Seopyeonje: The Voice of Traditional Korea

[silverakisame]

I'm not Korean, but this makes me cry for all that Korea has suffered. This was a beautiful tribute to show that in order to overcome the hardships Korea (the girl) faced in the past (her father and the patrons) and being abandoned by the future generation (her brother) in order to survive - they need both "Han" and modernization to be strong and prevent more pain.

[Lejalice]

This remains me of Cocco Rosie somehow, but this is greater, i always wanted to know more bout asian traditional music

[12ruedespompiers]

눈썹훈남

[LukaTunaLuvr03]

It had to be hard to learn this...

[FearlessHmomgGirl]

I feel my heart synchronizing with the drum

[youmiek]

this scene's sori just makes me cry. If you're korean, you can't help it.

[DIJITALSON]

@youmiek im not korean, but even i cant stop my tears from flowing... I live in Japan... but i live amongst the most amazing people i have ever known... my korean family... I feel so grateful to have known such a great people so full of spirit and strength... so full of love! peace!

[megauti]

This movie is about 18 years old I believe. It got me into love with the pansori for the first time. I remember the old (43 years ago) korea. Country was dead poor, and, you could see these pansori artists performing at the market place on the country side for little coins from the audience.

[vkvkvk1219]

I almost cried at the end

[hbanana7]

there are so little real korean beauties like her in Present Korea. Everything is so "molded," tucked, lifted and injected.

[1robinsong]

Can someone who understands the Korean language please tell me what this is about? I need a translation. Thanks.

[i8hy6e3]

these are almost fake. no one can't feel the true culture of korea from these movies.

[Hakae2]

@i8hy6e3 perhaps u should try watchin dis film its old but very famous among da older crowd in korea. giv it a try n mabe ull change ur mind

[Iktcja]

what is meaning of this song???I really loved!<3

[bpp202]

@Iktcja: I'm pretty sure the song is called "Shimchungga," it's a folk telling of the story of a filial maiden named Shimchung (hence the name, Shimchung - name of the girl, and "ga" - meaning song, so "Song of Shimchung"). The story tells of a girl who had a blind father. A monk told her that her father's blindness could be cured with an offering of 1000 (not sure about this number, memory a bit shaky?) bags of rice to the temple.

[Iktcja]

@bpp202 thank You!!!!!

[bpp202]

@Iktcja My pleasure :-)

[bpp202]

@Iktcja Shimchung offered herself to a ship of merchants that needed a virgin to sacrifice/offer to the Sea God in exchange for 1000 bags of rice. This particular part of the song talks about Shimchung's hesitation when throwing herself into the sea. All ends well though, because Shimchung eventually meets the Sea God and becomes his Queen. They throw a party inviting all of the blind men in the land, and Shimchung's father (who is still blind) is reunited with his daughter.

[hbanana7]

@Iktcja she is singing the last part of the story of "Shimchung," a classic Korean folktale of filial piety. In this vid, Shimchung has just been reunited with her blind father who thought her to be dead. When they meet at the palace, her father is able to see again, and joyous that she can see his daughter's face for the first time. It's moving b/c it mirrors the brother's reunion with his sister who is blind, who, at first can't "see" that the drummer is her brother.

[Iktcja]

@hbanana7 thank You so much!!!!!^__^

[Room142]

This was an amzaing scene. The woman is blind (because her own father poisoned her many years ago) and the man is her brother who has come to find her after being separated since childhood. He doesn't tell her he's her brother, just that he wants to hear her sing, but she just knows...너무 감동적인 영화야...

[koreankayagum]

"Petty-minded FOOL", that is...

[koreankayagum]

How about all you nationalistic f*ckheads shutting the f*ck up? "My country, my country, blah blah blah." Only a petty-mined little FOOL thinks like that. Bach once said, "I just take dictation from God and try my best." He knew music was for humanity, and pitiful ideas of "my country" had nothing to do with anything creative. Everyone should get off their high horse b/c both China AND Japan have a lot to be ashamed of, as do most countries. Anyway, this movie is incredible.

[StutMatsu]

awesome...

[morovaches]

god the women is beautifull just like an estamp ! great video ;) thx

[laMaicita]

this is beautiful and powerful, may this traditional music always be practiced and remembered! very empowering, esp. to women!

[chris12121]

I don't find this as pleasing as other korean music...It just seems like it has a strange rhythm

[davidmyungsubchung]

It was one of the best pictures in Korea

[imogenheap12345]

Gives me the chills!!!!!! VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! :D

[drumsetikus]

Totally beautiful. Thanks for uploading.

