Korea′s Nongak added to UNESCO′s Intangible Cultural Heritage List ′농악′ 인류무형유산

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When you listen to it for the first time, it might come across as just a mix of loud and weird noises,… but that loud music has now been inscribed on UNESCO′s list of Intangible Heritage.
Nongak is a traditional Korean farm music… with a rich and prestigious history.
Kim Ji-yeon tells us more about the music.
A rush of adrenaline and then comes the calmness one feels when encountering Nongak... a traditional Korean music from the early 1900s.
Coined as "farm music"... Nongak was chanted by farmers while working long back-breaking hours in the field... to help them overcome the difficulty of agriculture life.
The music is enjoyed today by many Koreans for its upbeat rhythm and performance... and now it′s officially recognized by UNESCO as one of the world′s intangible cultural heritage.
Nongak is Korea′s 17th item on the UNESCO list.. alongside the country′s folk song "Arirang," and the making and sharing of kimchi, known as kimjang.

"Nongak is a creative art from. The performers and the audience are united as they′re invited to join along in the performance′s rhythmic changes."
The recognition of Nongak as a UNESCO cultural heritage is expected to become a catalyst in the move to preserve the art form to pass it down to generations.

"This will be a great motivation to come up with creative and systematic ways to preserve and develop our rich cultural asset."
Also added to the UNESCO list this year is North Korea′s version of the folk song "Arirang" ... alongside South Korea′s version of the song which was added back in 2012.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.