The oldest song recorded in Hangeul is said to be “Jeongeupsa,” a Baekje백제 song written in the seventh century. “Gongmudohaga공무도하가” is known as Korea’s oldest song that originated from Gojoseon고조선, according to a Chinese historical document from the second century. Gojoseon was Korea’s first kingdom that lasted until 108 B.C. “Gongmudohaga” was sung for more than 200 years even after the kingdom of Gojoseon fell. The Chinese wrote about this ancient Gojoseon song in Chinese letters, while “Jeongeupsa” of Baekje was recorded after Hangeul was invented during the Joseon Dynasty. The song’s beginning verse go, “Let the moon rise high to shed its light far and wide.” The song is about a woman who supposedly lived near the town of Jeonju전주 wishing for the moon to illuminate the roads so that her husband can return home safely. Here is Eun Hee-ji singing a modern rendition of “Jeongeupsa,” newly titled “Let the Moon Rise High.” 

Let the Moon Rise High/ Sung by Eun Hee-ji

Even today, when nights are illuminated with street lights and neon signs and everyone is just a phone call away, we tend to worry about our loved ones when they don’t come home late into the night. So, with no electricity and wild creatures roaming freely, imagine how worried ancient people were when their family members didn’t return home. “Jeongeupsa” survived for some 500 years through the Goryeo고려 and Joseon periods. It is believed that the song was sung even in the royal palaces of Goryeo. It was recorded in Hangeul after King Sejong invented the Korean alphabet in the early Joseon period. But the song became lost after the mid-Joseon period, leaving only the instrumental accompaniment for posterity. This instrumental piece was titled “Sujecheon수제천,” a combination of Chinese letters meaning longevity, orderliness and heaven, a prayer for a long life like the eternal kingdom of heaven. “Sujecheon” was said to have been played when dancers performed a drum dance or the shamanistic dance of “Cheoyongmu처용무.” It was also played when a crown prince went outside the palace for an excursion. The piece is performed with such traditional wind instruments as piri, daegeum, haegeum, ajaeng and sogeum. In the beginning, all the instruments are played together but they then take turns to keep the music going, much like an instrumental conversation. For instance, when the piri is out, other instruments pick up the slack to fill in the piri’s space, performing in the yeoneum연음 method. Such playing method results in a majestic and beautiful tune, counted as the best of court music. Let’s listen to the Court Music Orchestra of the National Gugak Center performing “Sujecheon.”

Sujecheon/ Performed by Nat’l Gugak Center’s Court Music Orchestra

Compared to today’s hit songs, “Sujecheon” may not sound very emotional. To those who hears it for the first time, it may sound strange, devoid of human emotions like joy or sadness. But seonbi선비, Confucian scholars of Joseon, believed that music brought calm and harmony to human hearts. So they didn’t consider the songs laden with emotions as proper music. To them, good music was something that was pleasant yet not disorderly, sad but not miserable, so that inner peace can be achieved. Next up is a “Sujecheon”-inspired song written by pop music artists. Beatboxers wrote it in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, in the hope of everyone remaining safe and strong through the health crisis. It goes something like, “Seoul Pistolz has risen high. Although the plague sweeps the country, the blood of Koreans runs thick, and we will prevail.” Beatbox band Seoul Pistolz is joined by Gwanggaeto Samulnori Group in performing their rendition of “Sujecheon.”

Sujecheon/ Performed by Seoul Pistolz and Gwanggaeto Samulnori Group