Arirang in North Korea | |
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![]() A man about to depart on a journey through a mountain pass is seen off by a woman in a scene from the Arirang Festival in North Korea. | |
Country | North Korea |
Reference | 914 |
Region | Asia and the Pacific |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 2014 (9th session) |
Arirang in South Korea | |
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![]() Song So-hee performing "Arirang" | |
Country | South Korea |
Reference | 445 |
Region | Asia and the Pacific |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 2012 (7th session) |
Arirang | |
Hangul | 아리랑 |
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Revised Romanization | Arirang |
McCune–Reischauer | Arirang |
IPA | a.ɾi.ɾaŋ |
Arirang (아리랑 [a.ɾi.ɾaŋ]) is a Korean folk song.[1] There are about 3,600 variations of 60 different versions of the song, all of which include a refrain similar to "Arirang, arirang, arariyo" ("아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요").[2] It is estimated the song is more than 600 years old.[3]
"Arirang" is included twice on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, having been submitted for inclusion first by South Korea in 2012[3][2] and then by North Korea in 2014.[1][4] In 2015, the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administration added the song to its list of important intangible cultural assets.[5]
The song is sung today in both North and South Korea, and represents the symbol of unity in the region that is divided by the Korean War.