Sogeum
Not on view
The daegeum and sogeum are transverse bamboo flutes having six finger holes. On the daegeum an additional hole covered by a membrane produces a sound that gives it a nasal, buzzing timbre. Matching the meaning of so (small), the sogeum is a shorter flute that no longer has a membrane. Both flutes are used in court and popular music and have their origins in the Unified Silla period (668–918), with their invention linked to a story about King Sinmun (r. 681–92).
On view from August 6, 2022–October 15, 2023