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PART 2

TRADITIONAL KOREA

Before we rush headlong into K-pop or the sometimes scary world of the “netizen,” let’s look at some of the foundations of Korean culture. I’m talking about the likes of religion and ethics, traditional arts, and the classic Korean house. But don’t run away just yet—these are also subjects that take in shamanistic fortune-telling and flying taekwondo kicks. as I said, Korea will never bore you.

CRITICAL EVENTS IN KOREAN HISTORY

GOJOSEON, THE FIRST “PROTO-KOREAN” STATE

The first identifiably Korean state was Gojoseon, the territory of which covers much of modern-day Manchuria and North Korea. Its foundation is shrouded in mystery. The 2333 BC figure is merely a guess based on readings of the tale of Dangun, the legendary “first Korean.” The story begins with Hwanin, the “Lord of Heaven,” sending his son Hwanung to live on earth. Hwanung arrived at Cheonji (Heaven Lake) on top of Baekdusan, the tallest and most spiritually important mountain on the Korean peninsula. Hwanung heard the prayers of a tiger and a bear who wanted to become human. He told them that if they stayed in a cave for a hundred days, eating only mugwort and garlic, he would grant their wish. The tiger gave up, but the bear persevered and was transformed into a woman. She later prayed for a husband, and Hwanung himself took her as his wife. Their son, Dangun, became the mythical founder of Gojoseon, a state which lasted until the first century BC.

KOREA FIRST UNIFIED, 668 AD

From the first to the seventh centuries AD, what would today be called “Korea” was in fact three separate states—Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Silla conquered Baekje in 660, and eight years later, claimed Goguryeo. This came with the eventual loss of Goguryeo’s northern territory—some Korean historians lament this downsizing of Korea even today. Regardless, 668 is the year in which we can say “Korea” truly began.

A Silla crown.

Cheomseongdae observatory at Gyeongju, the capital of Silla.

Koryo Dynasty-era Buddha statue at Gaesong, in present-day North Korea. Gaesong was the capital of Korea back then. Seoul only became capital in 1394, at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty.

Wang Geon.

THE KORYO DYNASTY

By the early 900s, Korea had again split into three separate states. One of those was Hugoguryeo (later Goguryeo), which was led by Gung Ye—a man known for his brutality and rather mad behavior (he killed his own wife and children, and declared himself a Buddha). His prime minister Wang Geon overthrew him, and succeeded in reuniting the whole of Korea in 936. Wang Geon’s new kingdom took the name Koryo. If you ever wondered where the word “Korea” comes from, there’s your answer.

Na Cheol (1863–1916) founded Daejonggyo, a religion that worships Dangun.

Gyeongbokgung, the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongbokgung remains the most well-known Korean palace.

1392—The Joseon Dynasty

Four centuries of Koryo and the cracks were showing. Mongol invasions had weakened the state, and powerful monks were taking advantage of Buddhism’s status as the national religion to accumulate vast wealth. Supported by anti-Buddhist, neo-Confucianist hardliners, General Yi Seong-gye established himself as king of the new Joseon Dynasty in 1392, four years after taking de facto control in a coup.

King Sejong the Great, the most revered ruler of the Joseon era. He reigned from 1418–1450 and presided over the creation of Hangeul, the Korean writing system.

THE IMJIN WAE-RAN INVASIONS

For a period of six years, Japanese invaders attempted to take control of Korea. They failed thanks to Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s astonishing naval prowess. He won a famous victory at the 1597 Battle of Myeongnyang, despite being outnumbered 333 ships to 13—and the assistance of Chinese troops. But Korea’s survival came at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. Imjin Wae-ran also represents the start of Korea’s obsession with spicy red pepper: the Japanese brought it over with them, having obtained it from Portuguese traders.

JAPANESE COLONIZATION

Joseon had been seriously weakened by infighting and corruption, unfortunately making Japan’s next major attempt at taking control of Korea easier. Korea became a “protectorate” in 1910, and was used as a staging post by Japan in which to invade China. Koreans were forced to take Japanese names, and many women were even made into sex slaves. Liberation came in 1945, with the fall of Imperial Japan to the Allies, but the 35 years of Japanese rule continues to cast a long shadow over Korea: the period created both heroes and collaborators, and political divisions that last to this day.

