Traditional Korean musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments.
Korean string instruments include those that are plucked, bowed, and struck. Most Korean string instruments use silk strings, except as noted.
Gayageum (hangul: 가야금; hanja: 伽倻琴) – A long zither with 12 strings; modern versions may have 13, 17, 18, 21, 22, or 25 stringsGeomungo (hangul: 거문고; hanja: 玄 – A fretted bass zither with six to eleven silk strings that is plucked with a bamboo stick and played with a weight made out of clothDaejaeng (hangul: 대쟁; hanja: 大筝) – A long zither with 15 strings, slightly larger than the gayageum; it was used during the Goryeo period but is no longer usedphotoSeul (hangul: 슬; hanja: 瑟) – A long zither with 25 strings, derived from the Chinese se; used today only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)photoGeum (hangul: 금; hanja: 琴) – A 7-stringed zither, derived from the Chinese guqin; also called chilheyongeum; used today only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)photoGonghu (hangul: 공후; hanja: 箜篌) – Harps (no longer used). There were four subtypes according to shape:Sogonghu (hangul: 소공후; hanja: 小箜篌; literally "small harp") – harp with angled sound box, 13 strings, and a peg that is tucked into the player's beltphotoSugonghu (hangul: 수공후; hanja: 豎箜篌; literally "vertical harp") – vertical harp without sound box and 21 strings photoWagonghu (hangul: 와공후; hanja: 臥箜篌; literally "lying down harp") – Arched harp with a large internal sound box and 13 strings, similar to burmese saung gauk photoDaegonghu (hangul: 대공후; hanja: 大箜篌) – large vertical harp with 23-stringsBipa (hangul: 비파; hanja: 琵琶) – A pear-shaped lute with four or five strings (subtypes include the 5-stringed hyangbipa, which is also called jikgyeongbipa; and the 4-stringed dangbipa)Wolgeum (hangul: 월금; hanja: 月琴) – A lute with a moon-shaped wooden body, four strings, and 13 frets; no longer usedCheolhyeongeum (hangul: 철현금; hanja: 鐵絃琴) – A geomungo with 8 steel strings plucked with a bamboo stick and played with a slide made out of either glass or metal in the manner of a slide guitar, developed in the 20th centuryphoto 1photo 2Ongnyugeum (hangul: 옥류금; hanja: 玉流琴) – A large modernized box zither with 33 nylon-wrapped metal strings, developed in North Korea in 1973; pronounced ongryugeum in North Koreaphoto 1photo 2photo 3Oungum (hangul: 어은금) - A pear-shaped lute with five strings similar to hyangbipa; used only in North KoreaSamhyeon 三线 a three stringed banjo modified from the chinese sanxiandúhyeongeum 独弦琴 monochord zither tuned to c3Haegeum (hangul: 해금; hanja: 奚琴) – A vertical fiddle with two stringsAjaeng (hangul: 아쟁; hanja: 牙箏) – A bowed zither, derived from the Chinese yazheng used today only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)Sohaegeum (hangul: 소해금; hanja: 小奚琴) – A modernized fiddle with four strings; used only in North Koreaphoto 1photo 2Junghaegeum (hangul: 중해금; hanja: 中奚琴) - A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to modern viola; used only in North KoreaDaehaegeum (hangul: 대해금; hanja: 大奚琴) - A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to modern cello; used only in North KoreaJeohaegeum (hangul: 저해금; hanja: 低奚琴) - A modernized fiddle with four strings similar to modern double bass; used only in North KoreaYanggeum (hangul: 양금; hanja: 洋琴) – A hammered dulcimer with metal strings, struck with bamboo malletsJeongideolsimeo 전기덜시머 - an electric dulcimer with pickups played with mallets made from bamboo.Chug 筑 - a struck zither similar to the zhu.Uhyeongeum牛筋琴 - a struck zither simaler to the Niujinqin.Daegeum (hangul: 대금; hanja: 大琴 or 大笒) – A large transverse bamboo flute with buzzing membraneJunggeum (hangul: 중금; hanja: 中琴 or 中笒) – A medium-sized transverse bamboo flute without buzzing membraneSogeum (hangul: 소금; hanja: 小琴 or 小笒) – A small transverse bamboo flute without buzzing membrane.Danso (hangul: 단소; hanja: 短簫) – A small notched vertical bamboo fluteTungso (hangul: 퉁소; hanja: 洞簫) – A long notched vertical bamboo flute; originally called tongsoYak (hangul: 약; hanja: 籥) – A notched vertical bamboo flute with three finger holes; used in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)Ji (hangul: 지; hanja: 篪) – An ancient vertical bamboo flute with a protruding notched blowhole and five finger holes (one in the back and four in the front), used only in aak; derived from the Chinese chí; used also in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)Jeok (hangul: 적; hanja: 翟)So (hangul: 