Step into a musical journey spanning more than 500 years, tracing Korea’s evolving soundscape from the reign of King Sejong (15th century) to today’s global phenomenon of K-pop.

Featuring selected library collections on Korean traditional music, 아리랑 (Arirang), K-pop, and BTS, this exhibit highlights how music reflects cultural identity, innovation, and social change across Korean history. Explore the stories that shaped Korean sound — from 정간보 (Chŏngganbo, 井間譜), one of the world’s earliest systems of music notation, to contemporary pop production, fandom, and global cultural influence.

Curated by Yunah Sung (Korean Studies Librarian), in collaboration with Helen Look (Collection Analyst, U-M Library) and Sunhong Kim (PhD candidate in Musicology, U-M).