South Korea's Intangible Cultural Heritage on UNESCO ListsSouth Korea's Intangible Cultural Heritage on UNESCO Lists

South Korea boasts a rich tapestry of intangible cultural heritage, with several traditions inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These heritages not only showcase the country's unique cultural identity but also offer insights into its historical, religious, and social values.

1. Royal ancestral ritual in the Jongmyo shrine and its music - Inscribed in 2008 (Initially announced in 2001)
The Jongmyo shrine is a place where Confucian rituals for worshipping the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty (14th to 19th century) are held, encompassing elements such as songs, dances, and music. This ritual takes place once a year, on the first Sunday of May, organized by the descendants of the royal family. It provides a unique example of a Confucian ceremony, as such celebrations no longer exist in China.
The tradition draws inspiration from the concepts of ancestor worship and filial piety found in classical Chinese literature. The ritual also includes prayers for the eternal peace of the ancestors' spirits in a shrine believed to be the resting place of their souls. The order of the ceremony was established in the 15th century, and most of its elements have remained unchanged to this day.
During the ritual, priests don ceremonial attire, placing a crown on the king and coronets on others, and offering food and wine in ceremonial vessels. The music accompanying the ritual in the Jongmyo shrine is played on traditional instruments, such as gongs, bells, lutes, guzhengs, and flutes. The ritual dance is performed by 64 dancers arranged in 8 rows, representing the opposing yet complementary forces of yin and yang as described in Confucian culture.
The civil dance is accompanied by the harmonious and soothing music of Potaepyeong, characterized by the first step taken to the left. The civil and military dances symbolize the power of yang, while the military dance, accompanied by the music of Jing 大业 (Jingdaye) in a minor key and characterized by movement to the right, symbolizes the power of yin.
Nowadays, the Jongmyo ancestral ritual is often perceived as lacking in significance, especially against the backdrop of the growing influence of Christianity. However, the ceremony and its music are protected by the country's intangible heritage list and the Cultural Properties Protection Act of 1982.

 

2. Pansori epic chant - Inscribed on the Representative List in 2008 (Initially announced in 2003)
Pansori is a form of musical narrative performed by a singer and a drummer. This popular tradition is characterized by expressive singing, stylized speech, a series of narratives, and gestures, encompassing both elite and folk cultures.
During an 8-hour performance, a male or female singer, accompanied only by a barrel-shaped drum, improvises lyrics that combine rural language with profound literary language. The term "pansori" is derived from the Korean words "pan," meaning "a place where many people gather," and "sori," meaning "song."
Pansori originated in southwestern Korea in the 17th century and may have been a new expression of shamanic narrative songs. Until the late 19th century, it remained an oral tradition of the common people. At that time, it incorporated more complex literary content and became quite popular among the urban elite.
The settings, characters, and scenarios that make up the world of pansori are rooted in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1910). Pansori singers undergo long and rigorous training to master a variety of timbres and memorize complex repertoires. Many master artists have developed their own interpretive styles and are renowned for their unique ways of performing specific episodes.
Due to the rapid modernization of South Korea, pansori was designated as a national intangible cultural heritage in 1964. This measure spurred generous institutional support, which in turn contributed to the revival of this tradition. Although pansori remains one of the most prominent genres in traditional performing arts, it has lost much of its original spontaneity. Ironically, this recent evolution is a result of the very act of preservation, as improvisation has tended to be stifled by an increasing number of written texts.

 

3. Gangneung Danoje festival - Inscribed on the Representative List in 2008 (Initially announced in 2005)
The annual Gangneung Danoje festival is held in and around the town of Gangneung, located east of the Taebaek Mountains on the Korean Peninsula. It includes shamanic rituals at Daegwallyeong to worship the mountain god and the male and female guardian deities.
The festival encompasses traditional music, rice-planting folk songs, the Gongnangdae mask dance drama, oral poetry, and various popular entertainment activities. The Namgang Market, the largest outdoor market in South Korea, is now the main venue for the festival celebrations. Here, local products and handicrafts are sold, and competitions, games, and circus performances are held.
The four-week festival begins with the brewing of a sacred wine and the Dano shamanic ritual, in which a sacred tree and ritual objects made of feathers, bells, and bamboo and wood play a central role. One of the characteristics of this festival is the coexistence of Confucian, shamanic, and Buddhist rituals. Through the rituals of sacrificing to the gods, it is believed that the region will be protected from natural disasters, enabling all residents to live in peace and prosperity.
Each year, a large number of tourists participate in various ritual performances and actively engage in activities such as making Dano fans, brewing sacred wine, painting masks for the Gongnangdae mask dance drama, making and tasting a rice cake called Surichiwi, and washing their hair with iris flower water. The Gangneung Danoje festival is very popular. However, over the years, cultural standardization and increased media coverage have led to the loss of some traditional elements of the festival. In the traditional context of the festival, one of its functions is to transcend social differences by allowing people from all social strata to participate.

