Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. White Porcelain Bottle with String Design in Underglaze Iron (Joseon, 16th century). Restaurants serving traditional Korean dishes began to open in the world’s largest metropolises such as New York, London, and Paris, attracting praise even from the choosiest gourmets. Yeongsanjae is a Korean Buddhist ritual performed on the 49th day after one’s death, which is to guide the soul of the deceased to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Buddhist paradise). Recently, Korean Dansaekhwa (monochrome paintings) have become the talk of the global art world.The world’s craze for K-pop reached its zenith in August 2020, when the South Korean boy band BTS achieved its first No. Namsadang nori, generally performed by an itinerant troupe of male performers, consists of several distinct parts including pungmul nori (music and dance), jultagi (tightrope walking), daejeop dolligi (plate spinning), gamyeongeuk (mask theater), and kkokdugaksi noreum (puppet theater). . It is placed in such a way that the first rays of the sun rising over the East Sea would strike the forehead of the seated Buddha statue in the rotunda.Completed the same year as Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple consists of exquisite prayer halls and various monuments, including two stone pagodas, Dabotap Pagoda and Seokgatap Pagoda, standing in the front courtyard of the temple’s main prayer hall called Daeungjeon. “Tal” (탈) literally means “mask” and “Chum” (춤) literally means “dance”. My No.1 Culture Shock – Korean Toilet Culture. They used Korean mulberry paper to make masks, dolls, and ceremonial ornaments, and decorated diverse household objects with black and red lacquer harvested from nature to make them stronger and more beautiful.Later, they developed the art of using beautifully dyed ox-horn strips, and iridescent mother-of-pearl and abalone shell to decorate furniture. JultagiTraditional Korean performance of tightrope walking combined with jokes, mimicry, songs, and dance along with acrobatic movements. YeongsanjaeA Buddhist memorial ritual performed on the 49th day after one’s death to guide the spirit to the pure land of bliss.3. Life inside the palaces. At the present time, Korean arts and culture are attracting many enthusiasts around the world. Compared to other martial arts, Taekkyeon focuses more on defensive techniques than on offensive ones, characterized by fluid, dynamic foot movement. The entire sanctuary retains its original features, including the two shrine halls, which exhibit the unique architectural style of the 16th century. It caused a sensation in Asia, including Japan, where it reached the list of the top 10 most popular TV shows on Netflix in Japan for 10 weeks. This is because they have benefited from the over-the-top (OTT) market, which has rapidly grown worldwide because of COVID-19.Crash Landing on You, which aired in 2020, was premiered in 190 countries through Netflix. You can visit the festival’s website for details of the 2015 Andong Mask Dance Festival. The remains of ancient kilns can be seen in Gangjin, which was one of the main producers of celadon wares during the Goryeo period. The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty are highly regarded as tangible heritage reflecting the value of Joseon funeral customs, which were derived from Confucianism and geomancy. Swan LakePerformed by Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra. You can watch this video for an exerpt of the festival. Royal Tombs in Songsan-riThe Songsan-ri tombs contain the graves of kings and royal families during the Ungjin period (475–538), seven of which have been restored including the Tomb of King Muryeong. The wife wanders all over the country searching for her husand but when she finally finds him, the husand breaks her heart by keeping a beautiful young concubine. They made pieces of wooden furniture such as wardrobes, cabinets, and tables marked by a keen eye for balance and symmetry, and wove beautiful baskets, boxes, and mats with bamboo, wisteria, or lespedeza. Famous Korean film directors such as Bong Joon-ho, Im Kwon-taek, Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, Hong Sang-soo, and Kim Jee-woon are attracting attention in the global film industry.In 2019, Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean director to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his latest film Parasite, which also won four leading awards at the Academy Awards in 2020. This outcome reflects the popularity of K-pop throughout the world, including the United States, South America, and Europe, as well as Japan, China, and Southeast Asia, rather than just a feat of a specific group. A variety of styles of dance are performed to tunes with rhythms ranging from fast and slow, for example, exciting dances performed to a rapid rhythm and elegant dances performed to a slow rhythm. The Royal ancestral ritual (Jongmyo Jerye) in the Jongmyo shrine is now held on the first Sunday of May to honor the deceased Joseon kings and their queen consorts at the Jongmyo shrine in Seoul. Kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbap, and other dishes loved by Korean people through many generations are now beginning to appear in homes around the world.Chefs in some restaurants in the United States have combined traditional Korean dishes with Western traditions, creating the bibimbap burger, kimchi hotdog, and gochujang steak for New Yorkers.Interestingly, Korean cuisine is recognized as a well-being diet, not just out of curiosity, but in line with the global trend in preferring healthy food. Korean people have inherited a great variety of folk dances such as salpurichum (spiritual purification dance), gutchum (shamanic ritual dance), taepyeongmu (dance of peace), hallyangchum (idler’s dance), buchaechum (fan dance), geommu (sword dance), and seungmu (monk’s dance). Descendants of the Sun was exported to 32 countries, generating an economic effect worth more than KRW 1 trillion. The songs and