The Kyungpook National University Museum will hold “Listening to Sound,” a gugak meditation program tied to its special exhibition of Korean musical instruments, from 5 to 7 p.m. on November 18. The program invites participants to focus on their breathing and senses through traditional music and reflect on their bodies and minds. University members and local residents can take part for free. It is the second session, following the first on October 28, and the final session scheduled for this year.
Two Hours on a Wednesday Evening: A Meditation Session Open to the Public
The gugak meditation program will be held on two Wednesday evenings, October 28 and November 18. Both sessions run from 5 to 7 p.m. The instructor is Professor Park Jeong-a of the Institute for East-West Thought Studies.
Notably, participation is not limited to students and university staff. The museum is inviting both university members and local residents, and there is no fee. To register, use the application link in the notice seeking participants for the special exhibition-related program on the museum’s website. The museum describes the program as a chance to step away briefly from busy daily life, listen closely to sound and settle the mind.
The Twelve Pitch Standards and Eight Materials: An Order of Sound in the Gallery Next to the Meditation
The special exhibition underpinning the meditation program, “Order in the Rhythms, Becoming Melody,” runs from October 12 through November 30 in the Kyungpook National University Museum’s special exhibition gallery. Admission is free. The traveling exhibition was jointly organized by the Kyungpook National University Museum and the Daegaya Museum (Ureuk Museum) in Goryeong as part of the 2026 K-Museum Regional Touring Exhibition and Tour Support Program, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Museum Association.
The exhibition is arranged in four sections, tracing the progression from sound to pitch standards, from pitch standards to instruments, from instruments to melody, and ultimately to the world of ritual music. It presents the 12 pitch standards used to organize sound into a consistent system and the eight categories of sound (八音), classified by the materials used to make instruments. It also explains how Korean music is made through the structures of string, wind and percussion instruments. The final section explores how music served as a means of expressing ritual and communal harmony through Joseon-era thought on ritual and music and Jongmyo Jeryeak, the ritual music of the Jongmyo Shrine.
The story of how people in the past established standards for pitch and brought different sounds together in harmony resembles meditation’s principle of gathering scattered attention in one place. Visitors who explore the exhibition before meditating may find themselves experiencing the sounds they hear a little differently.
Can Simply Sitting and Listening Be Meditation? Where Gugak Meets Meditation
These days, with information pouring in without pause, being told to sit without thinking can sound more difficult than ever. The moment you close your eyes, there is nowhere to direct the thoughts that arise. Sound meditation lowers the barrier here. Following a single sound as it reaches your ears gives you a place to return to, even when your thoughts wander.
Gugak is well suited to this practice. You can follow the resonance of each instrument and the spaces between notes while paying attention to your inhalations and exhalations. For those who have never meditated or have struggled to keep up a solo practice, a session with sound as a guide may be a good place to start. For fans of traditional music, it offers a chance to hear familiar sounds in a new way.
The meeting of gugak and meditation is also an experience of meditation that can be had in Korea. Bringing together a museum exhibition and guided meditation led by a university instructor, the program offers an example of how K-meditation can grow closer to everyday life. Of course, sound meditation is not the right answer for everyone. Some people find calm through movement, while others are more comfortable with quiet and stillness. Simply giving it a try and seeing whether it suits you is a perfectly good starting point.
After Meditation: Make a Book Ring and Take a Gugak Walk Around Campus
Alongside gugak meditation, the museum is offering two other programs tied to the special exhibition. “Shaping Sound” is a craft activity in which participants make wooden book rings modeled on the anjok (雁足), the bridges that support the strings of a gayageum. It will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on October 31 (Saturday), November 11 (Wednesday) and November 21 (Saturday). Anyone in the upper grades of elementary school or older can participate for free.
“Walking the Campus with Sound” is a cultural tourism program combining a visit to the special exhibition, a tour of historic campus sites such as Wolpagwon, the outdoor museum, a gugak performance and a walk. It will run from noon to 6 p.m. on November 9 (Monday) and November 21 (Saturday), and is intended for Goryeong County residents and other local residents. Participation is also free.
Carving wood by hand, listening while walking and sitting down to steady your breathing: all three activities begin with the same exhibition. If listening meditation feels unfamiliar, you can first get acquainted with sound through a craft activity or a walk. Details on locations, capacity and registration for each program are available on the Kyungpook National University Museum website (museum.knu.ac.kr). Inquiries can be directed to the curatorial office at 053-950-6537.
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