[Enjoy KOREA] Arirang Festival

Arirang Festival

-Jeong Seon Arirang

-Intangible Cultural Properties number 1

-Established : 1971

-Location : Jeong Seon - gun

● History Jeong Seon Arirang, also Known as A Ra Ri. 

  This local folk song has been handed down for generations. It gained popularity in Eastern Korea when it first began to be sung 600 years ago. At that time Korea was in a transitional phase, moving a from the GoRyeo Dynasty to the Joseon Dynasty. Many scholars from the old GoRyeo Dynasty swore their allegiance to their former King and went into hiding. 

  At first they hid in Song Do, then they moved to Jeong Su. While in exile they ate wild edible plants and kept reminding themselves to love their former king and remain loyal to him. Naturally they thought about their homes and families that they had left behind. 

  So they began to write Chinese poetry, as a means of expressing their feelings. The scholars knew that their poetry was a good means to mark other people know and understand their ideas. People sung the poems and passed them on. 

  Jeong Seon Arirang was one such poem. Later, other poems were written about such to pics as the massacre of the scholars, war and other unfortunate situations in life. During colonization, the Japanese suppressed all kinds of Korean ideology, but the Korea people were still able to express themselves though songs.

● Jeong Seon Arirang's Distinguishing Features

1. The original title of the song was " A Ra Ri ". the lyrics are very sad
2. The Lyrics and melody are typical of the time period
3. They composed the lyrics from their life, feelings and nuture the lyrics were often long
4. Most of the time the singers would take turns each singing a solo verse in turn then
they would sing the refrain in unison
5. Many songs are from Chinese poetry
6. However the songs weren't exact Chinese poetry readings instead the lyrics were
explained in an easy way
7. Some songs are sexual
8. No record
9. Every town has their own style of Jeong Seon Arirang