[choec]

Oh my soul ......

[KeikoMoon]

I love this movie! Thank You very much! I remind such a great moments! I love 판소리!!!

[KeikoMoon]

I love this movie! Thank You very much! I remind such a great moments! I love 판소리!!!

[eddiedko]

beautiful...

[karma360amrak]

This film definitely evokes the aspect of lamentation as does a lot of Im Kwon Taek's films do. I've always felt lamentation and so suffering was a part of Korean culture, because of its historical experiences. I would agree it's an aspect of Korean spirit because I feel it reciprocates the feelings of perseverance. Koreans, for the most part, identify with the ideology that life is a struggle and overcoming this is a part of living. The singer's performance personified this spirit. Aja aja!

[karma360amrak]

Something to consider for yourself, there is the possibility that a few individuals who come online pretend to be of a particular ethnicity in order to post comments that are offensive and whose sole purpose is to incite hatred. I like to believe most people, no matter their ethnicity, are good and that the hate-mongers are the exceptions and a poor representation of a particular demographic. So let's stop the fallacious and hateful remarks and try to be fair and respectful. Aja aja! I ♥ Asia.

[july071992]

as for the description above, isn't Korean spirit supposed to be more aggressive compared to Japanese spirit because Koreans are generally far more temperamental than Japanese people? Or is this trait a result of Korea's victim consciousness?

[Saiaton]

This is not music - this is a trance. It is like a medium relaying the world 'Beyond'. Why do we hear so little Korean compared to Chinese or Japanese? I suppose between South Korea's Americanisation and North Korea's insane parody of 'Communism', that is another culture down the flush and out to sea.

[chrysbiz]

Amazing to find this on YouTube. This is the first Korean movie I ever saw... so long ago. It's amazing how much of the plot came back to me while watching this scene.

[minjuchun]

its kinda sad that younger generation get less interested in preserving those cultures that had been with korea for centuries and centuries...

[jasemoore73]

Awesome!!! Powerful!!

[xflyacrosstimex]

omg...so powerfull...you could hear the crying throughout the entire thing

[JomoWhore]

this is so beautiful...almost moved me to tears.

[grillman7170]

Well aware of that fact, the Korean ministry of tourism is really supporting traditional culture to please the foreigners and travellers. There are also downsides to this situation though, as they try to make it more entertaining and, as a matter of fact, spoil it.

[pm0834]

I must disagree. The Korean people don't support Korean tradition because it pleases other cultures. I am Korean living in America in college learning Korean traditional drumming because I feel that it is part of my heritage and something that makes me as a korean, unique. I don't learn it so i can publicize it. I would still play were there nobody to watch.

[grillman7170]

Kudos to you for doing so ^^

but don't get me wrong, I didn't mean Korean people are maintaining their traditions to please non-Koreans. I meant that the government has been increasingly supporting and financing those activities recently. Mainly because they are trying to export the Korean culture.

[grillman7170]

I couldn't agree more. And it goes into the equation for sure.

Besides, I find Japanese music more diversified and even if it has nothing to do with their traditionnal music, the music they make now is somewhat unique. Whereas the modern Korean music has been depossesed of every bit of originality (IMO). And sub-cultures are almost non-existent. Hope for a change.

[letshaptic]

@glorplaxy actually korean traditional instruments are not rare and have not been forgotten at all. korea loves their culture and their tradition, they do not sell their culture to be like america. sure as a globalized country we do enjoy american-ized culture a lot. but koreans will never forget their culture. and if you're referring to kpop being non-korean. well, kpop isn't the only music type in korea. foreigners usually only see the kpop and do not see everything else because they can't

[munychoi1]

Keep the faith! Playing when there is nobody to watch is the mark of a true artist.

[grillman7170]

It's kind of a paradox but the foreigners really help to maintain those traditions (although rarely in its original form) by getting interested in Korean culture.

Many young Koreans lost interest in their traditional culture as time went by but they still carry its essence in their core spirit. Whereas, foreigners, if they really want to understand Korean (or any other) culture must try to understand the traditions first in order to figure out how the Korean society and spirit has been shaped.

[nirvana1108]

it's kind of ironic. i'm not a nationalist and i wasn't interested in Korea almost at all before. but after starting to live in America, i've become more and more interested in traditional Korean things. anyway nice video. thanks for posting this up

[shaikhdishgan1]

i love korean pansori.

