
''Pungmul'' (; ) is a
Korean folk music
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean
**Korean dialects
**See also: North–South differences in t ...
tradition that includes
drumming,
dancing, and
singing
Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...
. Most performances are outside, with dozens of players all in constant motion. ''Pungmul'' is rooted in the ''dure'' (collective labor)
farm
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
ing culture. It was originally played as part of farm work, on
rural holidays, at other village community-building events, and to accompany
shamanistic rituals, mask dance dramas, and other types of
performance
A performance is an act or process of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function.
Performance has evolved glo ...
. During the late 1960s and 1970s it expanded in meaning and was actively
used in political protest during the pro-democracy movement, although today it is most often seen as a
performing art. Based on 1980s research, this kind of music was extensively studied in Chindo Island.
Older scholars often describe this tradition as ''nongak'' (), a term meaning "farmers' music" whose usage arose during the
colonial era (1910–1945). The
Cultural Heritage Administration of
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
uses this term in designating the folk tradition as an
Important Intangible Cultural Property. Opposition from performers and scholars toward its usage grew in the 1980s because colonial authorities attempted to limit the activity to farmers in order to suppress its use and meaning among the colonized. It is also known by many synonymous names throughout the peninsula.
Drumming is the central element of pungmul. Each group is led by a ''
kkwaenggwari'' (RR- ggwaenggwari) (small handheld gong) player, and includes at least one person playing ''
janggu'' (hourglass drum), one person playing ''
buk'' (barrel drum), and one person playing ''
jing'' (gong).
Wind instrument
A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube) in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at or near the end of the resonator. The pitch ...
s (taepyeongso, also known as ''hojeok'', ''senap'', or ''nalari'') sometimes play along with the drummers.
Pungmul was added to the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
intangible cultural heritage list as "Joseonjok Nongak" by China in 2009 and South Korea in November 2014.
Classification
''Pungmul'' was first recognized as an
Important Intangible Cultural Property in 1966 under the title ''nongak sipicha'' (, "twelve movements of farmers' music"). The designation was changed to simply ''nongak'' in the 1980s in order to accommodate regional variations. The
Cultural Heritage Administration currently recognizes five regional styles of the tradition, each named for its center of activity, under Important Intangible Cultural Property no. 11:
Jinju Samcheonpo ''nongak'', from
South Gyeongsang
South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heri ...
province (designated in 1966);
Pyeongtaek ''nongak'', from
Gyeonggi province (1985);
Iri ''nongak'', from
North Jeolla province (1985);
Gangneung ''nongak'', from
Gangwon province (1985); and
Imsil Pilbong ''nongak'' from
North Jeolla province (1988). Each style is unique in its approach toward rhythms, costuming, instrumentation, and performance philosophy: Jinju Samcheonpo for ''yeongnam'' (), Pyeongtaek for ''utdari'' (), Iri for ''honam udo'' (),
Gangneung for ''yeongdong'' (), and Imsil Pilbong for ''honam jwado'' ().
Most scholarly works on ''pungmul'' focus on the two distinct styles present in the
Honam
Honam (; literally "south of the lake") is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, Jeju Province and Jeonbuk State. The name "Jeonla-do" is used i ...
region encompassing the two Jeolla provinces. In this region, the designations ''jwado'' (left) for Imsil Pilbong and ''udo'' (right) for Iri are determined according to
geomantic principles. Looking southward from the "center" (
Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
, the capital), ''udo'' indicates "right", and ''jwado'' indicates "left".
Comparative studies between the two styles brought about the development of stereotypes among professional groups. ''Honam jwado'' became known for its varying formations and rapid rhythmic patterns, while ''honam udo'' was generally seen as having slow but graceful rhythmic patterns.
History
Early development
Suppression and unrest
During the
Joseon
Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period, this folk tradition was the primary mode of musical expression for a majority of the population. Many scholars and performers today claim that the term ''nongak'' () was introduced during the
Japanese colonization era in order to suppress its broad use and meaning among the Korean population.
