Recently, I was exposed to a Korean traditional song by accident. It is called “Arirang”. Its melody is very beatiful and attractive, so I did some research on this kind of song.
Arirang Folk song (아리랑) is a famous Korean traditional song, also is the most representative Folk songs of the Korean peninsula. Its full name is 아리랑타령. Arirang is known as the Korean nationality "the first national anthem" and "ethnic songs". There are different versions of it in different places, the most commonly heard version being "original tone Arirang", which is popular around gyeonggi province in South Korea. This one is popular because it became the theme song of the 1926 film of the same name. It was later used as the entry music for the delegations of the republic of Korea and the democratic People's Republic of Korea during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Also, Arirang has been included in the national intangible cultural heritage list of the People's Republic of China.
Arirang is a love story from the koryo period. The main plot is about a loving couple. Their life was hard. The husband wanted his wife to have a good life, so he wanted to go out to work to earn money. But the wife didn’t let him to do so, saying as long as two people were together she was satisfied. The husband did not think so, and left one night quietly. The wife was famous for being very beautiful in the village. After the husband left, the village ruffians came to harass and let her remarry. The wife refused, but the ruffians always came and harass her. A year later, the husband came back with money, and the couple were happy. The local ruffians came again, and the village gossiped about the wife and local ruffians. The husband had a suspicion, thinking that the wife was not faithful. He wanted to leave again. The wife tried to expalin but cannot stop the husband. He left and the wife chased him and sang. The content of the song was about her grievance and concern and yearning for her husband. His wife sang "my husband", also known as Arirang, and finally her sincerity melted his cold heart. The couple's love was restored and they left their hometown to live a happy life in the capital. Later this story and the song Arirang spread, and became the representative of the Korean national classic song.
Although the Arirang music is not the same everywhere, it shows the ancient women's fortitude and indomitable spirit.
This song "Arirang" tells the story of a Korean woman who misses her husband and longs for love. The melody is euphemistic and lyrical, and the rhythm is brisk and smooth. The whole song is composed of two musical phrases and changes and repeats, forming a double complex phrase with chorus. "Arirang" has a 3/4 beat and subsonic melody. Being slightly sad mood, Arirang is a representative Korean folk song.
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