Korea
odd: label: Introduction
content: This program celebrated the centenary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Korea, and the equally-long relations between the Smithsonian and Korean scholars. Many of the kinds of traditions the first Smithsonian researchers encountered a century earlier were represented at the 1982 Festival, including musical instrument making, musical performance, pottery making and rituals from the indigenous shamanic religion of Korea. Visitors could also enjoy other venerable traditions including masked dance drama, hemp-cloth and hat making, and the occupational songs of farmers and women divers. Korean Americans presented traditions brought from Korea that have taken root in the American land.

The crafts represented at the Festival were typical of those produced during Korea's late feudal period, which ended with the termination of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Before the eighteenth century, most of the handcraft industries, such as pottery-making, metal smithing, and stone-working, were strictly regulated by the royal court, which controlled much of the country's commerce. During the declining years of the dynasty, however, small cottage industries thrived, as court artisans entered private life and peasant farmers sought to improve their precarious economic situation by producing textiles, baskets, and other crafts for market. On appointed market days in the villages, peddlers, local vendors, and farmers would spread their wares on the ground or in booths, where they could be viewed by passersby. This traditional open-air market remains a feature of modern Korean life, even though many of the older handcrafts were supplanted over the last few decades with machine-manufactured goods.

The great influx of technology to the Republic of Korea in the 1960s and 1970s tended to leave all traditional arts in its wake - both elite and folk traditions. As a result, folk survivals in the 1980s tended to be grouped together with the high arts because they were considered to be old, traditional, venerable. Together with the tendency towards professionalization, this led to the current state of such folk traditions as the Farmer's Dance (nongak), taught by professional musicians in conservatories. Farmers may still know how to do it, but most people would say that one has to go to the cities to hear it done well, done precisely. If someone in a village turns out to have performing talent, he or she studies with the best masters; then, if really good, it is on to the big city to try to make a career in the performance and recording-studio world.

In choosing and presenting Korean and Korean American participants at the 1982 Festival, Smithsonian organizers sought to explore the range of vernacular styles in music, dance, crafts, foodways, games, and so forth, as expressed through the skills of the best available practitioners. The intention was to provide a glimpse of the country, its cultures, and its peoples.
label: Korean Participants
content: Note: In Korea, it is customary to list the family name followed by the first names. We have listed our Korean National participants in that manner while Korean-Americans are listed according to their preference.

Mask Dance Drama | Yangju Byeolsandae Nori | 양주별산대놀이

Hwang Kyung-hee, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do | 경기도, Korea

Kim Chung-sun, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do | 경기도, Korea

Kim Soon-hong, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do  | 경기도, Korea

Ko Myung-dal (1911-1992; National  ICH No.2), Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do  | 경기도, Korea

Suk Chong-kwan, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do  | 경기도, Korea

Yoo Kyung-sung (1918-1989), Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do  | 경기도, Korea

Sinawi-Folk Instrumental Ensemble

Kim Chung-mahn, Seoul | 서울, Korea

Kim Moo-kyung, Seoul | 서울, Korea

Kim Moo-kil, Seoul | 서울, Korea

Kim Tong-jin, Seoul | 서울, Korea

Pahk Duk-yong, Seoul | 서울, Korea

String Instrument Maker | 악기장

Choi Tae-soon (Gyeonnggi-do  ICH No.30), Seoul | 서울, Korea

Hwanghae Province | Hwanghae-do | 황해도, Folk Ritual 

Choi Enm-jun, Incheon | 인천, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do | 경기도, Korea

Kim Keum-hwa (1931-2019; National ICH No. 82-b), Seoul, Korea

Lee Ok-ja, Incheon | 인천, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do | 경기도, Korea

Yoon Chung-hwa, Seoul | 서울, Korea

Jindo Island Farmers Songs | Jindo Nongyo / Namdo Deulnorae | 진도농요 / 남도들노래 

Cho Kong-ryeh  (1925-1997; National ICH No. 51), South Jeolla Province | Jeollanam-do | 전라남도, Korea

Kim Hahng-kyu, South Jeolla Province | Jeollanam-do | 전라남도, Korea

Kim Hangh-kyu (Jeollanam-do ICH No. 19), South Jeolla Province | Jeollanam-do | 전라남도, Korea

Jeju Island Women Divers Songs 

Kim Ju-san (Jeju-do ICH No. 20; sister of Kim Ju-ok), Jeju City | Jeju-si | 제주시, Korea

Kim Ju-ok (1925-2001; sister of Kim Ju-san), Jeju City | Jeju-si | 제주시, Korea

Hempcloth Maker | Dolsil-nai / Sambae | 곡성의 돌실나이 / 삼베짜기 

Kim Jum-soon (1918-2008; National ICH No. 32), South Jeolla Province | Jeollanam-do | 전라남도, Korea

Earthenware Pottery Maker 

Shim Sang-oon, Gyeonggi Province | Gyeonggi-do | 경기도, Korea

Horsehair Hat (Gat) Maker | 갓일

Chung Choon-mo (National ICH No.4), South Gyeongsang Province | Gyeonsangnam-do | 경상남도, Korea
label: Korean American Participants
content: Note: In Korea, it is customary to list the family name followed by the first names. We have listed our Korean National participants in that manner while Korean-Americans are listed according to their preference.

Children's Area

Mark Chang, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Hein Kim, Bloomfield, Michigan

Sue Ann Lee, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Wook Lee, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Noodle and Kimchi Maker

Lee Young Sil, Fairfax, Virginia

Embroiderer

Kim Jung Ja, Arlington, Virginia

Seamstresses

Park Hea Sun, 1916-1980, Rockville, Maryland

Kim Sung Duk, Silver Spring, Maryland

Shin Bok Soon, College Park, Maryland

Folding Screen Maker

Yoon Sam Kyun, Arlington, Virginia

Music

Au Myung-ja, 1953-,  -- gayageum --  | 가야금, Honolulu, Hawaii

Choi Kyung-man, 1947-,  -- piri --  |  피리 & -- taepyeonso --  | 태평소 player, Glendale, California

Choi Sung-ja, 1950-,  -- gayageum --  | 가야금 player, Glendale, California

Lee Byung Sang, 1946-,  -- daegeum --  | 대금 & -- danso --  | 단소 player, Ontario, California

Lee Yun-ja, 1952-, dancer, Ontario, California

Park Hi-all, dancer, Leucadia, California

Sung Kum-you, 1923-1986, dancer, Honolulu, Hawaii

Un Bang-cho, dance artist, Chicago, Illinois

Yim Hwa-yon, dancer, Chicago, Illinois
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1982 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1982, Series 3
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials