Gugak: Traditional Korean Music Today

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Gugak: Traditional Korean Music Today

Over the course of Korean history, gugak – traditional Korean music – developed in an intimate relationship with the lives of the people. During the 20th century, however, the introduction of capitalism coupled with a rapid influx of Western culture erected a barrier between Korea’s traditional music and daily experience.  Still, in this new century, Korea is witnessing an attempt to shape gugak to fit the sensibilities of current generations and emerge ever more vigorous, with a revitalized effort toward diffusing gugak rather than on succeeding it. This paradigm shift has exerted considerable influence over national and public organizations, as well as on young private-sector artists working in the field of gugak. A number of events such as the Gugak Festival have served as venues to introduce the creative gugak efforts of young Korean artists to a broader international audience.