choreography of the idol groups for perfect performance are not built in a day or two. Korean Overseas Culture and Information Service. One thing in common is that the song embodies the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure that people feel in their daily lives. This grotto is the product of outstanding architectural techniques. Idol group members are devoted to real-time communication with their fans from around the world by means of social media, thereby quickly building stronger intimacy and bonds with them. Performance of Yeomillak (“Joy of the People”) court music composed during the reign of King Sejong in the 15th century. Confucianism is a political and social philosophy that pervades Korean culture Seoul: Ewha Woman's University Press, 2005. For example, popular music in Thailand, Japan, and China is called T-pop, J-pop, and C-pop, respectively. The fortress is a “living record” that shows the changes in the fortification technique methods by era from the 7th–19th centuries. This year, it will be held from 25 September to 4 October 2015. Gangjin of Jeollanam-do and Buan of Jeollabuk-do were the two main producers during the Goryeo period (918–1392). The Vegetarian by the internationally acclaimed Korean writer, Han Kang. However, the aspiration of Joseon’s rulers toward a more austere lifestyle gradually pushed it toward villages and markets, and it ultimately became entertainment for the common people. Fans are contributing to the growth of the singers and, furthermore, K-pop through active fan club activities. Trans. Buchaechum - Traditional Korean dance, usually performed by a group of female dancers with decorated fans. Talchum is generally played in an open field where the actors perform in the centre of the field which serves as the stage and the audience watches the performance from seats around the performers. Mongneung The tomb of King Seonjo and his consort Queen Inmok. This collection of documents contains the records of the Joseon rulers’ public life and their interactions with the bureaucracy; they were made on a daily basis by the Seungjeongwon, or Royal Secretariat, from the third month of 1623 to the eighth month of 1910. It is interesting that foreign viewers, using their social networking services, freely expressed their appreciation for the architecture and clothing styles of the Joseon dynasty, the background of the drama series. The collection is generally known by the name Palman Daejanggyeong, literally “the Tripitaka of 80,000 woodblocks,” as it consists of 81, 258 blocks of wood.The Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks were made by the people of Goryeo who sought the Buddha’s magical power to repel the Mongol forces that had invaded and devastated their country in the 13th century. The performers also played instruments while they dance, such as the barrel buk (drum), janggu (hourglassshaped drum), kkwaenggwari (small metal gong), jing (large metal gong), and two wind instruments called nabal and taepyeongso. It topped the global movie charts in 35 countries two days after its release on Netflix. Watch this space! His calligraphic works are still widely admired for their remarkably modern artistic beauty. Namhansanseong located about 25 km southeast of Seoul, was originally constructed in 672 as Jujangseong Fortress in the Unified Silla era, and later was restructured in 1626 during the reign of King Injo of the Joseon dynasty to create a refuge for the King and his people in the event of a national emergency. The launch of the National Dance Company of Korea in 1962 provided the momentum for the Korean people to become more interested in contemporary dance. Hwaseong FortressThis fortification was built for defensive purposes, based on military construction techniques from both the East and West, at that time. Dancers use large fans painted with pink peony blossoms to create various formations that represent images such as birds, flowers, butterflies, dragons and waves. Royal palaces were typically built according to a layout planned to highlight the dignity and authority of its occupant, but the layout of Changdeokgung was planned to make the most of the geographical features of Eungbong Peak of the ridge of Bukakdan Mountain. Yeongneung The tomb of King Sejong and his consort Queen Soheon. The introduction of cannons from western countries brought many changes to the weaponry inside the fortress and the way the fortress was built. Seowon were educational institutions intended to teach Neo-Confucianism, which was introduced from China and flourished greatly during the Joseon dynasty. The buildings were built side by side at the highest point (about 700 m above sea level) in the precincts of Haeinsa Temple, which is located on the mid-slope of Gayasan Mountain.What makes these depositories so special is their unique design, which provides effective natural ventilation by exploiting the wind blowing in from the valley of Gayasan Mountain. It was intended to reduce fatigue and increase cooperation during hard work such as weeding, weeding a rice paddy, rice-planting, etc. Yay! This festival is held in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, for about 30 days until Dano Day on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Hangeul is the name of the Korean writing system and alphabet, which consists of letters inspired by the shapes formed by the human vocal organs during a speech, making it very easy to learn and use. Located inside Changdeokgung Palace, Nakseonjae is a compound of exquisite traditional buildings set up as a residence for members of the royal family. The history of music in Korea should be as long as Korean history itself, but it was only in the early 15th century, during the reign of King Sejong of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), that Korean music became a subject of serious study and was developed into a system, resulting in the creation of the first mensural notation system called jeongganbo in Asia. For example, the servant mask has larger eyes, nose and