Children’s Song – Korea

Nationality: Korean
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Seoul, Korea
Performance Date: April 27, 2008
Primary Language: Korean
Language: English

“Hak gyo jong ee, dang dang dang, uh seo mo yi za, sun shang nim ee wo ri lool, gi da ri shin da”

“School bell is dang dang dang (ringing), let’s gather around, our teacher is waiting for us.”

Kwangsub told me that this is a traditional Korean children’s song. He said that he first learned this from an elementary school text book. But now he thinks kids probably learn it when they are in kindergarten. He said that lots of people know the song and it isn’t just taught in school or learned from books. He thinks that its purpose might be to teach children to be prompt and on time getting to class.

I think that Kwangsub is right when he says that the purpose of the song might be to teach kids to be on time when they are at school. It is similar to English songs that are meant to teach children how to do things or to help them remember things. It seems like this Korean song is analogous to songs like the “Clean Up” song that was featured on the Barney television show many years ago, and is now widely used without reference to the show.

Korean Children’s Song