Dynamic Korea Page 1 of 3

Publication: The Economic Times Delhi; Date:2010 Oct 01; Section:Spl Report; Page
Number: 25

Dynamic Korea
The art and culture of South Korea is rich and vibrant having a history of creative
innovation in the field of painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama and literature, finds
Madhusmita Sahoo

The contemporary South Korean culture derives much from the traditional Korean culture.
However, since the division of Korea in 1948, South Koreans have developed a culture of their
own which is different from North Korean culture. The arts and culture of South Korea has been
greatly inspired by Confucianism and Buddhism which is evident in the style of architecture,
housing, costumes, and beliefs. Koreans are very open to change and are fast catching up with
international trends.

SOUTH KOREAN ART

Buddhism has been a great source of inspiration for Korean artists and the examples of the outstanding
Korean artwork and architecture are seen in Buddhist temples and paintings. The earliest examples of
Korean painting can be found on the walls of tombs in Manchuria. Paintings in Korea were traditionally
inclined to celebrate nature or religious themes. In the 18th century some artists deviated from the norm
and started depicting the dramatic landscape or daily life.
Korean artists were introduced to Western oil painting at the time of Japanese occupation from 1910 to
1945. Contemporary South Korean artists incorporate the western style with classical Korean styles and
themes, to create work of genius and originality. A huge collection of 20th-century Korean and Western
art is displayed in the National Museum of Contemporary Art in South Korea.

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SOUTH KOREAN MUSIC

Today, music in South Korea generally falls into one of three categories: traditional, Western, or a fusion
of Eastern and Western styles. It incorporates folk or court music which is slow, somber and complex. The
other more formal kind is the ‘P'ansori', which is a musical narrative based on folk tales. Folk songs
generally express the emotions and feelings of the working class.
The Korean Traditional Performing Arts Center is devoted to the preservation of traditional music and
also encourages the development of new genres of music. It was established in the year 1951. The Korea
Philharmonic Orchestra Society and numerous other orchestras in Seoul perform contemporary music in
South Korea. Operas are also quite popular in the country.

SOUTH KOREAN LITERATURE

Korean classical literature was written in Chinese, and the late Koryo and early Choson sijo poems dealt
mainly with the theme of loyalty. The kasa form of Choson poet ry expressed individual sentiments and
moral admonitions. After the creation of the Korean alphabet, many works of fiction were written in
Han'gul and royal ladies wrote novels depicting their personal situations and private thoughts. Modern
literature started in the midnineteenth century as a result of the new Westernstyle education and the
Korean language and literature movement. The themes of twentieth-century literature reflect the national
experiences colonization, postliberation division of the homeland, the Korean War, urbanization, and
industrialization. Translations of literary works began to appear in foreign countries in the 1980s. The
novelists whose works have been most widely translated are Hwang Sun-won and Kim Tong-ri.
The invention of the Korean phonetic alphabet, Hangul was one of greatest achievements of the 15th-

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century in the literary world of Korea. The literary history of Korea grew from the custom
of narrating folk tales and legends at festivals and other social gatherings. The folk tales mostly laid
stress on Korean values and summarized the kingdom's mythical origins. A large collection of Korean
cultural and folklore relics are preserved in The National Folklore Museum in Seoul.

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