Kim Duk-soo

Kim in 2007

Kim Duk-soo (Korean: 김덕수; born September 23, 1952) is a South Korean traditional musician and the founding professor of the School of Korean Traditional Arts at the Korea National University of Arts. He is best known for creating the samul nori genre of Korean music.[1]

Biography

Kim was born in Daejeon, South Korea on September 23, 1952. He began his music career at the age of five when joined the Namsadang group, a wandering artists troupe.[2] At age seven, Kim became the youngest person to win the President's Award in the National Folk Music Contest.[3][4]

In 1978, Kim, alongside his colleagues Kim Yong-bae, Lee Kwang-soo, and Choi Jong-sil, formed the SamulNori group. The group used four main instruments: kkwaenggwari, jing, buk, and janggu, the latter of which Kim played.[1] They performed indoors, as, under the Park Chung-hee administration, traditional instruments were associated with student protests, and playing them outside could lead to arrest.[5] The samul nori genre expanded from this initial ensemble, as more groups started to play the same music style.[6]

In 1993, Kim founded a large samul nori orchestra named "Hanullim." The orchestra seeks to promote samul nori performance.[1][7]

Kim was appointed as the founding professor of the School of Korean Traditional Arts at the Korea National University of Arts in 1993.[1]

Kim has won numerous awards, including the Fukuoka Arts and Culture Prize and the Order of Cultural Merit.[3] He was also listed as one of the "50 Most Distinguished Koreans in the 50 Years since National Liberation" by the Chosun Ilbo.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "[INTERVIEW] 'Samulnori' master reflects on 63 years of tradition". The Korea Times. 2020-05-21. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  2. ^ Boram, Kim (2020-05-11). "Korean 'samulnori' master Kim Duk-soo stars in biographical musical". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  3. ^ a b c "KIM Duk-soo". Fukuoka Prize. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  4. ^ "Who is Kim Duk-soo?: Biography". Nanjang Cultures, Inc. Archived from the original on August 4, 2002.
  5. ^ Footman, Niels. "Born to do it: Interview with Kim, Duk-soo". Archived from the original on March 15, 2008.
  6. ^ Admin, Por (2022-04-25). "Samulnori: Rediscovering the past through Korean percussion - Haneul Ssem" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  7. ^ "Kim Duk-soo, Samulnori Master of 27 Years". KBS Global. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008.