Since alternative pop group LEENALCHI’s viral success with their song “Tiger is Coming” in 2020, the perception of gugak (traditional Korean music) in the Korean entertainment scene has shifted. No longer is it only considered as old, difficult and distant from contemporary Korean life – while some of this perspective remains, there is also increasing discourse on the “hipness” of gugak. Furthermore, gugak, and traditional Korean culture in general, is increasingly seen as a useful source of content for mainstream media, aiming to give Korean material edge on the global scene with cultural distinctiveness. 

These three papers explore different aspects of the changing landscape of the contemporary gugak scene, looking at the re-exploration of classical repertoire, new meanings attached to instruments and associated imagery, and success cases in popular fusion of traditional material. In doing so, they shed light on changing attitudes and perspectives, as well as proposing the potentials and pitfalls of future developments in this scene.