This work ethnographically investigates discourse as a tool in this negotiation process and considers multiple perspectives, targeting the debates surrounding preservation and modernization of traditional music. The research considered a variety of discursive contexts, from public performances to reviews and advertisements, within which kugak professionals seek to rally support from the general public for compositions based on kugak , called ch'angjak kugak , and legitimate their productions as an expression of a Korean essence. Acknowledged in the discourse as uri-u i cho ngso (literally, "our sentiment/emotion"), this essence signifies a critical connection to Korean cultural roots and connotes a product as an authoritative derivative of tradition. Participants negotiate kugak 's significance to South Korea's cultural identity in the 21 st century and relationship with uri-u i cho ngso in correlation to their social history, global status, and future.