Revival
True public support for ''pungmul'' improved little in the decade following its recognition and financial backing from the government. There was a lack of interest among Koreans who abandoned their traditional customs after moving to the cities. This phenomenon was coupled with the introduction of Western-style
concert hall
A concert hall is a cultural building with a stage (theatre), stage that serves as a performance venue and an auditorium filled with seats.
This list does not include other venues such as sports stadia, dramatic theatres or convention ...
s and the growing popularity of Western
classical and
popular music
Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
.

In 1977, prominent architect
Kim Swoo Geun designed the Konggansarang (), a performance hall for traditional Korean music and dance located in the capital, and invited artists and scholars to organize its events. During the performance center's first recital in February 1978, a group of four men led by
Kim Duk-soo and Kim Yong-bae, both descendants of ''
namsadang'' troupe members, performed an impromptu arrangement of Pyeongtaek (''utdari'') ''pungmul'' with each of its
four core instruments. Unlike traditional ''pungmul'', this performance was conducted in a seated position facing the audience and demonstrated a variety of rhythms with great flexibility. It was well received by audience members, and a second performance was soon held three months later. Folklorist Sim U-seong, who introduced both men to the Konggansarang club, named the group SamulNori (). ''
Samul nori'' eventually came to denote an entire genre as training institutes and ensembles were established throughout South Korea and Japan. Usage of the term ''nongak'' was retained in order to distinguish traditional ''pungmul'' from this new staged and urbanized form.
Components
Instruments

In general, 5 major instruments are used for playing Pungmul: ''
kkwaenggwari'' (RR- ggwaenggwari) (small handheld gong), ''
janggu'' (hourglass drum), ''
buk'' (barrel drum), and ''
jing'' (gong) and sogo.
They all require a different style to play and have their own unique sounds.
The first person of each group to play instruments is called 'sue' or 'sang'. (like 'sang soe'(refers to the one who plays ''
kkwaenggwari)'', 'sue ''
janggu(same as sang
janggu),'' 'sue ''
buk'' ', 'sue bukku(who play with sogo)')
Dance
In Pungmul, dance elements further deepen the artistic and aesthetic characteristics of Pungmul as an integrated genre.
Pungmul dance does not deviate from the interrelationship and balance with the elements that make up the Pungmul but also harmonizes closely with music.
The dance has a system of individual body structure, such as Witt-Noleum (윗놀음, upper performance) and Bal-Noleum(발놀음, footwork), and a system of pictorial expression in which individuals become objects to complete a group.
Divide according to the form of the dance and the composition of the personnel.
* Group dance () : Jinpuri (진풀이, a variety of formations are presented during the performance)
* Solitary dance () : Sangsoe Noleum (상쇠놀음, lead small gong player's solo performance), Sangmonori (), Suljanggu Noleum ('hourglass-shaped drum performance'), Sogo Noleum()
* Japsaek dance () : A member of the Pungmul troupe dressed as a certain character who acts out various skits. All expressions are the result of role-based self-analysis.
Costuming

Following the drummers are dancers, who often play the ''sogo'' (a small drum without enough resonance to contribute to the soundscape significantly) and tend to have more elaborate—even
acrobatic—
choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A chor ...
, particularly if the sogo-wielding dancers also manipulate the ''
sangmo'' ribbon-hats. In some regional pungmul types, ''japsaek'' (actors) dressed as
caricature
A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...
s of traditional village roles wander around to engage spectators, blurring the boundary between performers and audience. ''Minyo'' (folksongs) and chants are sometimes included in ''pungmul'', and audience members enthusiastically sing and dance along. Most ''minyo'' are set to drum beats in one of a few jangdan (rhythmic patterns) that are common to pungmul,
sanjo,
p'ansori (RR-pansori), and other traditional
Korean musical genres.
Pungmul performers wear a variety of colorful costumes. A flowery version of the
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
''gokkal'' is the most common head-dress. In an advanced troupe all performers may wear ''sangmo'', which are hats with long ribbon attached to them that players can spin and flip in intricate patterns powered by knee bends.
