Samulnori is a genre of Korean percussion music featuring four instruments. The small gong Kwaenggwa-ri symbolizes thunder and lightning, the larger gong Jing symbolizes wind, the hourglass-shaped drum Janggu symbolizes rain, and the barrel drum Buk symbolizes clouds. It was believed that the sound of the metal instruments (Kkwaenggwari, Jing) resonating in harmony with the leather instruments (Janggu, Buk) had to create a perfect harmony in yin and yang, and only then could this sound be heard by the gods. The rhythmic harmony was the connection between the skies and the land, and a means of communication between humanity and god.

Pansori is thought to be a combination of Pan, meaning “‘a place where many people gather,” and Sori, meaning “song.” It is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a Gosu (drummer).

Sugungga is one of five surviving Pansori stories. Its translation is: Once upon a time, there lived the king of the seas underwater. One day, the king got sick. Gosh, the only way to live is to eat a rabbit’s liver! So, the king sent a turtle to catch a rabbit. Turtle wandered around and found a rabbit. Then the turtle coaxed the rabbit by saying how many valuable things and delicious food there are underwater. Rabbit believed the turtle and followed him. But as soon as they arrived at the underwater palace, the rabbit was caught by a soldier. In a deadly danger, the rabbit said, “King of the seas, if you needed my liver, you should have told me so before. Because so many people want to take away our livers, we take it out, clean it and hide it behind a rock. If you let me go up to the land, I’ll get my liver for you.” The king ordered the turtle to take the rabbit back up. When they arrived on land, the rabbit disappeared into the trees. The turtle went back to the sea alone.