Discovering Korean traditional dances

The traditional Korean dances are a very fascinating aspect of the country's culture. Very different from modern ones and from what we are used to in the West, there are several. To simplify, we can distinguish mainly into three groups: Buddhist ritual dances ( Jakob, court dances ( Jeong Jae), and folk dances.

 The most famous buchaechum, the dance with fans, is part of the latter group. Probably if you have participated in events such as the Oriental Festival or Korea Week, you will have already seen one of these dances represented and you will have noticed that, being of ancient origins, many of them are performed in hanbok, the traditional Korean dress. Let's now look at the differences between the various groups.

Buddhist ritual dances

The jukebox is Korean traditional dances that were performed during Buddhist rituals . Of this group, the most famous and appreciated are the nabichum and the barachum.

Nachum literally means butterfly dance (from nabi that is the butterfly, and chum that is dance) and is so-called because during the performance the performers wear a costume with very wide sleeves called jangsam, moving them so as to remember the wings of a butterfly. Traditionally this dance was performed by monks, who in addition to the jangsam also wore a special hat called ggokkal. The music is slow and relaxing and accompanied by the sound of a drum.

The term barachum derives from bara, the name of the instrument used during the performance, similar to a percussion cymbal, and chum, which as we have said means dance. The barachum is a dance characterized by fluid movements, also accompanied by the sound of a drum as well as cymbals, and serves to ward off evil spirits and purify the mind.

Court dances

The Jeong Jae is Korean traditional dances of the court, which were staged for the royal family, the officers or during special occasions organized by the kingdom. There are several, but among the most famous and particular we remember the genome and the mug.

The genome is a dance with swords and derives from the name of the sword used and mu derives from the Chinese and means dance. Originating as a folk dance to be danced while wearing a mask, it was later modified during the Joseon era for the royal court. It was then staged by the gisaeng, which in some ways can be considered the Korean equivalent of the best-known geisha, and has become a sensual dance. She was represented wearing the hanbok but no longer wearing the traditional mask.

The mug is a traditional Korean court dance in which, in the center of the scene, a large drum was placed, around which the performers danced, playing it from time to time. This dance is characterized by fluid movements and was born to celebrate the greatness of the king. Its name derives from mu, the Sinocorean term for dance and go drum.

Folk dances

Folk dances are among the most cheerful and lively traditional Korean dances, with a very lively character precisely because they were staged by the people for the people. Among the most significant are the talcum and the ganggangsullae . The aforementioned buchaechum , that is the fan dance, is also part of this group, but in reality, it is of more recent origins, derived from various influences of pre-existing dances.

Talcum literally means dance ( chum ) masked ( thus ). It was an auspicious dance staged in villages, to ward off evil spirits and/or with a good harvest. In the talcum, the dancers wear very colorful clothing and large face masks, each of which corresponds to a character. In fact, talcum is not just a dance, but a kind of theatrical performance.

The ganggangsullae, on the other hand, is a dance performed only by women, who arrange themselves in a circle holding hands. Initially born to bring a favorable harvest, it then became a simple dance of mutual comfort between the participants. Traditionally it was performed at night, without the accompaniment of instruments. He then turned in a circle following the song of one of the participants, who could be joined for the refrain.

Last but not least, the buchaechum . It derives from purchase (fan) and chum, dance, and is a dance staged by waving colorful fans, on which pink peony flowers are usually painted. This dance is accompanied by numerous musical instruments, including drums, flutes, and plucked string instruments, and is performed in colorful hanboks. It takes inspiration from ancient shamanic rites, evolves as a court dance during the Joseon era, and finally, in the 1950s, is adapted to the general public. The buchaechum is performed by a group of female dancers, who perform elegant and graceful movements