Music of South Korea
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The first evidence of Korean music is ancient, and it has been well-documented by surviving written materials since the 15th century and was brought to heights of excellence during the Yi kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Japan's invasion of Korea eliminated Korean music from 1905 to 1945. A brief post-war period rewakened folk and patriotic music. By 1951, Korea was split, into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or North and the Republic of Korea or South Korea from which emerged two different approaches to music.
South Korea where the US and its allies maintained large forces initially accepted Western big band, rock and roll, then pop music, most often taking American styles and tunes and translating them into Korean. At the same time classical music that had a long history of performance by Koreans, became an area of great expertise in orchestral performances and created superb soloists who toured the world to great acclaim coming into is own in the 1980s, with great success internationally.
By the 1990s, Korean music that spoke to Koreans in a new vernacular began to be created; the traditional folk songs revived; and less derivative and more original music emerged. The contemporary culture of South Korea now includes world music elements, important new orchestral compositions featuring western orchestras with Korean soloists on traditional Korean instruments, and a new kind of musical nationalism that has emerged with new vitality particularly in scores for non-commercial areas. And in the film industry.
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Korean music
Main article: Korean music
Korean music includes kinds of both folk and classical, courtly music, including genres like sanjo, pansori and nongak.
The three types of Korean court music are aak, hyangak and tangak.
K-Pop music
Main article: K-pop
Korean popular music is a highly commercial industry, often controlled by the larger American and Japanese labels, as it is throughout most of Asia. The music is similar to Cantopop and has masterfully created young stars with high style, the latest looks, dance skills, and an ability to imitate the music of the moment of the west whether it is done as Korean rap, Korean soul, Korean rhythm and blues, or Korean middle of the road music. Contemporary Korean music and pop stars are so popular, Asians have designated a word to reflect this fact. Han-ryu or Korean Wave is the word noting how influential Korean culture has become in Asia. (Ironically, "han-ryu" can also mean Cold Wave in Korean.) Karaoke (noraebang) is popular as well.
Among the most important modern stars are: BoA, a teen popstar with powerful vocals and energetic dancing.
- See also: Contemporary culture of South Korea
Teuroteu
Teuroteu (or somewhat derisively ppongjjak) is the oldest form of Korean pop, having developed in the years before and during the Japanese invasions and occupations. It has received criticism from nationalists, who allege that it derives from the Japanese music genre of drinking songs known as enka.
Defenders of teuroteu refute this claim, citing development prior to Japanese invasions and parallel development as the reason for the similarities. The name itself, the Koreanised form of "trot", derives from a shortening of "foxtrot", a ballroom dance which influenced the characteristic simple beat of the genre. The genre has largely fallen out of popularity in today's popular music scene.
Tong guitar
Heavily influenced by American pop music, tong guitar developed in the early 1970s as a Korean version of folk singers like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. In the 1980s, t'ong became a form of soft rock ballad that earned critical scorn.
Norae Undong
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a form of Korean rock music with politically and socially aware lyrics was invented by pioneers like Kim Min-ki. It soon earned the name Norae Undong (New Song Movement).