1) 흥 [hɯŋ, Heung]

This is a spirit representing Korean people. According to Korean dictionary[1], 흥 [hɯŋ, Heung] is defined as below:

흥: 재미나 즐거움을 일어나게 하는 감정; An emotion or sensation which causes the joy or fun[2]

However, it seems a little under explained. Ju Hyun Lee and Myung Hee Lee at Dongseo University defined that Heung is a status of ecstasy with joy and fun along with the definition above.[3] Also, they say that Heung is contagious.[4] This Heung is underlying in every type of Korean traditional performing arts such as folk songs, mask dance, pan-so-ri. Heung is more based on the person who has that emotion rather than the object. Heung is possibly caused by the long culture and history of agriculture which developed the relation-based society in Korea for a long time. This Heung dominates any other emotion or spirit in Korean people. Even when Korean people are sad, they often dance and sing. This is one of ways that Korean people vent out the sadness.[5]

This is a video of traditional festival in a agricultural village. Video

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2) 한 [hɑn, han]

This is the other spirit which represents the emotion of Korean people. According to the dictionary, 한 [hɑn, han] is defined below:

한: 몹시 원망스럽고 억울하거나 안타깝고 슬퍼 응어리진 마음[6]; A heart with sadness, resentment, and/or chagrin.[7]

However, the definition from the dictionary is under nuanced and under explained. According to Insik Kim, a professor of Chung Ang University, Han includes feeling of loss. Han is rather a state after grieving the loss such as loss of lover, country, and so on. Han is a spirit of combined emotions of grieving and digesting all sorrow, oppression, or longing and missing someone.[8] Though this Han had been there, since the beginning of the twentieth century going through the oppression from Japanese reign, liberation, and split of Korea, Han became a widely shared spirit of Korean people. Sometimes, this shared spirit of Han works as a spiritual bondage of Korean people. This is a video showing this spirit. Video

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3) 정 [tɕʌŋ, Jeong or Cheong]

This is another spirit which is a spirit of sharing. 정 [tɕʌŋ, Jeong or Cheong] is defined below.

정: 사랑이나 친근감을 느끼는 마음[9]; A heart of friendliness or love[10]

Korean people share food, drink, gifts, joy and even pain. Old Korean proverb says “If you share the joy, the joy becomes twice. If you share the hurt, hurt becomes half.” This is an undergoing spirit of Korean people. This is from the care to the others. Though Korea did not accept Christianity until the beginning of the twentieth century, it is quite similar to the Bible verse “…but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself…” from Leviticus. However, this Jeong, especially, is rapidly disappearing due to the industrialization, urbanization, and individualism.

 

[1] “국립국어원 표준국어대사전.” n.d. Stdict.korean.go.kr. https://stdict.korean.go.kr/search/searchView.do.

[2] Translated by Choongwoo Steve Ko

[3] Lee, Ju Hyun, and Myung Hee Lee. 2020. “Origin of Korean ‘Heung’ for DeOrigin of Korean ‘Heung’ for Design through Traditional Playssign through Traditional Plays.” PJournal of Basic Design & Art 21 (1): 449. https://doi.org/10.47294/ksbda.21.1.33.

[4] Ibid. 449

[5] Ibid. 457

[6] “국립국어원 표준국어대사전.” n.d. Stdict.korean.go.kr. https://stdict.korean.go.kr/search/searchView.do.

[7] Translated by Choongwoo Steve Ko

[8] Kim, Insik. 2007. “Hahn and the Korean Sentiment in the Movie and Novel Seopyeonje.” The Studies of Korean Literature, no. 22 (January): 213–41.

[9] “국립국어원 표준국어대사전.” n.d. Stdict.korean.go.kr. https://stdict.korean.go.kr/search/searchView.do.

[10] Translated by Choongwoo Steve Ko