PYOLGOK

plural pyolgok, also called changga Korean poetic form that flourished during the Koryo period (9351392). Of folk origin, the pyolgok was sung chiefly by women performers (kisaeng) and was intended for performance on festive occasions. The theme of most of these anonymous poems is love, and its joys and torments are expressed in frank and powerful language. The pyolgok is characterized by the presence of a refrain either in the middle or at the end of each stanza. The refrain not only establishes a mood or tone that carries the melody and spirit of the poem but also serves to link the discrete parts and contents of the poem. The pyolgok entitled Tongdong (Ode on the Seasons) and Isanggok (Winter Night) are among the most moving love lyrics in the Korean language.