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Welcome to KoreanFest.com
  K-Culture  
   Overview

The geography of Korea -- a peninsula jutting out from the world's largest continent -- has contributed greatly to the development of uniquely Korean characteristics. The foundation for the country's culture and arts is the Korean identity: a combination of traits associated with continental and island peoples. Throughout many millennia, Korea has interacted with the predominant continental cultures of Asia despite its peripheral location in the northeast. Remarkably, while accommodating major religions and traditions of other Asian regions, the country …
   UNESCO Treasures in Korea
World Heritage The majestic entrance to Bulguksa Temple UNESCO has recognized the unique value and the distinct character of Korean culture by placing a number of Korean treasures on the World Heritage List. In 1995, UNESCO added to its list Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, both in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province); Haeinsa Temple Janggyeongpanjeon, the depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks in Gy…
   Fine Arts
Though people started living on the Korean Peninsula in the Paleolithic Age, existing remains indicate that the origin of fine arts dates back to the Neolithic Age (c. 6,000-1,000 B.C.). Rock carvings on a riverside cliff named Ban-gudae in Ulsan on the southeast coast feature vivid descriptions of animals and are noteworthy art from the prehistoric age. The aesthetic sense of this era can also be found in the comb and eggplant pattern on pottery for daily…
   Literature
Yongbieocheonga: The work eulogizes the virtue of the ancestors for the House of Yi, the founding family of the Joseon Dynasty, likening them to a deep rooted tree and a spring of deep waters Korean literature is usually divided chronologically into classical and modern periods. Korea's classical literature developed against the backdrop of traditional folk beliefs. It was also influenced by Taoism, Con…
   Painting
The figures on the walls of Muyongchong [the Tomb of the Dancers] from the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C. - A.D. 668) Although Korean painters showed a certain level of accumulated skills from the time of the Three Kingdoms, most paintings have been lost because they were drawn on paper. As a result, it is only possible to appreciate a limited number of paintings from this age such as the tomb murals. In addition to the Goguryeo mural paintings…
   Music and Dance
Ensemble of national classical music performing Sujecheon [Long Life as Eternal as the Heavens] Music and dance were means of religious worship and this tradition continued through the Three Kingdoms period. More than 30 musical instruments were used during the Three Kingdoms period, and particularly noteworthy was the hyeonhakgeum (black crane zither), which Wang San-ak of Goguryeo created by altering…
   Drama and Movies
Daejanggeum [2003, MBC] Based loosely on a historical figure depicted in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, the show focuses on Jang-geum, Korea's first female royal physician While music and dance play an integral role in all traditional theatrical performances, Korean drama has its origins in prehistoric religious rites. A good example of this classical theatrical form is the masked dance Sandaenori,…
   Museums and Theaters
National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul Grand Park Korea abounds in cultural facilities of all levels and categories where people can enjoy exhibitions and stage performances throughout the year. These places offer an on-the-spot glimpse into the cultural and artistic achievements of Koreans past and present, regarding both traditional and modern trends and tastes. From internationally recognized museum…
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