Arirang: Korea’s Most Important Folksong
Arirang (아리랑) is one of, if not the most, culturally significant folksong in Korea’s history. Over the past few hundred years, Arirang has evolved to include hundreds of different versions and variations that reflect the sufferings and triumphs of the Korean people of their respective times. Traditionally, Arirang is a simple, lyrical tune containing some variation of the refrain “Arirang, arirang, arariyo”. Arirang is, at its core, a love song that reflects the adoration that Koreans have for the unity of the Korean people, something that was challenged by both the Japanese occupation of Korea in the early 1900s and the contention between North and South Korea during the Korean War.
During the Japanese occupation, the singing of Arirang was used as a resistance song against Japanese efforts to culturally suppress Koreans, when professing any Korean patriotism was forbidden. During the famous 1919 March 1st Movement, the Korean protestors sang Arirang to display their mental fortitude and loyalty to Korea. The Korean people were able to maintain their shared sense of identity and unity by singing and treasuring Arirang even through the forced slavery and enlistment they endured under Japanese control.
Many years later, the influence of Arirang revealed itself when Korea was divided at the 38th parallel as a result of the Korean War. To this day, Arirang still rings through the air in both North and South Korea, forever reminding the people of their unified identity and indelible history. Parents in both North and South Korea sing Arirang to their children, preserving the past while reminding their children to stay true to their roots. Arirang eradicates sectional tensions, stripping down both North and South Korea to a unified group of people with a common, rich history and shared character.
As put by the National Folk Museum of Korea, “Arirang represents all the joys and sorrows in the history and lives of Koreans. It is deeply rooted in Koreans’ emotion as the cultural DNA”. A heartfelt song full of love and longing, Arirang will always be remembered by the world as the Korean people’s expression of loyalty for their nation and their countrymen.