Formations
International exposure
Pungmul is played in several international communities, especially by the Koreans living abroad.
Some dancing activities associated with pungmul performed by the ethnic Koreans living in China, known as the "farmer's dance of ethnic Korean" (), were submitted as a cultural heritage to UNESCO.
Pungmul also has been performed by the numerous
Korean American communities in the United States, including
Oakland,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, and
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
.
College-based groups also exist at the
University of California
The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...
(
Berkeley,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
Davis,
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
,
Santa Barbara,
Irvine),
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public university, public research university in Stony Brook, New York, United States, on Long Island. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is on ...
,
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
,
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
,
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
,
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
, the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
, the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
,
Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
,
California Institute of Technology, the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
University of Buffalo,
Binghamton University
The State University of New York at Binghamton (Binghamton University or SUNY Binghamton) is a public university, public research university in Binghamton metropolitan area, Greater Binghamton, New York, United States. It is one of the four uni ...
,
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...
,
Stanford University
Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
,
The University of Toronto,
Brown University
Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
,
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
, etc.,
Far Eastern Federal University
Development of Pungmul in America
First phase (1985–1989)
P'ungmul's history in the United States is intimately linked to the history of Korean American activism. Numerous founders of these organizations were active in or sympathized with Korean political conflicts. It is critical to note that all of these Korean expressive styles were prevalent throughout the 1970s and 1980s Minjung Munhwa movement that swept South Korean college campuses. Many of the early p'ungmul organizations either originated as a cultural division of a larger organizational (usually political) or became part of one, shortly after formation. In 1985, Binari in New York was established and Sori, formed on the University of California in Berkeley. Il-kwa-Nori of the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center in Chicago, also an affiliate of NAKASEC, formed in 1988. Shinmyŏngpae of the communal organization Uri Munhwa Chatkihwe in 1990.
In the 1970s and 1980s, a few Koreans stayed in the US for long periods of time to assist create p'ungmul organizations and spread its teachings. Kim Bong Jun, a Korean artist noted for his folk-inspired paintings and prints, was one such people. Many people were forced to reconsider their participation in the Korean-American connection due to issues like reunification and knowledge about the Kwangju Uprising.
Second phase (1990 - Present)
Yi Jong-hun, a Korean minister who visited the United States in 1990 and 1991, is another figure seen as important by many long-time p'ungmul practitioners. Yi Jong-hun paid visits to Los Angeles, New York City, and KYCC in Oakland during his tour. He was involved in the formation of the Kutkori group at Harvard. He also provided reading and teaching materials on Pungmul, Minyo, and Movement Songs.
A normal college p'ungmul group has between 15 and 20 members on average, while some organizations have persisted with less than 10 and as many as 30 to 35 members. Hanoolim
(University of California/Los Angeles), Karakmadang (University of Illinois), Hansori (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), NyuRi (New York University), and Loose Roots (University of Chicago) are just a few of the early 1990s groups. Other forms of special-interest clubs have emerged in the United States, bringing more variety to the community of p'ungmul students. Groups have been founded by and for Korean adoptees and activists as well as seniors, kids, Catholic Church members, and people in their mid-thirties and forties, to name just a few.
See also
*
Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea
*
Korean dance
*
Traditional music of Korea
* ''
Namsadang'', itinerant performance troupe having ''pungmul'' in its repertoire
* ''
Samul nori'', traditional percussion genre derived from multiple ''pungmul'' styles
* ''
Pung cholom'', a similar dance from
Manipur
Manipur () is a state in northeastern India with Imphal as its capital. It borders the Indian states of Assam to the west, Mizoram to the south, and Nagaland to the north and shares the international border with Myanmar, specifically t ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
''P'ungmul nori''at the Virtual Instrument Museum of
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the Methodi ...
Poongmul.com a network of ''pungmul'' groups in the United States
sdpungmul.org Pungmul school in San Diego, CA, United States
Pungmul on YouTube very well made video from Bucheon, Korea
{{UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity/APA
Korean traditional music
National Intangible Cultural Heritage of South Korea
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity