DPRK Okryugum

Okryugum is a national fillip instrument developed in the 1970s.

Chairman Kim Jong Il provided guidance to its development and, after its completion, named it okryugum, saying that the instrument produces a crystal-clear sound. A development of the national fillip instruments, it produces a soft, graceful, crystal-clear and beautiful tone quality and rich sound volume, and can produce a long-lingering sound. There are three sound parts: the bass part produces a broad yet deep and full sound; the sound of the mean is quite soft and beautiful; the treble part emits a high, clear yet a little tense and sharp sound.

Okryugum produces various tone colours according to the execution and position of the strings thrummed by the finger. The middle part of a string produces a soft and elegant sound akin to the sound made by harp; when the right part of a string is thrummed, the tone colour becomes similar to the elegant sound of kayagum; when the left part of a string is thrummed, the tone colour is similar to that of guitar.

Okryugum can produce a wide range of sound and any changed tones, and the varied methods of execution make it possible to play various forms of accompaniment as well as melodies.

It can play the solo, and is an important instrument in an ensemble of national instruments.

In the composition of mixed orchestra it adds the national flavour and emotion to the sound of the music.