[ayr698]

what other pansori do you have? ;)

[koreankayagum]

This movie is very good, and it's what got me into Korean folk music (pansori, sanjo, minyo, etc.).

[minimum7]

映画ではこの場面が一番の泣かせどころ・・・

二人のゆれ動く心を感じないとこの場面はわからない

[alwaysfresh77]

it's a shame that this kind of music is disappearing

[ehdusjenny]

man, every korean videos i pass by there are always an argument involving japan or north korea. geez. just watch the video.

[saphiredewdrop]

amen! lol.

this video gives me chills.

[hbanana7]

this is the scene the blind sister recognizes her long lost brother by his drum...as she sings the story of the daughter reuniting with her blind father.

This is scene is so moving and painful.

[gwajadanji]

영어를 몰라서 댓글들이 무슨 내용을 말하는건지는 모르겠는데 엄청 웃긴다. 멀쩡한 한글 자판 가지고 있는 한국인들이 대체 왜 해외 사이트에서 그것도 한국 관련 영상에 대해서 영어로 얘기를 한대? 짜증나게...

[jjhappyme]

남 판단을 그렇게 하시지 않았으면 좋곘씁니다. 한국사람들이 youtube에 한국 비디오 클맆을 올린거은 해외에 있는 모든 사람들도 보고, 배우고, 판단할수 있도록 인터넷이 있는게 않일까요?

[gwajadanji]

하하...변명을 참 잘 하시네요. 유치하니 대꾸하지 않겠습니다.

[coreankim]

저는 미국에 있는 교포입니다. 한국말이 서툴어서 한국 사이트를 잘 못습니다. 그래서 Youtube에 이렇게 비디오가 올려저 있는게 참 좋습니다. 그런 판단을 하시기 전에 생각을 좀더 깊이 해주셨으면 좋겠습니다.

[melonbarmonster]

"North Korea would have maintained more traditional form of music than South." This is absolutely not true and is more evidence of a japanized view of Korean culture and an inaccurate one at that. ALL North Korean performances of anything traditionally Korean is inferior in quality although that probably has more to do with the low number of students and lack of access to training and education than anything else.

[naragoyo]

That's not possible.

There are various type of Korean folk song in every region. So north korean cannot maintain southern type.

I know only small number of example.. Gyeonggi-minyo, Seepeonje, Dongpyenje. ....

[BattleAngel]

did the actress really sing this piece?

[creativetone]

yea, she's normally a pansori singer

[konnert]

actually she didn't sing THIS piece... it's her voice when she talks the intro, but when she starts singing, it's dubbed. but she is a pansori "singer" like creativetone mentioned. in the rest of the movie, it's her singing everything else.

[choec]

I dont know if it has relevance, but my father told me in JeollaDo it didn't necessarily originate, but often, many scholars, and people associated with any sort of education including music were moved away from the central hubs of the reaches of government to prevent criticism and a close democratic watchful eye. Jeollado was one such area therefoe with a large amount of such people.

[sennalynn]

"Pansori style singing in this film is meant to express Korean people's han"

PLEASE do NOT spread misleading info about Korean music. Pansori was already at a fully developed stage by 1600s; it is one of many art forms of Korea and the Korean equivalent of opera, not an art formed to express lament or "victim consciousness". Who exactly uses "the term "Korean spirit" to refer to "han""? The Japanese?

[robotom]

han has become synonomous with korean spirit among the people i know involved in korean music - even the professionals at 국립국악원 - but typically more in the folk traditions, I think... but even the court musicians would compare korean 정악 court music to western style fusion, and say the fusion has no han...

[sennalynn]

that's interesting:) Do you learn the gayageum at 국립국악원?

[robotom]

yes, for a short time in their english classes - but now their english program is too easy... I learn at a private institute now.

[melonbarmonster]

Unfortunately, a lot of foreigners in Korean studies who approach the topic through their initial studies of Japan or China tend to inherit these biases and slants.

[robotom]

but there is also an underlying sense of grief and sadness that pre-dates the major occupations that fill the hearts and minds of koreans today... inherent in being an agrarian society... look at the lyrics of arirang - they're really quite sad.... especially like Jeong-seon (the so called original arirang)... in addition, Pansori originated in the southern provinces - most closely associated with south jeolla province - which was considered somewhat of a prison to exile political dissenters to

[melonbarmonster]

Who told you pansori originates from Jeollado? That's the first time I heard that and I doubt it's true given pansori's ubiquity in Korean culture. And believe me no dissenter was sitting in his provincial aristocrat mansion singing pansori.