ears than other masks and these features suggest that the servant must watch and listen carefully the  corrupt and devious schemes of the nobleman, the ruling class. Hangeul was promulgated in 1446 by King Sejong, who helped devise it and named it Hunminjeongeum, or The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People. Arirang TV, “Mask Dance“, 100 Icons of Korean Culture, 2013-08-24, Kang Nan-sook, Tal and Talchum, Daejeon: National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, 2011, Kim Joo-yeon, “Talchum: Korean masked dance“, The KNU Times, 2006-11-01, “Talchum, Korean Mask Dance“, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A survey reported that bibimbap and bulgogi are the most popular dishes in Korean restaurants in Paris, and bibimbap, in particular, is further recognized as a vegetable-oriented well-being food.Recently, more people have tried to make their own Korean dishes by following the recipes on Korean cooking channels on YouTube. The artists of Goryeo (918–1392) were interested in capturing Buddhist icons and bequeathed some great masterpieces, while the literati elite of Joseon was more attracted not only to idealized landscapes but also to the symbolism of plants and animals, such as the Four Noble Lords (Sagunja, namely, the orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and plum tree) and the Ten Creatures of Longevity (Sipjangsaeng), including crane, tigers, and deer.Korea in the 18th century saw the arrival of two great artists, Kim Hong-do and Sin Yun-bok, both of whom developed a passionate interest in depicting the daily activities of ordinary people in their work. Most performances are presented in a marketplace or on the fields and involve drumming, dancing, and singing, all of which are used to create a highly elated atmosphere. The original palace buildings have been preserved intact, including Donhwamun Gate (the main gate at the entrance of Changdeokgung), Injeongjeon Hall, Seonjeongjeon Hall, and a beautiful traditional garden to the rear of the main buildings. The two main buildings at the Royal Shrine, Jeongjeon Hall and Yeongnyeongjeon Hall, exhibit a fine symmetry, and there are differences in the height of the raised platform, the height of the eaves and the rooftop, and the thickness of the columns according to their status. Dansaekhwa masters Lee Ufan, Ha Chong-hyun, and Park Seo-bo are attracting attention from major collectors around the world. This is followed by a variety of festive events such as the Gwanno Mask Dance (Korea’s unique nonverbal performance by masked players), swing riding, ssireum (Korean wrestling), nongak (traditional Korean music performed by farmers) contests, changpo (iris) hair washing, and surichwi rice cake eating. Similarly, the floor, which was built by ramming layers of charcoal, clay, sand, salt, and lime powder, also helps to control the humidity of the rooms. Archaeological and historical evidence shows that falconry on the Korean Peninsula started several thousand years ago and was widely practiced during the Goryeo period (918–1392) in particular. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Well done–noted the frustration–but accepted. In particular, the growing curiosity about the Korean traditional hat for men called gat contributed to the increase in its sale on the global online shopping website Amazon.com.As such, Korean dramas, recognized for their topicality and cinematography, have been expanding their fan base abroad in 2020. These bridges symbolize the journey every Buddhist needs to make to reach the Pure Land of Bliss. South Korea culture - the traditional Suwon Dance is a traditional Korean dance that was performed during the planting and harvesting seasons. Then, the term Hallyu or the “Korean Wave” first appeared, referring to the global craze for Korean culture.The Korean Wave landed in Japan in 2003 when the KBS TV drama series Winter Sonata was aired via NHK. 32 likes. In the blog post about Korean Dano Festival, I mentioned that one of the key events of the Gangneung Dano Festival is the Gangneung Gwanno Mask Dance Drama. In 2020, Parasite, won leading awards at the 92nd Academy Awards such as Best Picture and Best Director. Mariinsky ballet dancers Olesya Novikova and Kim Ki-min, who is the first Asian dancer to join the Mariinsky Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre. From ancient folk dancing to modern dance styles, the Korean people have long celebrated dance as part of their cultural heritage. In addition, stone lanterns are located in front of the stone animals. 100 to 600 years ago, white porcelain ware was the main representation of Korean ceramic art. Specifically, #Alive, a South Korean zombie film released in June 2020, is an example of successful Korean films introduced abroad through OTT media services. BTS topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2019 and won the Top Social Artist award for the third consecutive year at the Billboard Music Awards. Buncheong Bottle with Lotus and Vine Design (Joseon, 15th century)4. Now gaining a worldwide reputation as a representative Korean food, kimchi has always been one of the key side dishes required to complete the everyday meals eaten by Korean people since olden times. Then this and other categories of dance were questioned and their distinctions became subject to debate. Although the melodies and lyrics vary in each region, all of them include a refrain similar to “arirang” or “arari” in common.The contents of the song are as diverse as the versions. Bulguksa TempleThis Silla temple is architecturally known for being one of the finest examples that embody the Buddhism doctrines. These traditional musical instruments are generally divided into three categories: wind instruments such as the piri, daegeum, danso, and taepyeongso; stringed instruments such as the gayageum, geomungo, haegeum, ajaeng, and bipa; and percussion instruments such as the buk, janggu, pyeonjong, pyeongyeong, kkwaenggwari, and jing. 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