Korea has maintained musical relations with China and Japan for centuries. For example, many kinds of Korean music and musical instruments have come from Central Asia and China, and in Korea, music was placed under the aegis of Ministries in the period of the three kingdoms (57-668 A.D). In unified Silla period (669-936 AD) court music was classified into two groups, Tang-ak (music from T’ang Dynasty of China) Hyang-ak (Korean music). The succeeding dynasties in Korea have inherited this tradition.

Korean music also exerted a direct influence on Japanese music and which is still found in the present day Komagaku (music of Korea) of Japanese formal court music.

A few characteristics of traditional Korean music can be pointed out.

1. One important aspect of Korean vocal music is the variety of voice projection; folksongs of men express their indomitable power and pleasure in work, while those of women express their complaints and pessimism against life.

2. Most of the rhythmic patterns in music are divided into triple time, but Korean music often has a combination of several different meters in one piece.

3. Many folksongs are characterized by an improvising solo sung by a leader and an answering choral refrain with meaningless syllable. If the leader wants to extend the song, he can borrow words from either song for his improvisation.

4. Many melodies of Korean folk music consist of five tones, though the melodies from the southern district are based on the four-tone system. Most court music also employs a five-tone system. A tritonic scale is used in the childrens’ song “Saeya, Saeya” (Bluebird).

The main genres of traditional music that have survived are:

1. Court music which includes A-ak Confucian temple music.

2. Instrumental music which includes Chon-ak (aristocratic chamber music), Sanjo (virtuoso solo music with drum accompaniment), Hong-ak (agricultural music) and Mu-ak (shamanistic music).

3. Vocal music, which includes Kagok (long lyric songs), Kasa (narrative songs), Shi-jo (short lyric songs), Pansori (dramatic songs), Japka (ballads), Buddist chant, and folk songs.