AI incorporated into Korean traditional processional court music

An unlikely encounter between Korea's traditional court music and artificial intelligence offers audiences the chance to indulge in the lost lyrics of the past.

Lee Eun-jin explains.

The royal processional music of the Joseon-era kings as they departed from and returned to their palaces will be performed on stage at the Yeakdang Hall of the National Gugak Center in Seoul.

The royal processional music of the Joseon Dynasty followed a specific format.

Starting with chulgungak, for when the king leaves the palace then haengak, for during the procession.

Hwangungak is played upon his return

and finally, yeollyeak banquet music is performed after his arrival at the palace.

"Under the title 'Haengak and Boheoja: Steps of Heaven and Earth' it's less a restoration, and more a three-dimensional production of the royal family's elegant yet brilliant processional court music."

Boheoja -a repertoire of Korean court music -sings of a peaceful reign.

But the last of its three parts only survived as an instrumental piece.

In this production, AI was used to generate new verses.

AI models were trained on 350 of Crown Prince Hyo-myeong's works, one of the most prolific 'hansi' poets of the Joseon era.

They were cross-referenced with over 100 poems by scholars Jeong Yak-yong and Kim Jeong-hui for the newly composed lyrics.

"The old books of poems written with brushes were digitized. After all the Chinese characters were processed, old Korean translation samples were also collected and input."

'Boheoja' is performed in Korean traditional opera, telling the story of King Sejo, the 7th monarch of the Joseon dynasty, and Prince Anpyeong, who was sacrificed as a victim of King Sejo's lust for power.

"27 years after the Gyeyu-Jeongnan coup where did Moosim, the daughter of Anpyeong, go? Perhaps pacing around her father's traces."

The fundamental rhythm and scales are based on traditional music, but the complicated sounds in between have been removed, to bring a so-called ballad-style pansori, expected to be more widely received by the audience.

"We follow the more simple flow of the traditional sounds, but the complicated sounds in between (haha) that even I can't relate to, have been taken out."

Led by young director Kim Jeong, who has been garnering attention in the theater industry,

experienced singers will be staging the Life of Remorse, at the National Gugak Center in Seoul on March 13th and 14th.

Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.