Written by: Sanskriti Saxena, Delhi
Edited by: Pooja Vishwanathan, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
Want to know more about the diversity of Korean culture through arts? Read about Samulnori here and immerse yourself in this heavenly experience.
My interest in this musical art arose when the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI), Delhi, introduced classes for this course for two months. As someone with a non-musical background, I got interested because my friend also participated in its previous batches. Adapting to the learning process was a bit slow but my teacher was very motivating and gave us individual help. In addition, with my knowledge of the basics of the Korean language, I could understand the lyrics better.
Samul-nori is a musical performance that features a combination of four traditional instruments. It originated in the 1970s, largely popularized by musician Kim Duk-soo and others. This style of performance is often incorporated into contemporary K-pop dance routines and can be adapted to various musical genres. The four instruments used in Samulnori are the buk (a barrel drum), the janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum), the jing (a gong), and the kkwaenggwari (a small gong). Each of these instruments symbolizes elements of nature, corresponding to clouds, rain, wind, and lightning, respectively.
The Buk consists of a hollowed-out wooden body with leather skins affixed to both sides. Played using a single stick, it generates the bass sounds within a musical ensemble.
The Janggu, commonly known as the hourglass drum, derives its name from its distinctive shape. This drum consists of two sides, each covered with unique types of leather skin. On one side, it generates high-pitched sounds, while on the other, it produces lower tones. Additionally, the drum’s edges are skillfully utilized to create a diverse range of sound variations. Each hand uses a stick to play.
The Kkwaenggwari, a small gong, is primarily crafted from brass with traces of gold or silver. It is a hand-held instrument played using a bamboo mallet. One hand is used to wield the mallet, while the other is responsible for modulating the sound as required. The musician playing this instrument typically assumes the role of a leader, signaling transitions in the music.
The Jing, a sizable gong, is struck using a padded stick. It offers a variety of playing options, including hanging from a frame, holding onto a handle, or playing with both hands. When played, the Jing emanates a resonant, oscillating sound reminiscent of the contours of Korea’s valleys.
Since Janggu was the most frequently played instrument in a performance, our teacher first had us all learn it before choosing us for other instruments based on our talents in Janggu. A single person or two play Jing, whereas three or four people play Buk and KKwaenggwari, respectively, and eight to ten people play Janggu.
As Janngu is a combination of two sticks with both hands, the coordination was a little difficult for me to adapt to. So, my teacher suggested I try Buk, which is played with a single hand, and I could play it very well.
Our class teacher was very strict with punctuality and absence, so our class had very good discipline. She was very excellent at teaching and gave the roles of the performance according to the talents of the students. She was very attentive to every student and perfectly coordinated each student’s place in the performance. She gave individual time for each student’s improvement. It does not matter if the student is tone-deaf or does not know the basics of music.
In their auditorium, KCCI organized our performance along with previous batch performances and other additional individual Korean performances. Based on some well-known lyrics that our teacher provided, we composed a song and used four instruments to perform the same sounds.
Samulnori is a musical performance that can be performed even if you do not know the music beforehand. I would recommend everyone join the upcoming batches of Samulnori to gain extra knowledge of Korean culture.
Let us know in the comment section below whether you would like to learn Samulnori or not. And if yes, which instrument would you like to try out first?
My friend was also attending and I attended her graduation its was a new experience. Hope to try it out in 2025
I was also a samulnori student and it was really very amazing experience while learning samulnori.
Samulnori ❤️❤️
😃wow
Wowww…….
Great experience
Wow 😀
If I get a chance i would love to learn this
Samulnori is love for me now
I learnt samulnori at kcci and it’s was so fun
These 4 instrument are crazy . I really enjoyed my journey of learning these instrument.
Amazing article
This is something new for me!
I have seen this before, but not know about this in details, its cool 😎
😍😍😍
Soo amazing 🤩🤩🤩
I would love to learn in future ☺️☺️☺️
Would love to learn 😍
I learned samulnori from KCCI ❤
Learning samulnori from kcci is really very amazing experience ✨
Nice article 👍
Everyone should try learning Samulnori! It was a very fun experience!
It’s an art
Samulnori brings the korean heart.a pure rhythum and pure spirit.
Samulnori seems like such a vibrant and immersive way to experience Korean culture! 🥁 I love how each instrument represents an element of nature, and it’s amazing that even beginners can participate and create harmony together. The Buk sounds perfect for starting out, especially with its deep, rhythmic beats, while the Janggu seems challenging but so rewarding once you get the hang of it.
This was such an insightful read! Samulnori sounds like a beautiful and powerful way to experience Korean culture, even for beginners. I’d love to try learning the Janggu or Buk someday—it must be an amazing feeling to perform together as a group!
Samulnori is a vibrant way to experience Korean culture, with each instrument reflecting nature perfect for beginners on the Buk and rewarding to master on the Janggu. In KCCI they teach salmunri, i would definitely sign uo for ut next time
This article beautifully captures the joy, discipline, and cultural richness of learning Samulnori. I loved how the writer shared both the challenges and the excitement of mastering traditional Korean percussion — it really shows that this art form is not just music, but a way of connecting with history and emotion. Reading about their personal journey made me appreciate the dedication and passion behind Korean traditional arts even more! 🥁🌟