Lesson 3
ts and Crafts of Kore
Ar a
The Korean peninsula comprises of two
countries, North and South Korea They are
separated by the Korean Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ), formerly known as the 38th parallel.
There have been decades of tension between
these two countries, but it is hoped that peace
can be achieved
South Korea, formally the Republic of Korea, has
become an economic powerhouse Its culture can be
seen in its visual arts, movies, fashion, and music
seeped into different countries, including the
Philippines While North Korea, formally the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea,' has
maintained diplomatic relations at a minimum, thus, it
is regarded as the "hermit nation.
China heavily influenced Korea's culture, but this
influence has been adapted and assimilated according
to Korean values. Korean art further developed
during the Three Kingdoms (57-668 CE) with foreign
influences on Korean aesthetics. It was also around
this time Buddhism arrived in Korea that led to the
development of temples and shrines in the peninsula.
Korean art exists in traditional forms such as calligraphy,
painting, sculpture, among others. It is also greatly influenced
by Buddhism. Confucianism, and Shamanism These influences
can be seen in their scroll paintings, murals, and Buddhist
sculptures.
Traditional Korean art, however, is described as
simple, spontaneous, and barmonious with nature.
Nature is respected by using minimal decorations to
let the natural beauty of the materials show on its own
Simplicity for Korean artists is quite apparent
compared to Chinese art. The dislike for over-the-top
curvature and colors is changed to be more subtle and
modest
Masks
integral part of Korean
culture, and some are even
considered as a national
treasure in Korea.
The masks or tal as known in
Korea. These masks were made
from wood, paper-mache. It
has a black hood that holds the
mask and represents hair at
the same time.
The masks is often used in Korean theather called talchum.
Masks were very useful in conveying personalities, and they also
offered actors the freedom The various tal masks of Hahoetal
The mask is often used in Korean theater called talchum Masks
were very useful in conveying to parody people in power without
being recognized The mosks used are full of symbolism, and
audiences watching the play can tell a lot of the character just by
its appearance. The masks color represents age and gender
The masks color represents age and gender:
white for women or young men
red for middle aged
black for the elderly
Masks were also used in rituals to drive evil spirits away
through a ritual dance called talnori, which was performed by
Shaman or witch-doctors
Soldiers also used masks to intimidate their enemies. In fact
even battle horses were also given masks
A mask that replicates a historical persona was a way for
them to show respect and honor in korea.
Korean Drums
Another Korean craft used
in the theater, like the fals, is the
janggu
Janggu
is an hourglass-shaped drum with two ends or heads used in
traditional Korean music. The drum heads are covered with
animal hide. The two ends produce different sounds by using
different leather thicknesses and different drum sticks.
Also known as seyogo the earliest mention of these drums
were seen in murals that date back around 57 BCE to 955 AD.
It is believed that the janggu developed from another Korean
waist drum called the yogo, whose design was based on the
Indian drum idakka.
Janggu
is traditionally strapped on the musician's body and
played with a drumstick called a yeolchae on the
right, and the bare hands are used to beat on the other
Although in present times, it is normal to see the
yeolchae being used on the left.
K-pop
Korean pop is a Korean music genre that is characterized by
its eye catching videos showcasing dance routines, catchy
lyrics, and stylish fashion.
K-pop is part of the so called Hallyu wave or the Korean
wave, which was used to describe the increase in the
popularity of South Korean culture including K-drama
(television series, movies, etc.) that began in the 1990s.
It exponentially grew due to the accessibility and
proliferation provided by the internet.
K-pop
K-pop
K-pop as a worldwide phenomenon was cemented by the
South Korean star PSY, who is the first artist in history to have
reached a billion YouTube views for his music video Gangnam
Style.
K-pop
HOT, which was a boyband in the late 1990s.
TVXQ Boyband (2003)
Super Junior (2005)
Big Bang (2006)
Wonder Girls (2007)
Girls Generation (2007)
2Ne1 (2009)
EXO (2011)
BTS (2013)
Blackpink (2016)
