Learn to play a traditional Korean instrument in Seoul

Whether you're a serious musician, or just looking for a new hobby or cultural experience, there is a wonderful course that runs twice a year at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, where you can learn to play a traditional Korean musical instrument.

12-string Gayageums

What can I learn?

The National Gugak Center's Music Class for Foreigners is a 12-week course of beginner's music lessons that take place every Saturday morning in Fall and Spring. You can choose between string instruments, gayageum (가야금) or haegeum (해금), or drum, janggu (장구).

But wait, do I need to be able to read music?

It doesn't matter if you've never played an instrument before or if you can't read music. Of course, if you can read music then you'll learn a lot faster, but if you have no experience, then consider this a great opportunity to start! The classes are usually a mix of people with varying abilities, but everyone is really supportive of each other and the teachers are fantastic. The course is taught in English and is open to anyone who isn't from Korea, so you'll get to meet new friends from all over the world. At the end of the 12 weeks, you'll even get to perform together on a real concert stage!

Haegeum students perform on stage at the end of the course

So what exactly is 'gugak'?

For anyone not familiar with the term, 'gugak' (국악) literally means 'national music', and is used to refer broadly to traditional Korean music. Although you may find some similarities between Korean instruments and those of neighbouring Japan or China, Korea has its own very distinct music styles and traditions. The National Gugak Center, situated next door to Seoul Arts Center, is a great place to discover these, with regular concerts held in their two indoor stages and one outdoor stage; an 'experience' plaza that hosts family events; and even a museum of gugak history. If you're not sure about learning to play yourself, then why not check out a professional concert first to hear what it's like. Tickets for Saturday afternoon concerts can be as low as 10,000 won, and they even have occasional free concerts on special events such as national holidays. You can also catch gugak performances at many other venues around Korea.

Is this course really for me?

Learning an instrument is a fantastic way to spend free time, and by learning a traditional Korean one you'll get an extra cultural insight that can help you get the most out of your stay in Korea. While it might not be for everyone, I personally took three semesters of the course, and enjoyed it so much that I even ended up buying my own instrument! (Don't worry though - you don't need to make such a big commitment!).

Janggu drums

How much does the course cost?

The fee for the 12-week course is 30,000 won, but bear in mind that you may also want to pay to rent an instrument. Although there are plenty of instruments for use during class time, it's recommended that you also rent an instrument for practising at home. Believe me, when it comes time for your big end-of-course performance, you'll want to get as much practice in as possible! The center will organise rentals for you at a rate of around 30,000 won per month.

Ready to learn? Head to the Gugak Center's website (gugak.go.kr) for more information.