The phrase ‘Baegakjijang (백악지장·meaning the best of all instruments)’ has long been lauded by Korean scholars, referencing the geomungo, an instrument known for its restrained elegance since the Goguryeo era. Recently, there is a growing popularity of bands exploring various genres like rock and jazz around this exquisite instrument.
One such band, ‘BANDO,’ recently debuted with their album ‘Shape of the Land.’ Led by composer and geomungo player Hwang Jin-ah, this four-member group incorporates the geographical features of the Korean Peninsula into their musical identity, reflected in their band name—bando means peninsula in Korean. The title track, ‘Southern Island,’ blends the lively rhythm from the folk song ‘Sound of Harvesting’ with a cheerful saxophone melody and a brilliant geomungo solo. Recognized for garnering the most attention from overseas producers at the ‘Journey to Korean Music’ performance, a platform for international exposure under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, they are set to perform at the CubaDupa Festival in Wellington, New Zealand, in March.
The alternative rock band ‘KARDI’ integrates the sound of the geomungo played by Park Da-wool. Formed through the 2021 band competition TV show ‘Superband 2,’ this team gained significant attention for Park’s performance, where he earned acclaim by cutting the geomungo strings during the show and seamlessly transitioning to percussion sounds. Their song ‘City of Wonder,’ featuring rhythmic geomungo playing, was not only well-received overseas but was also used in the promotion of the ‘2030 Busan Expo.’
‘Black String,’ led by geomungo virtuoso Heo Yoon-jeong, transcends jazz, rock, and contemporary genres, leading the Korean traditional music wave since its debut. In 2016, they became the first Asian group to release their first regular album and debut song ‘MASK DANCE’ through the major jazz label ACT. In 2018, they became the first Koreans to win the ‘Asia & South Pacific Best Album’ at the prestigious UK world music awards, ‘Songlines Music Awards.’
Last year, the band ‘Jambinai,’ which won the ‘Best Rock Song’ category at the Korean Music Awards, also contributed to the rise of Korean traditional crossover with geomungo sounds. As the first Korean crossover band, they performed on major stages such as the Glastonbury Festival in the UK (2014) and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the US (2019).
The acclaim for the geomungo’s ability to break down the boundaries between traditional Korean music and other genres is attributed to its “sound characteristics simultaneously possessing string and percussion qualities.” Lim Hee-yun, a cultural critic and advisory committee member at the National Gugak Center, explained, “The geomungo is easily adaptable to different scales and rhythms, making it a significant bridge between traditional Korean instruments and Western instruments. It offers foreign audiences a fresh and unheard sound.” While there are many East Asian string instruments with similar forms and playing styles, such as the haegeum, gayageum, China’s erhu, and Japan’s koto, the geomungo, with its 6 strings stretched over 16 wooden frets, struck with a wooden stick, is a rarity outside of Korea.
