Since ancient times the Koreans had sung songs reflecting their desires and sentiments and in that course they created and developed national music.
In their national music, folk song is the main component.
The Korean folk song is expressive of the tender, gentle and graceful emotions of the nation by its unique expressing means including mode and tone.
“The folk songs of the northwestern provinces consist in gentle, beautiful and flowing melodies rich in national sentiments and occupy the dominant position in the Korean folk song. Such folk songs as Arirang, Platycodon and Yangsando are widely known around the world as they give their listeners an urge to sing together with the singers and fill them with national dignity and pride,” said Ju Hye Ryon, lecturer at Pyongyang Kim Won Gyun University of Music.
Traditional musical instruments of the Koreans include such stringed instruments as oungum, okryugum, kayagum and haegum, such woodwind as tanso, fife, pipe and saenap and such percussion as janggu, gong and drum.
Vibrato, a style of rendition peculiar to national instruments, adds bright yet soft emotional colours to clearly express the national sentiments of the nation. And trill delicately enhances melodic representation.
Along with the development of the times, efforts are being made to improve national musical instruments in line with the modern aesthetic sense while preserving their clear and soft tone quality.
Their fine features have fully been demonstrated, thanks to the creation of Juche-oriented mixed orchestration.
“After listening to A Bumper Harvest in the Chongsan Plain, an orchestral piece incorporating national instruments, foreigners lavished praise, saying that Korean musical instruments are uniquely national and nicely express the thoughts and feelings of modern people and that the tone colours of tanso and fife are particularly inimitable,” said Kim Jo Hyok, director of the musical instrument manufacturing institute of Pyongyang Kim Won Gyun University of Music.
More From Pyongyang Times
A ceremony of great significance was held in the area of Hwasong in Pyongyang, well known as an epitome representing socialist
February 19, 2026
A ceremony of great significance was held in the area of Hwasong in Pyongyang, well known as an epitome representing socialist
The workers in the munitions industry of the DPRK are providing a sure guarantee for a continuous development and radical dramatic
February 19, 2026
The workers in the munitions industry of the DPRK are providing a sure guarantee for a continuous development and radical dramatic
Comrades,The workers in the munitions industry have prepared the most valuable present for a glorious congress of the Workers’ Par
February 19, 2026
Comrades,The workers in the munitions industry have prepared the most valuable present for a glorious congress of the Workers’ Par
Soldier-builders and youth shock brigade members, who are spending significant days in Pyongyang after building an ideal farm town
February 19, 2026
Soldier-builders and youth shock brigade members, who are spending significant days in Pyongyang after building an ideal farm town
Performances of participants in the Third People's Art Festival were given in different parts of the country on February 16 to
February 19, 2026
Performances of participants in the Third People's Art Festival were given in different parts of the country on February 16 to
There was a significant ceremony ahead of the opening of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea all the Party members
February 19, 2026
There was a significant ceremony ahead of the opening of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea all the Party members
Delegates to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where President Kim Il Sung
February 19, 2026
Delegates to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where President Kim Il Sung
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received congratulatory messages from organizations and bodies of the General Association of
February 19, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received congratulatory messages from organizations and bodies of the General Association of
The Russian permanent representative to the United Nations criticized Western countries for abusing the UNSC in putting pressure
February 18, 2026
The Russian permanent representative to the United Nations criticized Western countries for abusing the UNSC in putting pressure
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry denounced Japan for not honestly and sincerely approaching its history of aggression,
February 18, 2026
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry denounced Japan for not honestly and sincerely approaching its history of aggression,
There came an epoch-making success of concluding the construction of 50 000 flats in Pyongyang, which had powerfully been carried
February 17, 2026
There came an epoch-making success of concluding the construction of 50 000 flats in Pyongyang, which had powerfully been carried
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned the orientation of the country’s diplomatic work in a video speech on February
February 17, 2026
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned the orientation of the country’s diplomatic work in a video speech on February
The Hungarian minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade criticized the forced army recruitment which is being enforced in Ukraine with
February 17, 2026
The Hungarian minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade criticized the forced army recruitment which is being enforced in Ukraine with
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a congratulatory letter from the General Association of Koreans in China on February
February 17, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a congratulatory letter from the General Association of Koreans in China on February
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a congratulatory letter from the Central Standing Committee of the General Association
February 17, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un received a congratulatory letter from the Central Standing Committee of the General Association
Lunar New Year’s Day is one of the greatest national folk holidays of the Korean people. From ancient times, each family cleaned
February 17, 2026
Lunar New Year’s Day is one of the greatest national folk holidays of the Korean people. From ancient times, each family cleaned
Saeppyol Street has made an imposing appearance in an excellent location in the Hwasong area of Pyongyang, the capital of the
February 16, 2026
Saeppyol Street has made an imposing appearance in an excellent location in the Hwasong area of Pyongyang, the capital of the
Present here today are the bereaved family members of the fallen soldiers and other combatants as well as the combatants of the
February 16, 2026
Present here today are the bereaved family members of the fallen soldiers and other combatants as well as the combatants of the
A congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan led by Ko Tok U, chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Headquarters of the General
February 16, 2026
A congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan led by Ko Tok U, chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Headquarters of the General
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected the reckless remarks of the Japanese prime minister at a press conference on
February 16, 2026
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected the reckless remarks of the Japanese prime minister at a press conference on
More Articles
