The Aesthetics of Traditional Arts and the
Spirit of Community through Samulnori
Meeting with Professor Kim Won-min of
Korea National University of Arts,
Samulnori Cultural Expert at the
Sejong Culture Academy

Professor Kim Won-min of the Korea National University of Arts, who researches traditional performing arts such as pungmul and puppet plays while training future generations, teaches samulnori to foreign learners worldwide, including KSI learners, through the Sejong Culture Academy. As a cultural expert, he conveys the Korean sentiment and the aesthetics of traditional arts. Going beyond performance techniques, he incorporates the core value of samulnori—its spirit of community—into education. We spoke with Professor Kim Won-min about the values of traditional arts education he aims to share through the Sejong Culture Academy and his vision for its globalization.

Hello, Professor Kim Won-min. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Could you first introduce yourself to the readers of Monthly Knock Knock?
 

Hello. I am Kim Won-min, Professor in the Department of Korean Traditional Dramatic Performing Arts at the School of Korean Traditional Arts, Korea National University of Arts. Currently, I teach both the practical and theoretical aspects of traditional performing arts such as pungmul and puppet plays, while also researching and developing creative and experimental performances based on tradition. In addition, as Artistic Director of the Siheung City Traditional Performing Arts Troupe, I plan and direct a wide range of performances that cross the boundaries between tradition and contemporary creation.

The term “jeontong yeonhui (traditional performing arts)” may sound somewhat unfamiliar. It refers to Korea’s unique performing arts handed down by professional entertainers and rooted in the communal play culture of traditional society, such as pungmul, mask dance, shamanistic rituals, and namsadang nori. Today, it has expanded into new forms such as samulnori. As a comprehensive art form combining song, dance, music, and drama (gamuakhee), it breathes together with the audience and allows the Korean sentiment and aesthetics to be intuitively shared.

I am also dedicated to the globalization of Korean performing arts through exchanges with overseas universities and artists, workshops, and expert lectures at KSIs. In particular, I am working toward establishing samulnori courses at foreign arts universities and am exploring the possibilities of sustainable traditional arts education through online educational videos and real-time online classes with learners at KSI Bogotá, Colombia.
 
 

As a cultural expert for the Sejong Culture Academy, you have been meeting foreign learners through your samulnori course. Could you tell us more about this course in detail?
 

At the Sejong Culture Academy, I have been teaching samulnori with the aim of providing learners with an integrated education—one that goes beyond acquiring performance techniques to help them understand Korean sentiment, the aesthetics of traditional arts, and the communal values embodied in samulnori.

Samulnori is a traditional percussion ensemble that was recreated in a modern form from pungmulgut in the late 1970s and is performed by four or more players. Its foundation—jangdan (rhythmic patterns) and the musical essence of percussion instruments—are universal elements that are easy to approach and resonate with people across different cultures, which is why samulnori has gained great popularity both in Korea and abroad.

Korean traditional music, unlike Western music, has developed a unique musical form through its jangdan structures. Thus, learning jangdan plays an important role in understanding Korean sentiment and musical characteristics. Originating from pungmulgut, which served as a cultural medium of village communities in traditional society, samulnori is a modern reinterpretation that retains the communal spirit as its core value. For this reason, it can only be complete when performers listen closely to one another and achieve harmony through mutual respect and consideration. When teaching KSI learners abroad, I always emphasize that without the effort to build community, samulnori cannot truly exist.

I also introduce the sounds of traditional percussion instruments, which resemble natural phenomena such as clouds, rain, wind, and thunder, to convey the atmosphere of Korea’s four seasons. Through the colors of samulnori costumes, which reflect the five directions of yin-yang and the five elements, I explain the meanings embedded in traditional attire and Korea’s cyclical worldview of nature. When learning traditional jangdan, instead of using musical notation, we use a unique oral method called gu-eum (verbal notation). Learners vocalize the sounds of the rhythms directly, which is particularly effective for KSI learners abroad who are also interested in learning Korean. For example, by vocalizing janggu sounds such as “deong” and “tta,” learners can acquire both Korean pronunciation and rhythmic breathing simultaneously. In the Byeoldalgeori rhythm, chanting lines such as “This year brings a great harvest, and next year will bring abundance again” or “Moon, moon, bright moon, shining bright as day” allows language and rhythm to merge seamlessly, maximizing the educational effect.

At the heart of the Korean Wave lies the cultural DNA of the Korean people. However, for Hallyu to move beyond being a temporary trend and to achieve genuine globalization, education is essential to help people from diverse cultures gain a deep and authentic understanding of Korean culture. In this regard, I recognize the Sejong Culture Academy of KSI as an important hub for spreading our culture worldwide, and I approach my role with both passion and a strong sense of responsibility.
 
 

What were your impressions of KSI based on your firsthand experience, and how did you feel about the reactions of local learners who participated in the Sejong Culture Academy’s Samulnori Course?
 

One interesting observation I made while conducting lectures at various overseas Sejong Culture Academies was that a strikingly large proportion of participants in the samulnori courses were young women. I believe this is clearly the result of the Korean Wave—spurred by K-pop and dramas—expanding interest in Korean culture as a whole. In fact, when asked about their motivation for participating, many learners answered that their love for Korea began with the Korean Wave and naturally extended to traditional culture.

