[Hallyu People] Meet Jocelyn Clark, the first foreigner who became a licensed gayageum sanjo player

The gayageum is a traditional Korean instrument.

It dates back to around the 6th century.

It’s old, but its sound mesmerizes to this day.

In today’s “Hallyu People” we meet with Dr. Jocelyn Clark or Jo Se-rin , Professor at Pai Chai University, who has been studying and playing gayageum for over 30 years.

Recently she has earned herself the title of the first foreign gayageum ‘sanjo’ licencee. What that means and what gayageum means to Professor Clark, we’ll hear now, as she is joining us on the show today. Welcome Professor Clark!

Q1) Professor Clark, or Professor Jo! Could you please introduce yourself to 'The Kulture Wave' viewers?

Q2) Professor, congratulations for becoming an official gayageum sanjo licencee, or an intangible cultural heritage licencee. Could you please enlighten us on the significance of this designation and how you feel about it?

Q3) Tell us about the process please. All we can assume is that it’s not an easy one, even for someone who’s been playing the instrument for over 30 years.

Q4) As we have a global audience Professor Clark, could you please explain what kind of instrument the gayageum is and what kind of sounds it makes. and how it makes those sounds?

Q5) How can you listen to the gayageum, or where? From traditional performances to K-pop songs that feature the instrument, there are a variety of ways to discover this traditional music aren’t there?

Q6) Professor, you’ve been playing instruments your whole life, starting from Western instruments like the violin and piano to other East Asian instruments, why did you choose to master the gayageum?

Q7) What were, or are some challenges or difficulties in playing the gayageum?

Q8) You not only studied the instrument yourself, you teach in the field of music. I heard even K-pop? Does that involve K-pop collaborations with traditional music?

Q9) What’s your ultimate goal Professor? (Are you also aiming to become an official master of gayageum?)