Memories of The Last Hwaraengi, Kim Junghee

Mills, Simon

Abstract

Kim Junghee, who passed away in sad circumstances in December 2019, was a leading light in the East Coast shaman ritual tradition－an extraordinarily skilled and dedicated man who played a vital role in leading his tradition's transition from the old world into the new. He was the very last instrumentalist in his troupe to have been born and raised within the region's hereditary shaman social institution-the last hwaraengi-and, as such, he fostered an identity and approach to artistry forged in a by-gone era. At the same time, he was a major player in opening up the East Coast shamanic arts to a life beyond village ritual. This article looks back over Kim's rich life and extensive gifts, aiming to piece together a fairly detailed picture of the man and his music. It elucidates the formative factors and processes that shaped his artistry and influenced his path through life, pinpoints his various contributions as a teacher and performer, explores his distinctive personal musical style, and highlights the enormous significance of his passing for the tradition he devoted his life to. To assess these areas, the article draws extensively upon memories gathered by the author between 1999 and 2019-Kim's own memories, the memories of others within his troupe, and also the author's own memories of spending time with him.

Citation

Mills, S. (2020). Memories of The Last Hwaraengi, Kim Junghee. Han'gug eum'ag yeon'gu, 67, 279-320. https://doi.org/10.35983/sikm.2020.67.279

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 27, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jun 26, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Aug 31, 2020
• Journal: Han'guk ŭmak yŏn'gu.
• Print ISSN: 1975-4604
• Publisher: Korea Traditional Music Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 67
• Pages: 279-320
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.35983/sikm.2020.67.279
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1263012