A Foreign Music Genre That Become Traditional Music in South Korea: Trot Music
South Korea is mainly famous for K-dramas and K-pop music. However, there are many other traditional music genres that are very popular in the country and one of them is trot music. Trot music was originated during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The genre has an addictive rhythm and a familiar sound that reminds you of a previous life you’ve forgotten. The trot is distinguished by its lively and repetitive rhythm. This infectious rhythm is accompanied by singing in which vocal inflections, also known as broken voice, play a prominent role. This vocal technique gives songs energy, passion, joy, and fun. The lyrics’ content is primarily based on themes related to love and partying.
Despite the numerous controversies that surround it, trot has managed to stay relevant in the Korean popular music scene in contrast to other genres that have come and gone. One of the main reasons for trot’s enduring popularity is that it has evolved with the times rather than remaining static. Trot has never been static, either musically or literarily.
The term trot comes from the foxtrot, a type of two-beat ballroom dance. During the Japanese colonization period, the first trot emerged. Traditional Japanese enka elements were combined with existing traditional Korean music to create a distinct sound in which traditional singing methods blended with melancholy ballads. Despite its origins as foreign music in Korea, trot became naturalized and accepted as traditional music after 1950. Surprisingly, despite the variety of musical elements that define this genre, Koreans can easily recognize a trot when they hear one. When people hear the term trot, certain songs come to mind, and they can recognize them even if they are in different forms.
After the end of Japanese rule and the Korean War in the 1950s, the government and private organizations worked to eliminate Japanese influences and create a distinct Korean identity. Eventually, the distinctive sound of Korean pop music came to be appreciated, and Trot — which came to rule the Korean music scene at the time — became well-known. Trot was extremely popular prior to the introduction of Korean folk and rock music in the 1970s. In the aftermath of the Korean War, the Trot of the 50 contained powerful emotions dealing with sadness and farewell. Trot became a proper genre, with a place in Korean music history, as it came to reflect the feelings and sentiments of Koreans, rather than something inherited from the Japanese. Trot, which was written in the aftermath of the Korean War, deals with love, parting, and longing for one’s hometown, and we can hear local dialects, scales, and melodies. There isn’t much pitch variety compared to modern K-pop, but this also reflects the singer’s emotions.
Folk and rock music from the 1970s and 1980s were initially thought to be variations on Trot. Trot as a genre, however, was soon threatened as their popularity grew. South Koreans were upbeat about the future at a time when social movements were taking place. Trot’s popularity consequently began to decline because it was connected to the suffering and melancholy of the older generation. This trend accelerated in the 1990s, and the decade was dubbed the “Dark Age of Trot.” Trot never completely vanished, and many singers attempted to revive it over the years. Then, as the year 2000 arrived, everything changed. Jang Yoonjeong made her debut with her first album, which included traditional Korean music, including Trot. Singers like Park Sangcheon, Park Hyunbin, and Hong Jinyoung followed in their footsteps and contributed to the revival of the Trot genre.
With new singers like Yoo Sanseul and Lim Youngwoong, this nostalgic and retro music genre is regaining popularity. As cover versions of old Trot songs become popular, many veteran Trot singers are enjoying a second renaissance. Only recently has the lovely Trot music culture been revived, and we should be thankful that it is now going through a second Golden Age. There are many famous trot songs sung by different artists. Here, I will recommend few of them including Amor fati by Kim Yon Ja and Jin jin ja ra by Tae Jin Ah.
By KJNOW-Journalistboard Nisali Rajapaksha
