How Korean Tradition Becomes Pop
From Hangul and Hunminjeongeum to the Korean language, from pansori to Leenalchi, from Arirang to hanbok and kimchi: the traditions beneath K-content, read as script, sound, dress and taste.
This course starts from the axis of script — Hangul, Hunminjeongeum, Hangul Day — descends to the Korean language, then moves through the axis of sound (pansori, Leenalchi, Arirang) and finally dress and taste (hanbok, kimchi). It reads the traditions underneath K-content in the order of script, sound, dress and taste.
- 1
HangulHeritage & languageOpens with Hangul, the script King Sejong devised in 1443. - 2
HunminjeongeumHeritage & languageMoves to Hunminjeongeum, Hangul's original name and the 1446 document explaining how the script works. - 3Hangul DayHeritage & languageContinues to Hangul Day, the holiday marking the alphabet's promulgation.
- 4
Korean languageHeritage & languageMoves from the script itself to the language it carries, Korean. - 5
PansoriHeritage & languageShifts the axis from script to sound with pansori, a traditional Korean vocal storytelling form. - 6
LeenalchiK-pop groupsCrosses to Leenalchi, a band reinterpreting pansori in a pop idiom, a live case of tradition becoming pop. - 7
ArirangHeritage & languageContinues to Arirang, a folk song with many regional variations, adding another sound tradition. - 8
HanbokHeritage & languageShifts the axis from sound to the visible tradition of hanbok, Korean traditional dress. - 9
KimchiHeritage & languageMoves the final axis from dress to taste with kimchi, closing the sequence of script, sound, dress and taste.
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