Reminiscing on Arirang

By Choe Chong-dae

The year 2009 is drawing to an end, leaving behind a number of fond memories. At the same time, several conflicting thoughts are on my mind.

Lately I've been busy attending various year-end gatherings, particularly alumni association meetings from my respective elementary, middle and high school, university and other organizations. Reminiscing on days gone by, I am reminded of the affectionate Korean words of ``Arirang."

The word "Arirang" is well known to Korean people as the name of the Korean folk song, which plumbs the grief-stricken depths of shared Korean emotions. It is the best-known Korean folk song both at home and abroad, and there are a number of places, mountain passes, organizations, firms, restaurants, musicals, TV stations and movies bearing its name. Among them, the movie ``Arirang" particularly touches my heart, as it was one of the earliest domestic feature films made in Korea, back in 1926.

The movie took its storyline, as well as its name, from the traditional song that describes the turbulent existence of Korea and its people under Japanese rule. The silent, black-and-white film was produced and directed by Na Un-gyu (1902-1937), a legendary film-making pioneer. The film forced its audience to face the nostalgic lament as if they had awoken from a long winter sleep (symbolizing Japanese colonial rule). Audiences were known to sing the song with anti-Japanese sentiment at the end of the movie, and the film became tremendously popular in its evocation of the sorrow welling within the Korean spirit during the Japanese colonial reign. The film was not only entertaining but also brought social and political enlightenment to Koreans.

The core of Arirang's message is still alive deep in the hearts of Koreans, bringing with it sentiments of joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure that define Korean lives. Arirang is also known as the classic song that cures one's longing for home, the loneliness borne from a long life abroad. The importance of cherishing and appreciating the song's tradition and spirit should not be forgotten.

If we trace the origin of "Arirang," there are many different theories and explanations. However, it is presumed that the verses of Arirang derive from the scaling of a high mountain or incline, until the trekkers were fully exposed to a bright spot atop of the mountain. Therefore, people named the pass ``Ari," which means brightness. Crossing the pass of Ari through the ``darkness", they sang. The lyrics recount the waxing and waning situation that had been echoed by an allegorical world running parallel to our human existence. Another derivation supposes that Arirang is a combination of ``Ari," meaning ``beautiful," and ``Rang," meaning dear, as in a person close to one's heart.

Arirang has been a reflection of both Korea's modern history and the personal lives of Koreans for a long time. It has been sung by people en masse, regardless of gender, age, social background and ideology to express the joy, sorrow, happiness, love and hate that represents the Korean identity for many centuries without pause. It is without a doubt an icon of Korean culture, and an essential element of national identity.

In this sense, "Arirang" represents the tradition and brand of Korea itself. Whenever I listen to the melody at home or abroad, it always strikes me as synonymous with the nostalgic expressions of genuine Korean emotion.

Because it has been a tendency of our ancestors, since ancient times, to love romantic music and epic poems, Korean folk songs have been directly related to the delights and sorrows of life, while reflecting other trends in human society. To express the full spectrum of happy and sad feelings in our hearts, we identify with Arirang's melodies and lyrics, which unify in the expression of our contradictory emotions. The song provides Koreans with courage, patriotic hope and consolation to overcome hardships. It is more than just a reflection on the time Koreans were under Japanese colonial rule, but also on the hope to reunite the currently divided North and South halves into one Korea.

Needless to say, Arirang is our one true native folk song that pulls at the heart-strings of all Koreans to induce a cathartic response. We should use the song as a source of spiritual strength, appreciating the peace and harmony it brings to overcome our hardships with its mysterious healing power.

My hope is that Arirang will be sung by more Korean people, and peoples from all over the world, forever, and as a result, further enhance the global recognition and cultural values of Korea.

The writer is the president of Dae-kwang International Co. and the Korean representative of Compagnie Cotonniere of Paris. A long-time director of the Korean-Swedish Association, he can be reached at dkic98@chol.com.