Arirang

History

The song is believed to have originated in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. The term "arirang" is ambiguous in meaning; some linguists hypothesize that "ari" meant "beautiful" and "rang" referred to a "beloved one" or "bridegroom" in the ancient native Korean language, together meaning "my beloved one." This theory is supported by a legend: a bachelor and a maiden fell in love while picking camellia blossoms near the wharf at Auraji, a body of water whose name derives from the Korean word "eoureojida," meaning "to be in harmony" or "to meet." In one version of the story, the bachelor cannot cross Auraji because the water is too high, so the two sing a song to express their sorrow. In another, he attempts to cross and drowns, singing the sorrowful song after death. The first mention of the song was found in a 1756 manuscript. The Academy of Korean Studies shares the view that "Arirang" was originally a folk song of Jeongseon, and some locals trace it further back to the era of Goryeo. Some believe the song spread to Seoul and other regions when workers from Gangwon were sent to rebuild Gyeongbok Palace under Prince Regent Heungseon of the Joseon period. Others theorize that the words "arirang" and "arari" originate from workers' families saying phrases meaning they could not be separated from their lovers or families. According to the Maecheonyarok, recorded by a Joseon scholar, the song was widespread by that time. Scholar Yang Ju-dong theorized that "arirang" came from "ari," meaning "long," and "ryeong."

Lyrics

All versions include a refrain similar to "Arirang, arirang, arariyo." The word "arirang" itself is nonsensical and has no precise meaning in Korean. Themes of sorrow, separation, reunion, and love appear in most versions. The standard version from Seoul begins with the refrain, followed by verses about crossing Arirang hill, abandonment, dreams, and Baekdu Mountain.

Official status

Arirang was added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2011. Both South Korea and North Korea successfully nominated it for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, in 2012 and 2014 respectively. South Korea designated it an important intangible cultural asset in 2015. In May 1956, with permission from South Korean President Syngman Rhee, the U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division adopted Arirang as its official march song.

In popular culture

"Arirang" has appeared in many forms across music, film, and global events. American composer John Barnes Chance used a version he heard in Korea during the late 1950s as the basis for his 1962–63 concert band piece Variations on a Korean Folk Song. In 1976, North Korean composer Choi Sung-hwan wrote "Arirang Fantasy," and the New York Philharmonic played a slightly modified arrangement as an encore during its February 2008 visit to North Korea. The South Korean vocal group SG Wannabe included a song called "Arirang" on their 2007 album The Sentimental Chord. Chinese musician Cui Jian wove "Arirang" into his track "Dance Across the 38th Parallel," which references the dividing line of the Korean peninsula, on his 2005 album Show You Colour. The 2026 tenth studio album by BTS is titled Arirang, and its first track, "Body to Body," features a choral version of the song in the bridge.

The 1926 film Arirang by Na Woon-gyu helped popularize the song in the 20th century. A 2011 South Korean documentary also titled Arirang won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival that year. Arirang TV and Arirang Radio are international English-language media outlets run by the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation. North Korea's mass gymnastics and performance festival is commonly called the Arirang Festival.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney, athletes from both South and North Korea marched together under the Korean Unification Flag as "Arirang" played. South Korean fans used it as a cheering song during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Figure skaters have also performed to the tune: Yuna Kim at the 2011 World Championships, Choi Da-bin during the gala at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Haein Lee at the 2022 Four Continents Championships. The song was used multiple times during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, including in the opening ceremony and the Olympic Broadcasting Services TV intro. At the 2018 Asian Games, "Arirang" played when the Korea Unification Team won gold in canoeing. Kim Wu's theme in the video game Killer Instinct incorporates elements of "Arirang," sung by Hoona Kim.