[KoreaUrbanLegend] The Labyrinth

 

This piece, which premiered at the National Theater in Myeong-dong in 1975, is an avant-garde work performed with the gayageum and human voice. The piece exudes a unique charm through new attempts, such as playing the gayageum like an ajaeng using a violin bow or playing it with a washboard. The overall theme is known to express the joys and sorrows of people living in the era.

This piece gained great popularity when it was used as the theme song for the horror game "White Day: A Labyrinth Named School" by Sonnori. The name of the piece became widely known among the younger generation who played the game, and it was repeatedly used in various parts of the labyrinth, giving a familiar feeling. The fear experienced during the game is an intense experience that is difficult to express in words. Especially in the doppelganger boss battle, the sound of reading a newspaper is played on a CD, creating a creepy effect. This piece was already popular among high school girls as a song that summons ghosts even before the game was released.

As an aside, due to the atmosphere of the music, there was a rumor in Korea that listening to it three times would result in death. The composer of this music, the gayageum master Hwang Byung-ki (May 31, 1936 - January 31, 2018), said, "At that time, the rumor that you would die if you listened to the music three times was famous. A student once sent me a letter asking, 'I've listened to the labyrinth twice, will I die if I listen to it one more time?' So I replied that they would die," he said, surprising many. However, Hwang Byung-ki added that they would die 80 years later, clearing up the misunderstanding.