Arirang

Arirang (아리랑 [a.ɾi.ɾaŋ]) is a Korean folk song. There are about 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of the song, all of which include a refrain similar to "Arirang, arirang, arariyo" ("아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요"). It is estimated the song is more than 600 years old.
"Arirang" is included twice on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, having been submitted for inclusion first by South Korea in 2012 and then by North Korea in 2014. In 2015, the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration added the song to its list of important intangible cultural assets.
The song is sung today in both North and South Korea, and represents the symbol of unity in the region that is divided by the Korean War.
It is believed that "Arirang" originated from Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. "Arirang" as a term today is ambiguous in meaning, but some linguists have hypothesized that "Ari" (아리) meant "beautiful" and "rang" (랑) referred to a "beloved one" or "bridegroom" in the ancient native Korean language. With the two words together, the term Arirang meant "My beloved one". This theory, supported by the scholars such as Shin Yong-ha [ko], bears the song's legend. According to the legend, the name is derived from the story of a bachelor and a maiden who fell in love while picking Camellia blossoms near the wharf at Auraji (아우라지) — a body of water which derives its name from the Korean word "eoureojida" (어우러지다) that is closely translated to "be in harmony" or "to meet". For example, the body of water that connects the waters of Pyeongchang and Samcheok to the Han River is called Auraji. Two versions of this story exist:
According to Professor Keith Howard, Arirang originated in the mountainous regions of Jeongseon, Gangwon, and the first mention of the song was found in a 1756 manuscript. The Academy of Korean Studies also shares the same view that Arirang was originally the folk song of Jeongseon. Some locals of Jeongseon trace their folk song further back to the era of Goryeo.
Some believe that such song from Jeongseon spread to Seoul and other regions of Korea when the workers from Gangwon were sent to Seoul to rebuild the Gyeongbok Palace under the order of the Prince Regent Heungseon of the Joseon period. Others especially theorize that the words "Arirang" and "Arari" in the song's lyrics originated from the families of the workers during this period who said "Arirang (아리랑; 我離郞)" or "Ananri (아난리; 我亂離)" to the officials taking the workers from their Gangwon homes to the palace construction in Seoul, the phrases which meant they cannot be separated from their lovers or families respectively. According to Maecheonyarok (매천야록; 梅泉野錄) recorded by the Joseon scholar Hwang Hyeon [ko], it seemed the song was widespread in the country by this time.
The South Korean literary scholar Yang Ju-dong theorized that the term "Arirang" came from the combination of "Ari" (아리), the old Korean indigenous word that also meant "long", and "ryeong" (Korean: 령; Hanja: 領; lit. hill).
Some trace the term "Arirang" to the name of Lady Aryeong, the wife of the first king of Silla, as the song could have evolved from the poem praising her virtues. Others even speculate that the term is linked to the Jurchen word "Arin" meaning "hometown", or the name of the Indian god with similar name.
The first known recording of "Arirang" was made in 1896 by American ethnologist Alice C. Fletcher. At her home in Washington, D.C., Fletcher recorded three Korean students singing a song she called "Love Song: Ar-ra-rang". One source suggests that the students belonged to noble Korean families and were studying abroad at Howard University during the period in which the recording was made. Another source suggests that the singers were Korean workers who happened to be living in America during that time. The recordings are currently housed in the U.S. Library of Congress.
During the Japanese occupation of Korea it became a criminal offense for anyone to sing patriotic songs, including Korea's national anthem, so Arirang became an unofficial resistance anthem against Imperial Japanese rule. Korean protesters sang "Arirang" during the March 1 Movement, a Korean demonstration against the Japanese Empire in 1919. Many of the variations of "Arirang" that were written during the occupation contain themes of injustice, the plight of labourers, and guerrilla warfare. It was also sung by the mountain guerrillas who were fighting against the fascists.
The most well-known lyrics to "Arirang" first appeared in the 1926 silent film Arirang, directed by Na Woon-gyu. Arirang is now considered a lost film but various accounts say the film was about a Korean student who became mentally ill after being imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese. The film was a hit upon its release and is considered the first Korean nationalist film.
During the Japanese occupation of Korea, Japan experienced a craze for Korean culture and for "Arirang", in particular. Over 50 Japanese versions of "Arirang" were released between 1931 and 1943, in genres including pop, jazz, and mambo. Some Japanese soldiers were familiar with "Arirang" from their service in Japanese Korea, or from their interactions with forcibly conscripted Korean comfort women, labourers and soldiers.
All versions of "Arirang" include a refrain similar to, "Arirang, arirang, arariyo (아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요)." The word "arirang" itself is nonsensical and does not have a precise meaning in Korean. While the other lyrics vary from version to version, the themes of sorrow, separation, reunion, and love appear in most versions.
The table below includes the lyrics of "Standard Arirang" from Seoul. The first two lines are the refrain. The refrain is followed by three verses.
There are an estimated 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of "Arirang". Titles of different versions of "Arirang" are usually prefixed by their place of origin.
While "Jeongseon Arirang" is generally considered to be the original version of the song, "Bonjo Arirang" (literally: Standard Arirang) from Seoul is one of the most famous versions. This version was first made popular when it was used as the theme song of the influential 1926 film Arirang.
Other famous variations include "Jindo Arirang" from South Jeolla Province, a region known for being the birthplace of Korean folk music genres pansori and sinawi; and "Miryang Arirang" from South Gyeongsang Province.
In 2011, Arirang was added to the 3rd batch of "List of Representative Items of National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China".
In 2023, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region, ethnic Korean singer Cui Liling published the first Arirang variation about the Heaven Lake on Jangbaeksan.
Both South Korea and North Korea submitted "Arirang" to be included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. South Korea successfully submitted the song for inclusion in 2012. North Korea successfully submitted the song for inclusion in 2014.
In 2015, the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration added the "Arirang" to its list of important intangible cultural assets.
The U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division adopted "Arirang" as its official march song in May 1956, after receiving permission from Syngman Rhee, the first president of South Korea. The division had been stationed in South Korea from 1950 to 1971, including the Korean War period.