Juche

    Kayagum is a national musical instrument peculiar to Korea renowned to the world for its distinguished sound and execution.

    It was invented and manufactured by Uruk, a talent musician in Kaya state in the early 6^th century.

    Uruk was an able musician who invented and manufactured kayagum, an excellent national musical instrument, and devoted his whole life for the creation and dissemination of kayagum tunes.

    It was reported that kayagum was made by combining the advantages of “sul,” a musical instrument utilized in Jinguk, one of the ancient states in Korea, and “jaeng” utilized in Kokuryo and Paekje states. Historic records also wrote that “Kayagum is a changed name of sul in old times” and “Although it is a bit different from jaeng in its manufacture, kayagum is similar to jaeng in general.”

     The initial shape of kayagum had resonance chamber, sheep-shaped head, bridge and additional bridge. Such shape has lasted to the end of the 15^th century. The relics that tell the initial shape is still preserved even today though it was further improved later. sillagum is the relic that is being preserved in Seisoing in Japan. It is as the same as initial kayagum invented and manufactured by Uruk in its form and structure as it was introduced in Japan approximately in the 8^th century.

    Historical records including “Haedongyoksa” wrote that “Sillagum is a reproduction of kayagum made by Uruk.”

    Kayagum which has a long history had been spread far and wide among the Korean people since long ago as it is very gentle in sound, simple in structure, easy to learn and diverse in execution.

    Today kayagum has been improved finely as required by the times to give fuller play to its superiority thanks to the Juche-oriented policy of creating national music of the great leaders.

    The improved kayagum is composed of resonance chamber, strings, movable bridges, string-supporter, head, tail, clamp, legs and resonance hole and it is great in compass, rich in volume and convenient in tuning.

    Its execution has been further enriched with its improvement.

    Pizzicato is the most distinguished one in the execution of kayagum.

    It is the execution that makes diverse changes in sound by pressing or trembling the ringing strings below the bridges with left hand when the right hand picks strings to make a sound. The world people wonder at the delicate execution that proves rich national emotion.

    Today, kayagum is used in kayagum solo, Kayagum ensemble, kayagum solo and ensemble combined, kayagum concert, national instrumental ensemble, etc. It serves as a precious treasure indispensable to the Korean people’s cultural and emotional life while being used as a melodic and rhythmic musical instrument in orchestral music and instrumental ensemble.