Seodaemun Prison, where independence activists were held. It was still used throughout the dictatorship era. You can visit this Seodaemun Prison today, but be warned, it isn’t a light-hearted tourist trap.

Gwangju May 18th National Cemetery, for the victims of the 1980 Gwangju Massacre perpetrated by Chun Doo-hwan.

Hyundai shipyard, Ulsan. Park Chung-hee saw shipbuilding as a way for Korea to get ahead, and directed huge amounts of state money toward it. The most impressive result is Hyundai’s shipyard, the biggest in the world.

PARK CHUNG-HEE TAKES CHARGE

Army General Park Chung-hee took power in a coup on May 16, 1961. He ran a repressive regime—but one that pulled the country out of poverty and laid the foundations for South Korea’s “economic miracle.” He was eventually assassinated by his intelligence chief in 1979. Park Chung-hee is a controversial figure, but South Korea is in many ways still his country. His daughter, Park Geun-hye, was elected president in December 2012.

DEMOCRACY COMES TO KOREA

South Korea is home to two miracles—one economic, one political. Massive protests forced military dictator Chun Doo-hwan (who had taken over following Park’s assassination) to declare free elections in 1987. Since then, a new president has been elected every five years. Newly democratic, economic powerhouse South Korea turned the 1988 Olympics into a gigantic “coming out party” to mark the nation’s emergence onto the world stage.

The Olympic Torch, 1988

1950–1953—The Korean War

Following liberation, two Korean states emerged—each backed by a superpower. North Korean leader Kim Il-sung was personally chosen by the Soviets, and the South had Lee Seung-man (Syngman Rhee), a Harvard-educated Methodist whom the Americans trusted (well, at least initially). Both wanted to reunify the country under their sole command, and after a series of skirmishes, the North launched a full-scale attack on June 25, 1950. The war lasted three years, claimed millions of lives, and had no victor. From now on, our story just deals with South Korea…

North Korean refugees aboard a US Navy vessel, 1952.

KOREA’S MULTIFACETED BELIEF SYSTEMS

For a country forever being labeled “homogeneous,” there is a surprising amount of religious diversity in South Korea. It may surprise you to know that the most popular religion now is Christianity, but Buddhism and even traditional shamanism still both have many adherents. Buddhism and shamanism even blend into each other, to a large extent. And some shamanists even follow Jesus Christ. To add to this mix, Christianity itself—a Western import—has been “Koreanized” in many ways. To talk about belief systems in Korea though, we cannot ignore Confucianism. As we shall see, Confucianism is not actually a religion. But what is it? Read on and find out...

Myeongryundang, at the present-day site of Sunkyunkwan University in Seoul. Myeongryundang served as the nation’s top Confucian college during the Koryo and Joseon Dynasties.

THE ENDURING INFLUENCE OF CONFUCIANISM IN KOREA

Especially after the inception of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, Confucianism came to have great influence on Korean culture. This system of moral philosophy is an import though, having originated from the teachings of Confucius (Gong Fuzi), in ancient China. Confucianism is not a religion like Buddhism, but it does offer guidance on how people should live. Particularly, it is concerned with how people behave in relation to each other, in order to promote a harmonious society.

In a Confucian society, one must uphold certain obligations: the practice of ren, the humane treatment of others; li, the correct observance of important social rituals, such as funerals, or even the preparation of tea; and xiao, or filial piety. The last was the most important of all. The worst kind of person was the one who did not show sufficient respect to his or her parents.

HIGHER OR LOWER?

Confucianism is very hierarchical. Though the king had to treat his subjects humanely (because of ren), the people were to respond in kind with absolute subservience. All human relationships were considered to have a higher and lower partner: ruler and subject; father and son; brother and younger brother; man and wife; and, friend and friend. Equality only existed in the very last one of the five. As a result, men came to be treated as superior to women, and the old as above the young. The ideal Joseon woman was simply a “good wife and wise mother,” who did not concern herself with the world outside the family home; even today, Korea’s gender pay gap is the highest in the OECD.