4. Cheoyongmu - Inscribed on the Representative List in 2009
Cheoyongmu is a court dance that is now performed on stage but was previously used in royal banquets or exorcism ceremonies on New Year's Eve to drive away evil spirits and pray for peace, thus promoting good luck.
According to Korean legend, the son of the Dragon King Yongwang transformed into a human and saved his human wife through song and dance. The dance is performed by five men dressed in clothes of four colors - white, blue, black, and red, representing the four basic directions and the center. They wear light wine-red masks of human gods, with white teeth, tin earrings, and necklaces of lead beads, and a black hat decorated with two peonies and seven peaches to ward off evil and invite auspicious energy.
The dancers move with solemn and lively postures to music in various styles and rhythms, interspersed with the recitation of various lyrical songs. As part of the Cheoyong folk mythology, Cheoyongmu also embodies Confucian philosophy, especially the theory of the five elements. In the legend, the image of Cheoyong carved on the house door is said to be able to drive away smallpox and other diseases. The creation of Cheoyong masks also provides a valuable opportunity for traditional craftsmanship.

 

5. Ganggangsullae - Inscribed on the Representative List in 2009
Ganggangsullae is a seasonal ritual for a bountiful harvest, popular in southwestern South Korea, mainly performed during the Korean Thanksgiving Day in the eighth lunar month.
Under a bright full moon, dozens of unmarried young rural women form a circle, holding hands and singing and dancing all night long under the direction of the lead singer. During the breaks, the women playfully imitate small snippets reflecting the life of a farm or fishing village, including stepping on roof tiles, spreading out mats, catching mice, or tying herrings.
The name of this dance comes from the chorus repeated after each poem, although the exact meaning of this chorus remains unclear. This ritual was once a rare opportunity for young rural women to break free, as they were not allowed to sing loudly or go out at night except during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.
Nowadays, middle-aged urban women mostly preserve this ritual and teach it as part of the primary school music curriculum. It is now performed as a performing art across South Korea and can be regarded as a representative of Korean folk art. It is an important hereditary custom originating from the rice culture that permeates rural daily life. The simple melodies and movements can be quickly learned, and this collective practice contributes to harmony, equality, and friendship among the female dancers.

6. Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut - Inscribed on the Representative List in 2009
Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut is a ritual held in the second lunar month to pray for calm seas, a good harvest, and abundant catches. The ritual held at the Chilmeoridang in Gwijang Village is representative of similar rituals held throughout Jeju Island, South Korea.
The village shaman conducts a series of rituals for the Wind Goddess (Yeongdeung Halmi), the Dragon King, and the Mountain God. The Yeongdeung welcoming ritual includes ceremonies to summon the gods, offer prayers, and a three-act play to entertain the ancestral gods. Two weeks later, the Yeongdeung farewell ritual includes providing drinks and rice cakes, a ceremony to welcome the Dragon King, fortune-telling with millet seeds, and the launching of a straw boat by the village elders.
The Yeongdeung Goddess departs on the 15th day, marking the arrival of spring. She sows seeds and calms the turbulent waters. Besides the shaman, the Yeongdeung ritual is mainly carried out by female divers and boat owners, who prepare the food and offerings. This is both a seasonal ritual and a cultural festival, and it is a unique manifestation of Jeju Island's identity and a way for the villagers to express their respect for the sea on which they depend for their livelihood.

 

7. Namsadang Nori - Inscribed on the Representative List in 2009
Namsadang, literally meaning "all-male wandering clown troupe," is a diverse folk performance tradition originally performed by traveling artists and now preserved by professional groups in South Korea.
The performance consists of six parts: a segment of "peasant music" emphasizing the percussion of metal gongs and animal-skin drums; a mask dance presenting four comedic scenes depicting people from different social classes; a tightrope-walking performance in which an acrobat stands on a high wire and engages in witty exchanges with the clown below; a puppet show in which more than 50 puppets perform 7 scenes accompanied by a narrator and musicians; an acrobatics section that combines physical movements performed on the ground with comedic dialogues and music; and finally, a complex performance of spinning iron hoops with wooden sticks brings the show to a close.
In addition to providing entertainment for rural audiences gathered around the performers on outdoor stages, Namsadang also conveys an important social message. The mask dance and puppet show, in particular, reflect the oppression of the lower classes and women in a male-dominated society. Through satire, these performances raise issues on behalf of those without political voices, expressing the ideals of equality and freedom and supporting and inspiring the poor.