Korean Music: Melody and rhythm or past and current Korean music

By Tee Lik Kent

Students of Sungkyunkwan University perform traditional Korean rituals at the Seoul campus

| Source: TheKoreaTimes

10 NOVEMBER 2020 - The melody of Korean pop music differs compared to traditional Korean music. The instruments that are used in each music genre are different making the pathway of each melody different. The traditional Korean music produces a calming melody which can be heard occasionally in court and listened to by folks in the past.

Arirang is a traditional music occasionally used to heal the body and mind. Traditional music such as Arirang serves to comfort one’s mind and soul. Although general music can also be used for the same purposes, Arirang differs from them due to the slow tempo and the melody of the music. Traditional music has a very slow rhythm, and each instrument's element can be heard clearly compared to Korean pop music where multiple elements are mixed into it.

The melody for Korean pop music is the opposite of traditional music. Due to the influence of western music culture, Korean music has innovated into Korean pop music with similar elements used in western style music. The change in styles can be seen significantly by comparing both traditional music and Korean Pop Music. Unlike traditional music, it has a faster tempo which is suitable for occasions like parties and festivals.

Based on the tempo of the music, it can easily be compared and identify the changes in melody and rhythm. “How you like that” by girl group Blackpink would be a great example compared to “Arirang” to identify the changes in tempo of the music from the past and the present.