Arirang

This article is about the Korean traditional song. For other uses, see Arirang (disambiguation).

Arirang in North Korea
A man about to depart on a journey through a mountain pass is seen off by a woman in a scene from the Arirang Festival in North Korea.
CountryNorth Korea
Reference914
RegionAsia and the Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription2014 (9th session)
Arirang in South Korea
Song So-hee performing "Arirang"
CountrySouth Korea
Reference445
RegionAsia and the Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription2012 (7th session)
Arirang
Hangul
아리랑
Revised RomanizationArirang
McCune–ReischauerArirang
IPAa.ɾi.ɾaŋ
Gyeonggi Arirang
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Arirang (아리랑 [a.ɾi.ɾaŋ]) is a Korean folk song.[1] There are about 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of the song, all of which include a refrain similar to "Arirang, arirang, arariyo" ("아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요").[2] It is estimated the song is more than 600 years old.[3]

"Arirang" is included twice on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, having been submitted for inclusion first by South Korea in 2012[3][2] and then by North Korea in 2014.[1][4] In 2015, the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration added the song to its list of important intangible cultural assets.[5]

The song is sung today in both North and South Korea, and represents the symbol of unity in the region that is divided by the Korean War.

  1. ^ a b "N. Korea's Arirang wins UNESCO intangible heritage status". Yonhap News Agency. November 27, 2014. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Arirang, lyrical folk song in the Republic of Korea". Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Chung, Ah-young (December 12, 2012). "'Arirang' makes it to UNESCO heritage". The Korea Times. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  4. ^ "Arirang folk song in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "'Arirang' Listed as National Intangible Asset". The Chosun Ilbo. July 15, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2017.