Korean Dictionary
How to say "Traditional Korean Music" in Korean
“Traditional Korean Music” in Korean is 전통 음악 (pronounced "Jeongtong Eumak").
전통 음악
Jeongtong Eumak
Usage & Context
Music rooted in Korean cultural heritage with unique instruments and scales. Important part of Korean identity.
Example Sentence
전통 음악을 배워요.
I learn traditional Korean music.
How to use 전통 음악 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Traditional Korean Music” is 전통 음악, romanized as Jeongtong Eumak.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 전통 음악.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable of 전통 (Jeontong), 전 (Jeon), sounds like 'jun' as in 'junior' or 'fun'. The second syllable, 통 (tong), sounds like 'tong' as in 'tongs' or 'song'. For 음악 (Eumak), 음 (eum) sounds like 'oom' as in 'boom', and 악 (ak) sounds like 'ahk' as in 'rock'. Put it together as JEON-tong OOM-ahk. The 'ng' in 'jeong' is a soft nasal sound.
More Example Sentences
Planning a cultural experience for a visitor
외국인 친구에게 전통 음악 공연을 보여주고 싶어요.
I want to show my foreign friend a traditional music performance.
Explaining the significance of the music
전통 음악은 한국의 역사와 문화를 담고 있어요.
Traditional music embodies Korea's history and culture.
Observing a trend in youth culture
요즘 젊은 세대들도 전통 음악에 관심을 많이 가져요.
Even the younger generation nowadays shows a lot of interest in traditional music.
Cultural Context
전통 음악 (Jeontong Eumak) refers broadly to all traditional Korean music, encompassing various forms like court music (정악, Jeongak), folk music (민속악, Minsogak), and ritual music. It's deeply intertwined with Korean history and philosophy, often reflecting nature and human emotions. While perhaps less mainstream than K-pop, there's a growing movement to modernize and popularize traditional music, with fusion groups incorporating traditional instruments into contemporary genres.
Editorial note
We review entries like 전통 음악 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
전통 음악 공연
Traditional music performance
전통 음악 배우기
Learning traditional music
전통 음악 감상
Appreciating traditional music
Related Expressions
국악
gugak
Traditional Korean music (more specific, often used interchangeably)
민요
minyo
Folk song
판소리
pansori
Traditional Korean narrative singing
사물놀이
samullori
Traditional Korean percussion quartet
More Music Words
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