The Legacy of the Seven Korean Students Who Recorded Arirang in 1896

Arirang is a traditional Korean folk song that represents love, separation, and resilience through a touching story of lovers parted. The term "Arirang" is somewhat ambiguous today, but some linguists propose that "ari" (아리) meant "beautiful" and "rang" (랑) referred to a "beloved one" or "bridegroom" in ancient Korean. Combined, "arirang" signified "my beloved one."

According to legend, the name originates from the tale of a bachelor and a maiden who fell in love while gathering camellia blossoms near the wharf at Auraji (아우라지)—a body of water named from the Korean word "eoureojida" (어우러지다), which translates closely to "be in harmony" or "to meet".

There are two versions of this story:

In the first, the bachelor is unable to cross Auraji to meet the maiden due to high water, so they sing a song to express their sorrow.

In the second version, the bachelor tries to cross Auraji and drowns, singing the sorrowful song after his death.

The song is sung in both North and South Korea, symbolizing unity between the two countries, despite their division by the Korean War. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, singing patriotic songs, including the national anthem, was banned, so "Arirang" became an unofficial anthem of resistance against Japanese rule.

However, between 1931 and 1943, more than 50 Japanese versions of the song were released, covering genres such as pop, jazz, and mambo. Some Japanese soldiers became familiar with Arirang during their service in Japanese-occupied Korea or through interactions with Korean women forced into prostitution (comfort women), laborers, and soldiers.

Korean protesters sang Arirang during the March First Movement, a 1919 protest against the Japanese Empire. Many versions of Arirang written during the occupation emphasize themes of injustice, the struggles of laborers, and guerrilla warfare.

All versions of Arirang include the refrain "Arirang, arirang, arariyo."

In 1896, seven Korean students at Howard University in Washington, D.C. made history by being the first to record traditional Korean music, including Arirang, on wax cylinders, thereby preserving Korean culture in the U.S. The students were: Im Byung Goo (19), Lee Bum Su (24), Kim Hun Sik (27), Ahn Jung Sik (23), Eyo Byung Hyun (26), and one unidentified student. A seventh student joined them later.

According to newspaper reports, the students might have embezzled money from a Korean bank in the spring of 1896 and escaped to Vancouver. After spending all their funds on travel, they found themselves in a difficult situation. Their inability to speak English fluently only worsened their predicament. In desperation, the fugitives approached the Japanese Consulate, requesting them to telegraph Suh Kwang Bum, the Korean Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary to the U.S.

Suh's decision to help the students was influenced by his own complex history. He had been involved in the Gapsin Coup of 1884, a failed reformist rebellion in Korea. After the coup's failure, he fled the country and eventually returned to Washington, where he had previously established diplomatic ties.

Howard University records indicate that on April 29, 1896, Suh asked the institution to provide accommodations for the Korean students. The Executive Committee at Howard agreed to offer rooms in Clark Hall at no charge, while Suh pledged to cover the cost of furniture.

Founded in 1867 to educate formerly enslaved African Americans, Howard University became an unexpected yet significant refuge for the students.

In the late 19th century, racial barriers restricted where international students of color could pursue education in the United States. However, Howard had already established a reputation as a welcoming place for students who might face discrimination elsewhere. The professors at Howard personally invested in helping the students adapt.

During the summer break, the students stayed with professors' families, who helped them improve their English. Upon their arrival, the students mostly communicated through gestures and the few English phrases they had learned during their journey.

A social event was held on the night of their arrival at Howard. The students, described as quiet and observant, were encouraged by guests, particularly the female ones, to sing. Initially, the young men were hesitant, explaining that they could not sing in English. However, their hosts reassured them that it did not matter.

Eventually, the evening's program, which included songs like Suwanee River, was diversified by specimens of real Korean melody. These melodies would soon gain historical significance.

On July 24, 1896, American ethnologist Alice C. Fletcher (1838-1923) invited three Korean students to her Washington residence. Fletcher, renowned for her studies on Native American music, recorded the students singing traditional Korean songs using wax cylinders, an early form of recording technology.

Over two days, they created six recordings. Among these were "Blooming Plum Tree Song," "Introductory Song for Dang-ga," and "Arirang," which is believed to be the first recorded version of the folk song.

The recordings were made during a tumultuous period in Korean history. In the 1890s, Korea was entangled in a geopolitical conflict between powerful neighbors. Japan had defeated China in the First Sino-Japanese War, primarily over influence on the Korean peninsula.

On October 8, 1895, Queen Min (Empress Myeongseong) of Korea was assassinated by Japanese agents under the leadership of Minister Miura Goro at Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, in an event referred to as the Eulmi Incident. Aiming to eliminate the queen who opposed Japan and favored Russia, Japanese soldiers infiltrated the royal residence, killed her, and set her body on fire.

In February 1896, King Gojong and the Crown Prince discreetly escaped from Gyeongbokgung Palace to the Russian Legation in Seoul, aiming to find safety after Japanese agents assassinated the empress. This "internal exile" continued for more than a year (February 11, 1896 – February 20, 1897), during which Gojong governed from the legation, limited pro-Japanese reforms, and enhanced Russian influence.

Full Japanese annexation would occur in 1910, but the threat to sovereignty was already evident. Recording a Korean folk song in a lasting medium during this time held symbolic significance, preserving a piece of cultural identity far from its homeland.

Today, those wax cylinder recordings are kept by the Library of Congress. In 2017, they were showcased at the Seoul Arirang Festival.

The fate of the students afterward remains unclear. Some may have returned to Korea, while others might have stayed abroad.

It would be another 60 years before a significant number of Koreans immigrated to the D.C. area; however, the story of Suh Kwang Bum and the first Korean students at Howard proves that Koreans have been establishing themselves in D.C. for longer than many realize, and that Americans have had a longstanding interest in Korean music.