Shin Saimdang, the ideal Confucian “good wife and wise mother.” She devoted herself to raising her son, the noted scholar Yulgok.

AGE HIERARCHY

Because of Confucianism, one is expected to use a respectful form of language (known as jondaetmal) to those older than oneself. People even give each other titles based on their age difference: older and younger members of the same school or university are known as seonbae and hubae respectively. The seonbae is supposed to look out for his hubae, and pay for everything whenever they get together for a meal or a drink. The hubae ought to follow the seonbae’s words of guidance, and even do favors for him if requested.

Age is also a major factor in promotions in the workplace. At a typical Korean company, even the utterly brilliant must peer up from the lower rungs of the ladder for many years. But things are worse for the less-than-brilliant fifty-year-old. It would be strange for such an older “salaryman” to remain a middle manager, as younger staff would overtake him. His fat salary—which naturally increased every year in accordance with his age-derived status—is also a burden to the company. Therefore, he is pushed into early retirement. Thus Korea is full of fifty- and sixty-something men scraping a living driving taxis or working as security guards.

EDUCATION IN KOREA SHUT UP AND STUDY!

The Daechi-dong neighborhood in Gangnam, Seoul, is a kind of ground zero for Korean education mania. Due to government efforts to develop Gangnam in the 1970s and 1980s, there are an abundance of good schools in the area. This resulted in spiralling property prices, and the creation of a nouveau riche elite. In turn, this drew in large numbers of private after-school academies (or hakwon), which can charge top dollar for extra-curricular tuition. Today, one of the main streets through Daechi-dong is known as “hakwon alley.”

Young children learning English at a hakwon—a private after-school academy.

Daechi-dong kids are lucky by any material standards. They wear expensive brand name clothes, and have a great chance at entering top universities and getting top jobs later in life. They also stand to inherit million-dollar apartments. Yet, it is unlikely many of them feel fortunate. When I first lived in Seoul, I gave one lesson per week at an English hakwon there, and saw how extreme their education-obsessed mothers could be.

It was really not unusual to see children crying from stress. Nothing less than an “A” ever seemed to be good enough, and I heard comments like, “I went to bed at midnight after studying, and got up at 6 AM to start studying again” on a very regular basis. Korean society values education to an astonishing extent, so parents put great pressure on their children to achieve. And particularly in areas like Daechi-dong, mothers engage in vicarious competition with each other: “Our Soo-min just got into Seoul National University” will be followed with, “well, our Jae-won just got into Harvard!”

A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

No doubt education mania has had very positive effects on Korea—having a highly-qualified populace has contributed greatly to economic growth. However, there are great costs involved, too. The Institute for Social Development Studies at Yonsei University has found Korean teenagers to be the unhappiest in the OECD. Another study, by the Korean Educational Development Institute, also found Korean youths to be the second worst at social interaction among 36 countries surveyed.

Tragically, suicide is the leading cause of death among Korean youths. And according to Statistics Korea, 53 percent of young Koreans who have suicidal thoughts do so because of worries about education-related competition. Every year, there are many cases of high school students taking their own lives around the time of the university entrance exam.

English hakwons remain a great way to make money if done right. Several people have approached me asking me to open one with them, even offering to put up all the capital. But although I know I’ll never change this extreme education culture—it is as Korean as kimchi—I don’t want to be part of it.

CONFUCIANISM AND EDUCATION

One other important area where Confucianism affects Korea is education. A traditional Confucian society was supposed to be ruled by those who mastered li, and the way of demonstrating this was through examinations. In government-set tests, scholars had to show supreme knowledge of classic Confucian texts, ceremonies, and ethics. Those who did sufficiently well could become civil servants. In early Joseon Korea, this was virtually the only route to wealth and status. Thus the Korean education fetish was born. This country has the world’s highest university enrolment rate. Even children as young as ten spend hours every day in private cram schools, which operate after regular school hours. The aim is to gain entrance into one of the “SKY” universities: Seoul National, Korea, or Yonsei University.

KOREAN BUDDHISM A SHOCKED KING CONVERTS HIS KINGDOM

Buddhism first came to the Korean peninsula via a Chinese monk named Sundo, in 372 AD. In those days, there was no “unified” Korea, but rather three separate states—Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The royal families of the first two came to adopt Buddhism, while their subjects mostly stuck with shamanism. Importantly though, this was never the cause of any friction. Even today, shamanism and Buddhism “blend” in Korea, meaning that those who follow one tend to follow the other as well.