[robotom]

"It is thought that the early Pansori was based on the populace. It was sung and listened by the people. However, with the 18th century coming in, Pansori got penetrated into the noble and intelligent, and met recorders" from history of pansori on gochang pansori museum's web page....

search jeolla on wikipedia, pansori originated there... and if you don't believe it, the music tonality and rythms are the same as those used in sanjo - other provinces have a different style and tonality.

[melonbarmonster]

Dude let me translate that quote for you. It means that yangban paid 소리꾼 to sing for them at their request. No yangban would have been caught dead singing pansori let alone those banished from Seoul. It's even more preposterous to think that banished yangban had a lick to do with the han or pansori. Find me something about pansori originating in Jeolla. It sounds like you've been fed Jeolla BS from a Jeallado person to me.

[robotom]

well, I don't know if all the people at 국립국악원 are from 전라도 but, it's rather universal in their teaching that 판소리 originates from 전라도 it is simple to see in regional singing styles... 판소리 and 남도민요 share nearly identical characteristics...

[melonbarmonster]

My bet is that most 판소리 people at 국립국악원 are from Jeollado. I have personal doubts as to whether pansori really originated from jeollado especially since pansori is just narrative 창

[robotom]

for example compare 판소리 to something like 흥타령 and then compare again to something of 경기민요 like 뱃노래 - it's very very different... I'd look up reference in my text book, but it's at home and I'm at work - it will have to wait.

[melonbarmonster]

타령, 판소리, 경기민요 are not that different. They're different but not that different and the differences are more attributable to standardized 마당 than anything inherent about the different standards.

[Korea4Me]

'Han' is a much more modern term penned by Korean scholars and academics. In the Chosun Dynasty, the term never existed. Don't believe everything you read in Wikipedia! Also, there were different schools of p'ansori by the nineteenth century (Seopyeonje only being one of them) and they were not all in the Jeolla region. Not all foreigners of Korean studies want to acquire a Japanese slant on Korea!!

[robotom]

actually north korea maintained less of traditional music... they originally had very sad music, but with communism, they discarded that style to manufacture a false image of happiness and prosperity... but I imagine the feeling of han is much stronger in the NK people than those in the south, because they suffer much more.

[paramsaram]

it was interesting to read your introduction and comment. i think the koreans have han-spirit, and so they love ballad to console themselves. it's like the japanese have bushi-spirit, and so they need such music to escape of themselves. look at the each societies in today, nothing has changed.. so i love their musics and cultures.

[paramsaram]

this actress is beautiful.

[robotom]

cuz she had no plastic surgery! isn't she such a gem?

[paramsaram]

!!! yeah, i love the n.koreans and the

koreans in china! because they are.. natural!!

n.koreans actually have done lots of surgeries on the traditional instruments and musical forms. but their ordinary sense and

actual lives could be more conservative than

in the south. btw., if traditions of music

varies from the north to south, east to west

in korea? like..they have many variations of Arirang in the whole country..

[melonbarmonster]

You have a very Japanese slant on what "traditional Koreanness" is and at this point I don't mean that as a jab or a putdown at all but just to point out that there is a HUGE difference and that most Koreans would bristle at Japanese characterizations of Korean culture or identity. Also as inane Kpop or pop music in general may be, there is a very distinctly Korean version of love that runs through Korean "ballad" music that I would argue traces its origins to arirang.

[dl8286]

thank you for putting this up.

[melonbarmonster]

Han isn't about identity but a concept that encompasses a soulful version of sorrow.

[i8hy6e3]

if these young or old pansori experts are child level, the real pansori masters who died 50~100 years ago are adult and jesus level. but no one can know and feel it... pansori needs the unltimate jesus voice skill.. it takes 20~50 years to have the jesus level voice.. it is not just mood. it is skill. we have to feel the skill not the mood. stupid people.. we are losing the culture that has long history..

[melonbarmonster]

Essence of traditional Korean culture is defined more by its tradition of scholar kings, confucist ethics and agricultural heritage.

[melonbarmonster]

"Japanese Spirit" is the result of the tumultuous feudalism that developed after the country bumpkin warlords, banished away from court and relegated to military duty in the countrysides, took over the inedpt Heian court. No centralization of power and constant feudal warfare resulted in an internalization of much of the militarism, violence, violence in sexuality, etc.. There is no corresponding concept of "Korean spirit".

[melonbarmonster]

can't find this movie anywhere!

[eatallday0713]

For some reason, sound turned out rather low. Please turn volume up sufficiently to appreciate the vocal.