ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Traditional Korean musical instruments

Imagine you're playing in a big park with your friends, and you want to make some music together. You might bring a toy drum or a whistle, but in Korea, people have used special instruments for thousands of years to make beautiful music.

One of the oldest instruments in Korea is the Gayageum, which is a stringed instrument like a guitar. It has many strings stretched over a long, curved board, and you play it by plucking the strings with your fingers. It makes a beautiful sound, and people have been playing it since ancient times.

Another instrument is the Janggu, which is like a big, round drum with two different heads on each side. You play it by hitting it with sticks or your hands, and it makes a deep, booming sound. People often dance to the beat of the Janggu.

The Daegeum is a flute made out of bamboo. It has a high, clear sound and is often used in traditional Korean music. People have been playing the Daegeum for over a thousand years!

The Saenghwang is a type of mouth organ that you blow into. It has many pipes and produces a buzzing, ethereal sound. It's often played at important ceremonies and events.

There are many other traditional Korean instruments, like the Haegeum (a two-stringed fiddle) and the Piri (a type of flute). Each one has its own unique sound and history, and people in Korea are still playing them today!