Arirang, the most famous Korean folk song of all time

K-pop music is increasingly popular in recent times, if you're fond of Korean culture you'll surely hear it. This phenomenon is not only limited to Korea but is happening everywhere. K-pop artists now tour the world, hailed as stars, and it's easy to see why. These boy and girl-bands are made up of beautiful girls or boys, with flawless flawless skin, the latest fashion clothes, and quirky hairstyles. For these reasons, K-pop is becoming more and more known all over the world.

But who is responsible for this global success of Korean music? Will it be BTS (Bangtan Boys), the Korean band of the moment that drives its fans crazy in Asia and beyond, winning awards and participating in TV programs everywhere? Will Blackpink be the first Korean girl band to participate in the legendary Coachella festival, surpassing the most recent YouTube viewing records? Or is it PSY, who created the worldwide hit of Gangnam Style, equal only to that of Macarena?

We have the answer: the popular Korean song Arirang.

The Korean folk song Arirang                        

In this commercial industry made up of K-pop bands that at some point disappear into oblivion, only one certainty remains, a popular song with the title Arirang, which will never disappear. All Koreans certainly know it, it's like asking an Italian if he knows the song "Volare" by Domenico Modugno. And if they are in a good mood, maybe they even start humming it! This song represents the essence of being Korean, it is almost dearer to Koreans than their own national anthem. Arirang has been around for over 600 years, and its melody brings to mind melancholy memories in anyone who hears it. Even without perfectly understanding the text, with just one listen you can understand why it is so dear to the Korean people.

The text itself has something mysterious, in fact, the word "Arirang" has no real meaning, and there are different versions of this song, depending on the region. However, since it is an easily recognizable melody, it is sung by both one person and a group. The basic concepts of this song are love, brotherhood, and team play, even in the most difficult or separation situations. One of the most famous readings of the text is about two lovers picking flowers on the river bank, but they are separated and cannot meet at high tide.

The best-known versions are probably "Gangwon-do Jongsei Arirang", "Jeolla-do Jindo Arirang", and "Gyeongsang-do Miryang Arirang". A standard version of Arirang is called "Gyeonggi Arirang", which was very popular in the 1930s in Korea.

The importance of Arirang in the history of Korea

In 2012 Arirang was included in the UNESCO cultural heritage as a symbol of South Korea. This popular Korean song also became a cultural symbol of North Korea in 2014, so much so that an annual gymnastics event and festival is organized that takes its name from this song. On any occasion related to Korean culture, you will hear about Arirang. It also became an anthem during the Japanese occupation between 1910 and 1945, as well as representing the two Koreas marked by a single flag during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, with Arirang as the background music.

On top of that, it was taken as the (unofficial) FIFA World Pair's song for the 2002 World Cup, as well as the most recent Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018.

So, if you think it is the K-pop songs of the moment that make Korea known all over the world, and represent this country, know that first of all there was Arirang, in its thousands of versions and described as "the song most popular Korean folk of all time ”.