Black Buddhist stone piles. Each stone represents a prayer of the person who built the pile. Such features are very common around temples both in Korea and throughout the Buddhist world.

BUDDHISM AS STATE RELIGION

Silla’s rulers first rejected the new faith, but eventually made it into their state religion due to the actions of one man—according to legend, at least. In 527, a court official named Ichadon announced that he was a Buddhist, and implored King Beopheung to make Silla a Buddhist state. When this request was rejected, he forced his own execution by deliberately insulting members of the court. The story goes that when his head was cut off, the blood that flowed out was white, not red. Ichadon had predicted this earlier. The stunned king then converted Silla to Buddhism.

Lanterns placed in honor of Buddha’s birthday. In Korea, Buddha’s birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar.

Silla unified Korea, and thus, Buddhism came to be the official religion of the whole peninsula. And following the fall of Silla and the proclamation of the Koryo kingdom (from which the English word “Korea” was derived) in 918, Buddhism’s power grew even stronger. Lavish temples were built, and many had their own private armies. Monks were exempt from taxation. There were also extraordinary achievements: the carving of the entire Buddhist canon on to 81,258 wooden blocks, completed in 1259.

A part of the Tripitaka Koreana, at Haeinsa temple.

Apprentice monks. These young boys have had their heads shaved, in preparation for training to become monks.

DECLINE AND RECOVERY

The founding of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392 brought in a new Confucian elite. They despised Buddhism, and like the shamanists, the once-privileged monks were pushed to the margins of society. There, Buddhism and shamanism—which had never had a hostile relationship—began to blend more closely. Even today, one can see portraits of Sanshin, the shaman mountain god, at Buddhist temples. People who seek the advice of mudang (shamans) will also follow the Buddha. And also like shamanism, Buddhism has undergone something of a renaissance in modern Korea. Around 23 percent of the population is Buddhist. There are popular monks who give public lectures, write bestselling books, and go on television.

Monks Behaving Badly?

There is no real “rock star CEO” in Korea. Sometimes, entire teams behave as though they were rock stars. In 2012, a major scandal tarnished the leadership of the Jogye Order, an organization which accounts for 90 percent of Korea’s Buddhists, and has an annual budget of 30 billion won (around US$27 million). It emerged that senior monks were gambling, drinking, smoking, and even visiting “room salons” (hostess bars), with temple donors’ money.

BUDDHISM AND BUSINESS

And this religion, which encourages followers to group together in a “Sang-ha” community dedicated to sustained, mutual improvement, influences both Korean and Japanese business culture. The Japanese word kaizen is much-loved by management theorists, and is most frequently associated with Japanese companies like Toyota. However, its meaning—“continuous improvement”—is also applicable to Korean firms, such as Samsung Electronics. The top Korean firms operate like tight communities of dedicated team-workers, and do not tend to create radically inventive products, but rather refine and perfect existing ones. The CEO is top dog, but he is not seen as an indispensable individual, like in the US, but rather as the leader of a great team.

Buddhist temple art at Bulguksa, Gyeongju.

Such Taenghwa art is one of the best reasons to visit a Buddhist temple in Korea, and Bulguksa is no exception.

The temple of Yonggungsa at Gijang, near Busan.

Yonggungsa’s location—cut into the rocky coastline—makes it one of the most visually striking temples in the whole of Korea.

CHRISTIANITY IN KOREA: THE POWERFUL NEWCOMER

Though this Western religious import has been around for several centuries, it was only in the mid and late 20th century that Christianity really began to grow rapidly. It may surprise you to learn that Christianity is now the most common faith in Korea. With the exception of East Timor, it is the country with the highest proportion of churchgoers in Asia. Korea is also second only to the US in the export of Christian missionaries.

CATHOLIC INROADS

Catholicism began to make inroads into Korea in the 17th and 18th centuries. Korean scholars based in China began studying Catholic texts, and bringing them back to their homeland. Prominent figures like scholar and reformer Dasan Jeong Yak-yong were among those who began deeply studying the incoming religion.

