National consciousness in Korean art songs: Selected six composers

When Western music came to Korea about a hundred years ago, it surpassed Korean traditional music in stature, especially during the Japan's occupation of Korea from 1910-1945. Japan banned the use of the Korean language in schools and under the Nation Obliteration Policy prohibited composers from experimenting with Korean musical techniques in Western styles. Even now Korean music is not yet flourishing, but it is living and breathing, largely through the efforts of five composers: Ki-young An, Du-nam Cho, Sun-nam Kim, I-sang Yun, and Un-young La. These five successfully resisted Japan's cultural pressure. These five along with current composer Byung-ki Hwang all succeeded in writing complex music with Western elements and Korean characteristics such as traditional rhythmic patterns and modes as well as imitation of both traditional instruments and singing styles.