Even in a short amount of time, as learners practiced jangdan (rhythmic patterns) and played together, I saw them become absorbed in the unique rhythms of Korean music, smiling brightly and showing spirited enthusiasm. Those moments always left me deeply moved. A particularly memorable experience was my lecture at KSI Bogotá, Colombia, in 2019. At that time, about ten learners had been exposed to samulnori before, but with no instructor to guide them, they felt a thirst for learning. I can still vividly remember the sight of them waiting eagerly in the classroom, their hearts filled with anticipation at the news, “Finally, the teacher is coming.”

After completing three days of intensive classes, the learners were invited to perform on stage at a national state guest event. Having successfully completed their performance, they were overcome with emotion, shedding tears as if they had gained the whole world. That scene remains etched in my heart as a profound and moving memory. Afterward, the learners continued their activities as a club, and I was delighted to hear news of their performances at Korean community events in Colombia as well as invitations to perform in other Latin American countries.

When I revisited the KSI in Colombia last year, I witnessed the learners preparing a celebratory performance for their graduation ceremony. It was then that I realized once again that samulnori had become more than just a hobby—it had become a source of pride and motivation in their lives. Through these experiences, I felt firsthand that culture and the arts can transcend borders and boundaries, console life’s hardships, and serve as the most powerful force to bring new strength and inspiration.
 
 

Samulnori Course Held at KSI Bogotá, Colombia Professor Kim Won-min Performing Together with
Learners of KSI Bogotá, Colombia

What role do you think professional and systematic Korean cultural courses such as samulnori, offered through the Sejong Culture Academy, play in helping foreign learners understand Korean culture?
 

As an educator and performer of samulnori and traditional performing arts, I have accumulated extensive overseas performance experience. Compared to about 15 years ago, one major change is the noticeable increase in young foreign audiences, in addition to Korean residents abroad. After performances, I felt deeply rewarded seeing many audience members remain in the lobby, waiting to take photos with the performers rather than leaving right away.

I wondered why so many foreigners were interested in traditional performances rather than K-pop, and it turned out that KSI learners had come with their friends and were giving enthusiastic and active responses. Young people who had already experienced Korean traditional arts through various cultural academy programs at KSI were now continuing that experience into the concert hall. This was a clear example of the saying, “The more you know, the more you see,” showing the positive ripple effect of KSI courses in expanding into diverse areas of Korean culture.

For the Korean Wave to be sustainable, it must spread not only through the commercial success of popular culture but also through deeper understanding and interest in Korea. In this process, the Sejong Culture Academy plays an important role in conveying the authenticity and diversity of Korean culture to the world. I believe that the education and exchange centered on the Sejong Culture Academy form a vital foundation that drives the continued growth of the Korean Wave and establishes the global stature of Korean culture.
 
 

When conducting samulnori courses at the Sejong Culture Academy, what aspects do you consider most important? Are there values or philosophies you particularly wish to convey to learners through your classes?
 

I place importance on introducing the sense of community embedded in pungmulgut, the original form of samulnori. Of course, the communal relationships of the agrarian society of the past have not been carried over intact into modern society. Today’s world is one of contractual relationships formed through various associations and divisions. Yet the unchanging truth is that we must ultimately live together in harmony. Just as the four instruments of samulnori complete one ensemble by respecting and supporting one another, its spirit reflects universal values and truths shared across the world.

At the core of our traditional jangdan (rhythmic patterns) lies the triple meter. What is noteworthy is that, among the shared cultural spheres of Northeast Asia, Korea uniquely uses triple meter as the basis of its rhythms. I believe this is strongly influenced by the philosophy of samjaeron (the Three Elements Theory). In other words, the universe is completed when heaven, earth, and humanity exist in harmonious balance. Just as King Sejong created the basic letters of Hangeul based on heaven, earth, and humanity, I explain in class that this tripartite worldview is also deeply embedded in Korean traditional music. The reason I highlight this philosophy is to help learners understand the spirit of our traditional music, which teaches us to acknowledge differences, respect one another, and live together in harmony and peace.
 
 

Finally, could you share any suggestions for areas where KSIF could make further efforts to advance the Sejong Culture Academy?
 

The expert dispatch program of the Sejong Culture Academy is highly meaningful in that it provides fair opportunities to KSIs around the world and enhances equity in cultural and arts education. However, in reality, there are certain limitations to sustaining the continuous dispatch of professional instructors overseas.

Recently, during my visit to KSI Bogotá, Colombia, I met with Samulnori Club learners and identified the potential for continuing education through online systems. In fact, in 2023, we collaborated with KSI Bogotá to produce samulnori instructional videos, adding Spanish subtitles for learners. This was an attempt to enable learners to repeatedly watch and practice even without a resident instructor. However, we were unable to implement real-time online classes due to system limitations, as a stable internet network is essential. Considering the disparities in internet environments across countries, a phased approach—expanding online education first in countries with reliable infrastructure—would be necessary.

I understand that KSIs are currently building online education systems and providing content. However, since practical training like samulnori relies heavily on in-person engagement, what is needed goes beyond a simple shift to online. It requires developing educational methodologies optimized for online environments, as well as tailored lesson plans and textbooks. With research support and policy backing for these efforts, online education could effectively supplement in-person training and greatly enhance educational outcomes. Furthermore, in order to maximize the quality and impact of education, it would be beneficial to establish systematic and flexible schedules for Sejong Culture Academy expert dispatch programs, along with robust support measures.