Myeongdong Cathedral. Completed in May 1898, Myeongdong Cathedral is the center of Korean Catholicism. The cathedral was also a focal point for pro-democracy protestors in the 1970s and 1980s, with figures like Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan offering them protection there from the authorities.

Nuns enjoy a picnic in the grounds of a palace.

In 1801, the court of Queen Jeongsun grew especially fearful of Catholicism following the discovery of a letter to the Bishop of Beijing from Hwang Sa-yeong (Dasan’s brother-in-law) inviting foreign powers to invade Korea. The Queen denounced Catholics as traitors, and launched the so-called Sinyu Persecution, which led to mass executions of believers.

As a result, the growth of Catholicism was impeded; by 1882, there were still only 12,500 Catholics in the whole country. Sinyu and subsequent persecutions also led Catholicism to take on an insular, quiet orientation in Korea. Even in these days of religious freedom, Korean Catholics are nowhere near as vocal about their faith as Korean Protestants.

A Protestant preacher in Myeongdong, Seoul. Usually the message of such street preachers is “repent or go to hell.”

PROTESTANTISM, A SUCCESS STORY

Protestantism has had a shorter, and more successful history on the Korean peninsula. Following the opening up of Korea in the late 19th century, American missionaries like Horace Underwood and Henry Appenzeller began to arrive. They established schools, universities, and hospitals, providing Protestantism with a benevolent, progressive image.

Korean megachurches

Koreans show a tendency towards large group activity, and one result of this is the development of megachurches. Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul operates like a franchise, with affiliate churches all over the country. In this way, Yoido claims over a million members; another, the powerful Somang Church, has around 700,000. Unfortunately, the amount of money these churches have can create illegal incentives: family members of Yoido Church founder David Cho Yong-gi have faced trial for financial misdealing.

Yoido Full Gospel Church by night.

Lee Seung-man (Syngman Rhee), the first president of the Republic of Korea, seen here embracing General Douglas MacArthur. The Rhee era was a key factor in the growth of Protestantism in Korea.

Protestants also played a leading role in resisting Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945). Sixteen of the thirty-three signatories of the March 1st Independence Declaration were Protestant, though only two percent of the total population followed the faith at the time.

Following the division of the peninsula, South Korea came to be strongly influenced by the United States. Americanophile Syngman Rhee—the South’s first president—was a Methodist, and almost half of his government was Christian. The US became a model for Korea to emulate, and its religion was no exception in that regard. There were just 800,000 Korean Protestants in 1958, but two million ten years later; there are 11 million now. Catholicism did not grow as rapidly, but it did also increase its presence: they number around three million today.

FERVENCY AND POLITICKING

Christianity in Korea—particularly Protestantism—can polarize opinion. Korean Protestants tend to be fervent and vocal about their religion, with preachers sometimes haranguing passers-by on the street. It is also very common for them to approach foreigners, asking “Do you know Jesus Christ?” When visiting Korea, do not be surprised if complete strangers come up to you and ask you to go to their church.

Furthermore, some churches have a very aggressive political slant (generally right-wing). Prior to the 2011 Seoul mayoral election, one prominent pastor publicly announced that left-of-center candidate Park Won-soon (who eventually won) “belongs to demons and Satan.” Conservative President Lee Myung-bak won election in 2007 partly due to the Protestant bloc vote.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon

KOREAN SHAMANISM THOUSANDS OF GODS, THOUSANDS OF YEARS

Shamanism, or musok, is an indigenous set of folk practices based on an understanding that there exists a metaphysical realm of spirits alongside the natural world. Those spirits lie not just in people, but also in animals, trees, mountains, rivers, and rocks.

For around 40,000 years—much longer than the idea of “Korea” itself has existed—mudang have intervened in this spirit world through ritual ceremonies, in order to produce good fortune, drive away evil, or tell the future. Shamanism has long had a feminine image, and so most mudang are women. They dress in elaborate, multi-colored costumes, and sing and dance like dervishes. They convey the words of departed relatives to living family members. And they perform striking feats, such as balancing on knife-blades.

