In pansori “Sugungga수궁가,” the turtle comes ashore to get a rabbit’s liver to cure the ailing sea king. The problem is how to trick the rabbit to go to the underwater palace. So the turtle lies to the rabbit that he will be awarded handsomely once he meets the sea king. Imagine how surprised the rabbit is when he finds out that they are about to take his liver out. But the clever rabbit doesn’t give up. Instead, he tells the sea king that such magical medicine like his liver can be taken in and out of his body and it is kept safely on land. Believing the rabbit’s lie, the sea king asks him to bring it back to him and even hosts a big party for the rabbit’s quick return. 

The year 2023 is the year of the rabbit. This year is going to see a lot of events, both good and bad, but when things get tough, I hope all of you can overcome the difficulties with wit and composure, just like the rabbit in “Sugungga.” We’ll start off today’s show with Leenalchi singing “Yagilera약일레라,” also known as “Ddiddiroo Diroo Diroo.” This song is based on the scene in “Sugungga,” where the rabbit boasts that his liver is a cure-all and the sea king, believing this lie, holds a party for the rabbit.

Ddiddiroo Diroo Diroo/ Sung by Leenalchi

The Korean people’s new year’s greeting is “Wish you plenty of good fortune.” Good fortune means plentifulness and lucky turn of events. Such fortune does not come to just anybody. It comes to those who do a lot of good, or at least those with an honest and generous heart. So, old Koreans would say, “You would receive a lot of good fortune” when someone does a good deed, while “Good fortune would leave you” when one does wrong. People in the old days, who were always in need of a lucky break, had the word bok, meaning good fortune, embroidered on their clothes or etched into utensils and furniture. The word can still be found in our everyday lives. For instance, the Korean word for a real estate agency is bokdeokbang복덕방, which implies that housing transactions should involve good fortune, and the word for lottery, bokgwon복권, literally means a lucky ticket. 

In pansori “Heungboga흥보가,” Heungbo was so poor that he couldn’t feed his family let alone help other people. But caring for a dying swallow was something that didn’t require money, something that he could do with only his kind heart. Eventually, his kindness brought him great fortune. What he did after gaining all that wealth was also something we should emulate. He didn’t enjoy the riches all by himself but shares it with other needy people. Recalling his impoverished past, he tells the needy to come to him so that he could spread good fortune to others. Perhaps the gods must have recognized Heungbo’s generous heart and decided to reward him for it. We wish your new year’s would be filled with generosity and good luck. Here’s gugak a capella group Torys singing “Sirireong Silgeun.”

Sirireong Silgeun/ Sung by Torys

In the old days, each village had its own samulnori사물놀이 band which would play music for the homes in the village on the new year’s day. The band would play the janggu, gongs, drums, the instruments that would make loud sounds. Band members would go to the main bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom and even jangdokdae장독대, the platform where they kept jars of soy sauce and bean paste, and sing songs that keep off evil spirits and invite good fortune. Such songs were called binari비나리, which were a reminder that bad luck exists everywhere, and also a hopeful prayer that even if you happen to experience a bad turn of events, you would come out unscathed or at least with as little damage as possible. The song asked people to be always careful and behave wisely and kindly. This year’s first episode of Sounds of Korea will conclude with a blessing for the New Year that all misfortune would go away, and only good fortune would come to you and your loved ones. Here’s Jeon Young-rang singing “Binari” to the accompaniment of jazz band Prelude. 

Binari/ Sung by Jeon Young-rang, performed by Prelude