This paper investigates the musical history of the Korean’s 1980s. 1980s of Korean was one of the most progressive period that had dynamic practice and movement for the civil rights against the military government. In addition, nationalism based on postcolonialism against the domination of the western culture arose spontaneously from among the people. Korean music field was so influenced from this social mood that several important changes occurred. First of all, there were self-consciousness among the some composers, musicologists, and musical activists about musical communication with ordinary people ‘here and now’ and musical discourse and practices for the search of national identity based on consciousness of unified community.
As well, in 1980s Opera and Symphonic orchestra had an rapid increase in quantity and quality. In Opera movement, the movement of the “Korean music drama” was a true movement for the establishment of autogenous music culture. In performance field, ensemble movement became active and professional performers’s concerts began to take place more often than before. In Composition field, “the third generation” group was organized. Their music ideology was related with the anti-modernism and nationalism. In musicology and music critic field, “Hanguk Unmakron”, and “Minjokumakron” so developed that their awareness of relationship between music and life or society influenced other fields. Some musicologists and composers coordinated with “Song-movement” activists and theorists.While, main stream of music field also developed through 86, 88 international sports game leaded by military government, and because of economic growth of Korean capitalism.
In conclusion, 1980s of Korean music society was the period that conservative mainstream group and progressive anti-mainstream group developed their own musical practice sometimes separately and sometimes together.