristics in mind. Unless musicians do this, fusion music is just an imitation of western music,” said Lee Hyung-hwan, a professor of the College of Korean Music at Chung-Ang University. If the masses, who have little knowledge of Korean classical music, listen to fusion music continuously, the traditional thought and classical artistry of Korean traditional music will disappear as a disciplinary necessity to the study of the pure art.

So then, what should we do?
Recently, many students, who major in Korean classical music, prefer fusion music. “Korean classical musicians must notice that Korean music should be matched foreigners tastes to be more palatable to them. When I perform both pure Korean classical music and fusion music in foreign countries, the former one becomes more attractive to their interest. In addition, the government and philanthropic organizations of Korean classical music must select a man of ability without regional, school and blood prejudices. In the future, the only musician who has real ability will be recognized around the world,” said Lee Hyung-hwan. These days, we have entered the age of globalization and music has a character that changes continuously. From this point of view, there are no fixed or specific musical characteristics about the artists. Therefore, the appearance of fusion Korean classical music is natural. However, when we keep the character of Korean classical music by adding the outer factors to it, Korean classical music will not lose its essence and the music will be approved from around the world.
Finally, Park Ok Jin adds to the readers of the Chung-Ang Herald, “I think we can see as we know and we can listen as we have listened. Therefore, we need an attitude of listening to Korean classical music more frequently in everyday life. And then, we can enjoy Korean classical music naturally.”

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