Kagok, Sijo, and Kasa

Kagok (figure 1) is a type of long lyric song cycle. It is sung by professional vocalists with chamber ensemble accompaniment and has been developed with the patronage of the upper classes. The contemporary kagok repertoire can be divided according to the gender of the singer and the mode used. For example, of the twenty-six songs for male voice, eleven are in the ujo mode, thirteen in the kyemyŏnjo mode, and two in half ujo and half kyemyŏnjo mode. Of the...