ⓒ NATIONAL GUGAK CENTER

In pansori “Sugungga수궁가,” the turtle came up to land to bring the rabbit to the sea kingdom just in time to see the sun was rise up above the horizon. Anyone who has seen a sunrise over the sea knows how dramatic and beautiful it is. So imagine how amazed the turtle, who had spent his entire life underwater, was when he saw a huge fireball rising above the water. The scene is described in the song titled “Gogocheonbyeon고고천변.” The first passage of the song depicts the sun as a red fire wheel coming up from the edge of the water. The passage also refers to a sacred tree featured in the Chinese myth. Ten suns are hung on that tree and those suns rise one by one in the morning and sets in the evening to take a bath in a pond located in the west. Ancient people knew that the sun was an important celestial body, but didn’t understand the principle behind the sunrise and sunset, giving rise to such a mythical tale. Today’s episode of Sounds of Korea begins with Kim Il-ryun and the Sookmyung Gayageum Orchestra performing “Gogocheonbyeon.” 

Gogocheonbyeon/ Performed by Kim Il-ryun & Sookmyung Gayageum Orchestra

Having come up to land for the first time in his life, the turtle must have been in awe of practically everything terrestrial - The sun rising over the sea, clouds above the mountains, and even the sound of a barking dog. But the turtle soon remembers his mission and heads to the woods to find a rabbit. In the mountain, he is even more overwhelmed by the tall trees, singing birds, a roaring waterfall and such. Everything that the turtle marveled at was included in the song “Gogocheonbyeon.” This passage is written in a very engaging manner and the melody is charming, so this part of the song is sung by itself or with a gayageum accompaniment. While the turtle from “Sugungga” is in awe of the sun, Lee Mong-ryong from pansori “Chunhyangga” prays for the sun to set quickly. Because it was the day when he promised to visit Chunhyang at her house. Their first date was set after dusk, but Mong-ryong, eager to meet his beloved, kept asking his manservant, Bangja, since early in the morning about when the sunset is likely to occur. The bewildered servant ridicules his master for asking about the sunset when the day has barely dawned. Undaunted, Mong-ryong asks his servant about the time of the sunset all day long. It wasn’t as if the smitten young man didn’t know what time it was. Although he should have focused on studying, his mind was completely dominated by the thought of the lovely Chunhyang and he was able to think of anything other than the girl. So what he wanted to do was to pour out his frustration over slow-moving time to the only person who can relate to him. Here is master singer Oh Jeong-sook singing that passage from pansori “Chunhyangga.”

Passage from “Chunhyangga”/ Sung by Oh Jeong-sook

Today’s last piece is from court music “Boheoja보허자,” which means walking on air. This instrumental piece is believed to have been influenced by Taoism. It was originally written during the Song Dynasty, which lasted from the mid-10th to the late 13th century and imported to Korea during the Goryeo period. Over time, all traces of Chinese influence were removed from the song and it came to have only uniquely Korean features. The song also generated a number of derivative works. “Boheoja,” performed as an accompaniment piece for royal court dance, starts off with a passage that goes “The sun rising over the sea is red above all.” The passage is, in essence, a prayer for the sun to impart auspicious energy to bring peace and prosperity to the nation. Let’s listen to the Court Music Orchestra of the National Gugak Center performing “Boheoja.”

Boheoja/ Performed by Court Music Orchestra of the National Gugak Center