A mudang in trance, as shown in this photo from the late 19th century.

Painting of a shamanic gut from the Joseon Dynasty.

BECOMING A MUDANG

There are two ways to become a mudang. Neither is seen as a matter of choice, but rather of destiny. The first is to become possessed by a particular spirit. In the first stages, the potential mudang suddenly contracts shinbyeong, a “spiritual sickness” which can lead to bizarre and restless behavior. The illness is cured by participating in a naerimgut, a ceremony performed by an older, more experienced mudang, which results in the sufferer accepting the incoming spirit. From then on, the former sufferer toils as an apprentice, under the guidance of the older mudang. This stage may last several years, until the young mudang is ready to lead ceremonies by herself.

The other way is through inheritance. If your mother was a mudang, you could learn the techniques she used, and eventually practice them yourself. This tradition was magnified during the Joseon era (1392–1910). Shamanism was treated as backward and false by the Joseon authorities, and thus mudang were demoted to the lowest of Korean social classes. One consequence of this was that it became difficult for someone from a mudang family to marry a “normal” person, or earn a living in a “normal” way. So they tended to marry each other, and raise their children in the tradition.

The tools of the trade. Musok rituals often involve bukeo (pollack fish), as well as alcohol as an offering. The bag contains animal entrails.

SHAMANISM: AN EXPENSIVE BUSINESS IN TODAY’S KOREA

Now liberated from the shackles of Joseon oppression, the mudang are once again flourishing—even in spite of Korea becoming a modern, industrial society. There are millions of Koreans who will consult with mudang on matters such as business, relationships, and the naming of children. Even wealthy chaebol (conglomerate) owners have turned to them, as have politicians ahead of crucial elections.

Mudang provide varying levels of service. The basic consultation, or jeom, may cost in the tens of dollars, and amount to a simple conversation about the client’s destiny, or what they should do about a particular problem. For those with enough money—or serious enough problems—a gut may be in order. This is a lengthy ceremony of cathartic song and dance, which directly intervenes with the spirits to produce a beneficial outcome. It is not unheard of for such ceremonies to cost US$10,000 or more.

This means that some mudang—particularly the unscrupulous—can become very rich.

A large gut in which an animal sacrifice has been offered. Note the three-pronged trident forks. The trident is a common symbol of musok.

Mountains and Mudang

Mountains are the most spiritually important geographic features of Korean shamanism. Mountains are worshipped individually, and there is even a mountain god, Sanshin. Sanshin is probably the most important among the many countless thousands of gods followed by mudang. He is represented as a robe-clad, bearded mystic figure. Portraits of him may also be found in Buddhist temples.

“DON’T BUY A BLUE CAR WHEN YOU’RE 34”

Probably most Koreans would not say “I believe in shamanism.” But it has been part of their country’s culture for millennia, making for a kind of ingrained, natural belief. There is enough demand to sustain 300,000 mudang and other, lesser fortune-tellers. And their advice is taken seriously. When I interviewed one, she told me: “Don’t buy a blue car. Especially when you are 34.” When I tell friends about this, some of them just laugh—but others give me a very serious look, and implore me never to think about tempting fate.

TRADITIONAL FOLK PAINTINGS (MINHWA) AND CRAFTS

The great tragedy of Korean folk art is that nobody knows who produced most of it. Go to a museum showing minhwa—traditional Korean folk painting, which usually shows classically Asian-looking scenes of animals and nature—and the label underneath will likely say “Artist Unknown.” The minhwa style we know today developed in the 1600s, and its practitioners were craftsmen, not famous and well-paid artists.

And like hanok, people lost interest in minhwa during the era of rapid economic development. Today, hanok, minhwa, and other forms of traditional Korean art are making a comeback. Koreans used to look on their history with a sense of shame or disappointment, but now they are discovering that there was also much to be proud of.

A tiger as portrayed in a minhwa painting from the Joseon Dynasty. The tiger is the representative animal of old Korea.

Which traditional art Forms are Winning New Fans?

BOJAGI This is a kind of square wrapping cloth. This does not sound terribly exciting, but bojagi is in fact very striking. It is made with multicolored scraps of fabric arranged in seemingly random fashion, and creates an effect reminiscent of Dutch artist Mondrian’s grid paintings.