소; hanja: 簫) – A pan flute; derived from the Chinese paixiao; used only in Munmyo jeryeak (Korean Confucian ritual music)Dangjeok (hangul: 당적; hanja: 唐笛) – A small transverse bamboo flute of Tang Chinese origin, slightly smaller than the junggeumHun (hangul: 훈; hanja: 塤) – A globular flute made of baked clay originating from prehistoric times; end-blown like a shakuhachi making it not an ocarina (which is a whistle design)Piri (hangul: 피리; hanja: 觱篥) – A cylindrical oboe with a bamboo body. There are four varieties of piri:Hyang piri (hangul: 향피리; hanja: 鄕觱篥)Se piri (hangul: 세피리; hanja: 細觱篥)Dang piri (hangul: 당피리; hanja: 唐觱篥)Dae piri (대피리)Taepyeongso (hangul: 태평소; hanja: 太平簫; also called hojok) – A conical oboe with a wooden body and metal bellJangsaenap (hangul: 장새납)Saenghwang (hangul: 생황; hanja: 笙簧) – A free reed mouth organ with 17 bamboo pipes; derived from the Chinese shengU (hangul: 우; hanja: 竽) – A free reed mouth organ, large in size; derived from the Chinese yu; no longer usedHwa (hangul: 화; hanja: 和) – A free reed mouth organ with 13 bamboo pipes; derived from the Chinese he; no longer usedNabal (hangul: 나발; hanja: 喇叭) – Long metal trumpetNagak (hangul: 나각; hanja: 螺角) – Sea shell horn; also called soraJong (hangul: 종; hanja: 鐘) – A bronze bellPyeonjong (hangul: 편종; hanja: 編鐘) – A set of 16 tuned bronze bells used in ancient court music; derived from the Chinese bianzhongTeukjong (hangul: 특종; hanja: 特鐘) – A single large bronze bellPyeongyeong (hangul: 편경; hanja: 編磬) – A set of 16 tuned stone chimes used in ancient court music; derived from the Chinese bianqingTeukgyeong (hangul: 특경; hanja: 特磬) – A single large tuned stone chimeBanghyang (hangul: 방향; hanja: 方響) – A metallophone with 16 tuned iron slabs; derived from the Chinese fangxiangphotoUlla (hangul: 운라; hanja: 雲鑼 or 雲羅) – A set of ten small tuned gongs in a wooden frame; derived from the Chinese yunluophotoBuk (hangul: 북) – A barrel drum used primarily in pansori, pungmul, and samulnori. The term buk is also used in Korean as a generic term to refer to any type of drum.Pungmul-buk – used in pungmulSori-buk – used to accompany pansoriJanggu or Janggo (hangul: 장구 or 장고; hanja: 杖鼓 or 長鼓) – A double-headed hourglass-shaped drum generally played with one stick and one handGalgo (hangul: 갈고; hanja: 羯鼓) – Double-headed hourglass-shaped drum similar to the janggo but played with two sticks and thinner drum heads; sometimes called yanggo or yangjanggo; no longer commonly used [1]Jingo (hangul: 진고; : 晉鼓) – Largest barrel drumJeolgo (hangul: 절고; hanja: 節鼓) – Barrel drumJwago (hangul: 좌고; hanja: 座鼓) – A barrel drum in a wooden frameGeongo (hangul: 건고; hanja: 建鼓) – Huge barrel drumYonggo (hangul: 용고; hanja: 龍鼓) – A barrel drum with a dragon painted on its shell; used in daechwitaEunggo (hangul: 응고; hanja: 應鼓) – Barrel drum suspended from a frameSakgo – (hangul: 삭고; hanja: 朔鼓) – A long barrel drum suspended from a wooden frameGyobanggo (hangul: 교방고; hanja: 敎坊鼓) – Flat drum suspended from a frameJunggo (hangul: 중고; hanja: 中鼓) – Flat drum suspended from a frame; similar to the gyobanggo but largerSogo (hangul: 소고; hanja: 小鼓) – A small hand-held drumNogo (hangul: 노고; hanja: 路鼓) – A set of two drums pierced by a poleNodo (hangul: 노도; hanja: 路鼗) – A set of two small drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual musicYeongdo (hangul: 영도; hanja:靈鼗) – Four drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual musicNoedo (hangul: 뇌도; hanja: 雷鼗)) – six small drums hung in a frame; used in ritual musicNoego (hangul: 뇌고; hanja: 雷鼓) – Three small barrel drums on a pole, which is twisted to play; used in ritual musicDo (도) – single pellet drum on a poleKkwaenggwari (hangul: 꽹과리) – A small gong used primarily in folk musicJing (hangul: 징; hanja: 鉦) – A large gong; originally pronounced jeong (정)Jabara (hangul: 자바라; also called bara, bal, or jegeum) – pair of large brass cymbalsBak (hangul: 박; hanja: 拍) – A wooden clapper used in ancient court and ritual musicBu (hangul: 부; hanja: 缶) – A clay pot used in Confucian ritual music; derived from the Chinese fǒuChuk (hangul: 축; hanja: 柷) – A wooden box, played by hitting a stick on the inside, used to mark beats or sections; derived from the Chinese zhù; used in ancient ritual musicEo (hangul: 어; hanja: 敔) – A wooden percussion instrument carved in the shape of a tiger with a serrated back, played by running a bamboo whisk across it to mark the ends of sections; derived from the Chinese yǔGuhyeon- a jaw harp derived from the chinese kouxian.
