Arirang as a Symbol of National Resistance: Cultural Identity and Resilience in South Korea During the Japanese Colonial Period

Arirang is widely recognized as the quintessential Korean folk song, serving as a profound cultural icon that embodies the collective spirit and identity of the Korean people.

While many Koreans perceive the song as having ancient roots tied to foundational myths and regional legends, its status as a unified national anthem crystallized primarily during the early twentieth century .

This period marked a transformative era where the song transcended its regional origins to become a widespread folksong, or t’ongsok minyo, providing a shared musical language for a population facing significant external pressures.

Consequently, the song functions not merely as a piece of traditional music but as a musical personification of Korea’s historical and political legacy .

Its enduring popularity across the Korean peninsula and among the diaspora highlights its role as the primary cultural icon of Koreanness .

During the Japanese colonial period, which spanned from 1910 to 1945, Arirang evolved into a potent symbol of national resistance and resilience against the cultural violence of the occupation .
The song acted as a skeletal framework for countless improvised variations, some of which were explicitly used to assail colonial authorities and were subsequently subjected to censorship .

The classification of such songs under the term minyo ironically carries a reminder of this era, as the term itself was introduced through Japanese influence during the administration’s efforts to manage Korean traditional culture .
Despite these colonial entanglements, the song served to strengthen the resolve of the Korean people to maintain their cultural autonomy .
It became a medium through which the occupied population could express their defiance and solidarity in the face of ethnic cleansing practices .

The lyrical and melodic structure of Arirang is deeply intertwined with the concept of han, a complex emotional state of internalized suffering and longing that is central to the Korean experience .

The pervasive theme of loss found in the lyrics, such as the departure of a loved one or the inability to walk ten li without pain, mirrored the loss of national sovereignty and the separation of families under colonial rule .

Musically, the cyclical nature of the song, often utilizing the semach’i rhythmic cycle in a 9/8 time signature, evokes a sense of constant return to a state of longing and endurance .
This musical repetition sonically represents the acceptance of suffering as a shared communal memory rather than an individual burden .
For Koreans living under occupation, singing Arirang was an act of self-contemplation and a way to navigate the ravaging effects of colonial modernity .

A significant turning point in the popularization of the song as a modern nationalist symbol occurred with the release of the film Arirang by Na Woon-gyu in 1926 .
The immense success of this cinematic work helped solidify the song’s position as a national song that resonated with the urban and rural populations alike .

Interestingly, the song also saw a complex interaction with the Japanese empire, where it was recorded and performed in various renditions by Japanese artists, sometimes feeding into exoticized fantasies of a primordial Korean wonderland .
Some of these versions incorporated Western techniques and instrumentation, creating new folksongs known as shin minyo during the 1930s .

However, the constant disassembly and reassembly of the song by colonial composers to fit Japanese tastes often mirrored the dehumanization and exploitation of the Korean people themselves .
.Nevertheless, the song remained a core element of national identity, resisting total assimilation into the imperial cultural landscape  .

In the post-colonial era, Arirang has maintained its status as the unofficial national anthem for both North and South Korea, symbolizing a shared heritage that predates and transcends the division of the peninsula.

Its significance was internationally recognized when versions from both sides of the Demilitarized Zone were included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list .

  The song continues to be performed at international sporting events and other major ceremonies as a representative of a unified Korean identity, often standing in for a formal national anthem.

  This enduring legacy demonstrates that the cultural threads tying the Korean people together have not been severed by historical power struggles or ideological differences .As a result, Arirang remains an invaluable piece of music that reflects the historical struggle, current reality, and future hopes of a liberated and united people.