An unusually complex example of bojagi, used by queens during the Joseon Dynasty.

PANSORI

Pansori is a form of song which enjoyed popularity in the late joseon era. a sorikkun (singer) performs accompanied only by a buk (a small drum) for as long as eight hours. there are two main lyrical themes. the first is love, such as is found in the “Song of Chunhyang,” a classic Korean tale that might be compared to romeo and juliet. the second is satire of the yangban aristocratic class. joseon was a feudal state in which the average person had a rough, downtrodden existence; pansori was the people’s way of entertaining themselves whilst venting their frustrations. In 2012, a very modern satirical pansori played in theaters nationwide—Jui-wang mollakgi (“the Fall of the rat King”), which poked fun at then-president Lee myung-bak.

Pottery

Korean ceramics have a 10,000 year history, so it is no surprise that this country produces quality pottery. Probably the best known type is Koryo Cheongja, which has a highly distinctive green celadon glaze, and sometimes featured elaborate styling and animal motifs. During the Joseon era, tastes were more austere and simple, elegant, white-glazed ceramics came into vogue. During the Japanese invasions of 1592–1598, master potters were abducted and sent to Japan. Their artistic descendants produced the famed Satsuma porcelain.

HANBOK Hanbok simply means “Korean dress.” For women, it consists of a jeogeori (jacket) and a high-waisted skirt, or chima. Men also wear jeogeori along with baji (trousers) and an overcoat, known as a durumagi. Traditionally, commoners wore white and royalty wore yellow, though other colors like red, blue, and indigo could also be seen. Traditionally, hanbok was big, loose-fitting, and modest; in the case of female hanbok, one could say it was deliberately designed to be un-sexy. These days, however, there are haute couture designers like Lee Young-hee, who make short-skirted hanbok.

A lady in royal hanbok. Note the difference in color and complexity between her outfit and the hanbok of the fellow on the left.

THE DANO FESTIVAL: DANCING, SINGING, DRINKING AND WRESTLING

Those who want to see the best elements of “old Korea” in one place should head to a Dano festival. The day of Dano falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, and its celebration dates from the days of the Mahan Confederacy, a grouping of pre-unified Korea states that existed from the first century BC until the third century AD. Its purpose was originally to celebrate the end of the crop sowing season, and offer worship to the shaman sky god in the hope of a successful yield.

A game of nol-ttwigi, in which participants jump up and down on see-saws, performing back flips and other acrobatic stunts. To do it well, a great deal of skill and confidence is required. I think I would probably break my neck if I tried nol-ttwigi!

A minhwa painting of a Dano festival. Dano has over a thousand years of history.

The biggest and best-known of such Dano festivals is held at the east coast town of Gangneung (in Gangwon Province). The Gangneung Dano itself has been designated by UNESCO as a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity,” having a history that stretches back over a thousand years.

WHAT HAPPENS AT A DANO?

UNESCO’s rather grandiose label belies the real sense of fun found at a Dano. The Dano festival today is a combination of shamanic rites and games. Groups of mudang collectively perform mass gut rituals replete with manic singing and dancing, to the beat of drums; young women jumping on see-saws turn somersaults ten meters in the air, in a game named nol-ttwigi; and wrestlers do battle all day long in Ssireum bouts. But above all, a Dano festival is simply a gathering of people, for the purpose of enjoyment. And to that end, alcohol is never far away. Korea is a drinker-friendly country, and always has been. At a Dano, participants will drink makgeolli (rice wine), beer, or soju, the most common Korean spirit.

When sufficiently encouraged by these, participants will be up on their feet, dancing to Korean folk songs. Perhaps contrary to expectation, it is mostly old people who enjoy doing this. One will see old men and women swaying from side to side, waving their arms in the air, with jovial grins etched on their faces as they sing along.

Nol-ttwigi participants are usually women. Legend has it that the game was invented by yangban women who wanted to see the world beyond the walls of their home. During the Joseon Dynasty, the role of the woman was often simply that of a housewife.

Dano are very popular with older people. This old lady plays on a swing, another feature of Dano.

Eumjugamu: Fun, Fun, Fun!