For hundreds of years, Korea's most widely known and appreciated musical instrument has been the 12-stringed zither known as the kayagum. Used in common folk music as well as upper-class music, the kayagum produces a warm, full sound that stands as one of Korea's most important and enjoyable musical exports.

Asian history

The kayagum first appears in recorded history in the 500's A.D., although archaeological digs have turned up part of a vase from the third century that shows a musician playing a kayagum-like instrument. The instrument is similar to other Asian zithers, such as China's zheng, Japan's koto, Mongolia's yatag, and Vietnam's dan tranh.

Two types

Today, the kayagum has evolved into two distinct varieties:

Sanjo
The common, "folk" version of the kayagum, "sanjo" refers to both the smaller, higher-pitched instrument and the style of music it is associated with. The sanjo kayagum's strings are shorter and tighter, and the playing style produces a richer tone. It is often played with a janggu drum, and sometimes accompanies a pansori singer.

Jungak
"Jungak" means "beautiful and noble music". This larger kayagum is used in refined, classical music circles, and thus appeals to more upper-class sensibilities and is less popular generally. Often played with stringed instruments such as harps and lutes, the music of the jungak kayagum tends to be more refined and orchestrated.

Hands in harmony

The playing styles associated with each of these instruments are quite different. In jungak style, the two hands caress and 'tease" the strings, vibrating them to elicit more subtle, smoother textures. In the free sanjo style, the right hand plucks and hits the strings while the left hand bends, pushes and vibrates the strings to produce a more varied, wilder sound. In both styles, the two hands must work together to manipulate the strings for the desired effect.

From silk to nylon

Traditionally, the kayagum has had 12 strings. However, in recent years, this has been expanded upon to compensate for the musical deficiencies of the traditional instrument. In North Korea, for example, there are 13-, 19- and 21-string varieties. The kayagum is currently in an experimental era, and musicians often craft custom-made versions with any number of strings to help them realize their musical intent. Strings were originally pure silk, but now are often made of nylon.

Expanding frontier

Traditional Korean music has been undergoing changes lately, and the kayagum is often at the front of the expanding Korean musical frontier. Rather than stodgily refusing to evolve, the instrument and its players, such as Byungki Hwang, are responding to the challenges of globalization by making music that retains traditional Korean folk elements while merging comfortably with modern world music.

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