Eolssigu!

Jeryeak 제례악. Music practice that includes the rites to Confucius, Munmyo jeryeak 문묘제례아악, of Chinese origin (aak아악), and those used for royal ancestral rites, Jongmyo jereak 종묘제례향악, that includes two suites of Korean origin (hyangak향악). Along with song and dance, the complete instrumental set includes the ajaeng, bak, bu, chuk, daegeum, dangpiri, eo, haegeum, hun, janggu, jeok, jeolgo, ji, pyeongyeong, pyeonjong, so, taepyeongso, and the yak.

Literally "monks' dance", this secularized busita dance is characterized by the figures created by the sleeves of the tunic "jangsam". Considered one of the most beautiful dances of this culture, it is catalogued as intangible heritage of Korea.

Daechwita 대취타. A music practice that emerged towards the end of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) to accompany royal processions. Literally translated as "great blowing and hitting", it is played on wind instruments: nabal, nagak, taepyeongso; and percussion: jabara, jing, yonggo and the ulla, which has fallen into disuse today. The Republic of Korea Army currently uses daechwita for the changing of the guard at Seoul's Gyeongbok and Deoksu palaces.

Gungjung eumak궁중음악. Instrumental accompaniment pieces for song and dance (song is no longer used today) for court banquets and celebrations. Those that originated in China, dangak당악, are distinguished from those of Korean origin, hyangak향악. Of great solemnity and big format, the instruments used include the ajaeng, bak, daegeum, piri, haegeum, janggu, jwago, pyeongyeong, pyeonjong, and the sogeum, among others.

Sanjo 산조. Musical practice involving a solo melodic instrument accompanied by the janggu. The melodic element comes from folk music, influenced by pansori and shamanic music. It was originally created for the gayageum, and is today practised on instruments such as the ajaeng, daegeum, danso, geomungo, haegeum and the piri. While sanjo literally means “scattered melodies”, its structure consists of an uninterrupted progression of melodies over a chain of rhythmical patterns configured from greater to lesser complexity, and from slower to faster tempo, a complete performance could take up to a full hour.

Pansori 판소리. Epic stories narrated in song (sori) by a male or female soloist, that emerged in the 18th century in popular meeting places (pan). The soloist conveys the story through song (sori), spoken narration, gesticulation, and the help of a handkerchief or fan. The singer is accompanied by a soribuk performer, who marks out the songs' rhythmic patterns and interacts, as does the audience, through vocal expressions of approval and support such as by shouting "eolssigu!" (얼씨구!) The soloist employs a huge variety of vocal techniques to achieve a broad tonal spectrum, and a hoarse, rough voice is a typical feature. Five of the traditional repertoire's twelve original pieces are currently preserved.

Samulnori 사물놀이. In 1978, four folk company musicians led by Kim Deoksu brought the rural rhythms of nongak / pungmul to a Seoul stage. This was called Samulnori, “performance of four objects”, since it used the four basic pungmulnori instruments: the buk, janggu, jing, and kkwaenggwari. Differing from its initial danced performance, this interpretation was played seated on the floor, a new format that proved highly popular, especially among young urban audiences. New groups were formed, both in varied Korean locations and internationally, all maintaining the name samulnori, which became a genre in itself. The five canonic samulnori pieces, created by the original group, embrace the rhythms of different Korean regions with great virtuosity.

Pungmulnori 풍물놀이. Also known as nongak 농악, “peasant music”, this is the summation of musical practices that were associated with land work, ritual, and entertainment. Essentially rhythmical, with its main components being percussion and dance, it may also include elements of theatre and song. Originally, the peasant themselves, attired in brightly-coloured dress and showy hats, performed on the buk, janggu, jing, kkwaenggwari , and sogo while dancing, accompanied on the taepyongso. A more recreational current practice, pangut 판굿, has been developed in urban settings performed by semi-professional players.

Minyo 민요. A folk-song practice that explores themes reflecting the lifestyles of its practitioners. It relates directly to emotions, such as a sense of nostalgia and resignation denoted by the concept of han. A good example is Korea's most popular song, Arirang. Minyo is considered to have five broad stylistic variants, which are based on their regional origin: Gyeonggi, Namdo, Seodo, Dongbu, and Jeju. Each style is defined by certain scales and modes, as well as a characteristic vocal projection in which vibrato fulfils an important expressive role. The most used instruments include: the janggu, sogo, hyangpiri, daegeum and gayageum.