Musical Explorers

Aim: Students will learn a bilingual song and explore how a song can be old and new at the same time. 

Summary: Students will explore a traditional Korean folk song by singing, analyzing lyrics and  moving. 

Materials: Musical Explorers online resources

Standards: GA: MK12345678

Vocabulary: bilingual, Hangul, inspiration, reimagine

“San Toki (산토끼)” is one of the first songs Elena learned to sing as a child and is said to be the most famous children’s song in all of Korea. The song is about a mountain rabbit going up a mountain while everyone asks “where are you going?” only to find out that the rabbit is going to collect some chestnuts. Its simplicity might be why it is so popular–everyone can sing along!

Explore “San Toki (산토끼)”

  • Elena likes to reimagine songs from her early childhood. Discuss as a class:
  • Many Korean folk songs are inspired by nature. To be inspired means to get an idea.
    • Where do you get ideas or inspiration from? 
  • In Elena’s version of “San Toki,” she sings in both Korean and English–this song is performed in two languages. It is a bilingual song.
    • What languages do you speak? Are you or anyone you know bilingual? 
  • Listen to “San Toki,” Track 3.1.
    • Put your hands on your head when you hear Elena sing in Korean and put your hands on your shoulders when you hear Elena sing in English.
  • Learn the Korean chorus of “San Toki” using pronunciation Track 3.2.
  • Guitar chords are available on savannahmusicfestival.org/musicalexplorers. 

“San Toki (산토끼)”
[original lyrics]

Chorus:

San toki, toki-ya 

Uh-di-leul gah-neun-yah?

Kkang-choong, kkang-choong di-myun-suh

Uh-di-leul gah-neun-yah?

(chorus)

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

Toki toki, toki-ya


San gogae gogae-leul

Na hon-ja nu-muh-suh

toshil toshil albameul 

Ju-wuh-seo ool-tae-yah

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

toki toki, toki toki-ya

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

toki toki, toki-ya

(chorus)

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

toki toki, toki-ya

(chorus)

“San Toki”
[English Translation]

“San Toki”

Chorus:

Mountain rabbit, rabbit

Where are you going?

Bouncing, bouncing while you run

Where are you going?

Everybody wonders where San Toki would go

Nobody’d know but her

But she’d come wandering back one day

And this is what, this is what the people’d say:

(chorus)

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

Toki toki, toki-ya

She says she climbs the mountain peaks all on her own
To find some plump chestnuts

And bring, bring them home


Over the mountain peaks, peaks

I climb them on my own

Plump chestnuts, chestnuts

I will find and bring

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

toki toki, toki toki-ya

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

toki toki, toki-ya

(chorus)

Toki toki, toki toki-ya,

toki toki, toki-ya

(chorus)

Discover Hangul

  • Because Elena’s parents are Korean and Elena is American, she speaks and sings in two languages. Singing in two languages means Elena’s lyrics are bilingual. 
  • Hangul is the alphabet used most widely throughout Korea. Unlike the Latin alphabet (the “ABCs”) which has 26 letters, Hangul has 24. 
  • Display the original Hangul lyrics using SG 20. Then, have students practicing writing Hangul lettering.
    • How is Hangul different/the same as the ABCs, our alphabet? 
  • Explore Hangul with Elena using the video resource at savannahmusicfestival.org/musicalexplorers.

Dance to “San Toki”

  • Learn the “San Toki” dance with Elena at savannahmusicfestival.org/musicalexplorers.
  • San toki toki ya: give yourself rabbit ears & do a rabbit dance with your ears.
  • Uh-di-leul gah-neun-yah?: put your hand on your forehead like you’re shading your eyes to look out into the distance.
  • Kkang-choong, kkang-choong di-myun-suh: make “paws” in front of you while you hop in place! 
  • Uh-di-leul gah-neun-yah?: walk in place while swinging your arms.

Literacy Link: Dear Juno

Author Soyung Pak was born in South Korea and grew up in New Jersey, bringing her personal experience of how young people balance multiple cultures and sometimes countries at once. In Dear Juno, Juno’s grandmother writes letters in Korean, while Juno responds in drawings. Although they speak different languages, Juno and his grandmother still find many ways to communicate. This story won the author an Ezra Jack Keats award. and is a great introduction to the concept of foreign cultures.

Creative Extension: Artwork Inspiration

Elena finds inspiration in many different places including nature, memories and stories she hears from friends and family. She is also inspired by the artwork of one of her friends, Kristiana Parn, whom she often partners with for her album artwork. You can view more of Kristiana’s artwork at kristianaparn.com.

Draw your own “San Toki” rabbit using your own ideas or Kristiana Parn’s art inspiration with SG 21.

Musical Word Wall

Add bilingual, Hangul, inspiration, reimagine to the Musical Word Wall.

See Glossary →

Student Guide(s)

  • Practice Writing in Hangul
    • Hangul is the Korean alphabet. Practice writing the lyrics of “San Toki” in Hangul letters below:
      • 산토끼 토끼야 어디를 가느냐
        • MOUNTAIN RABBIT, RABBIT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
      • 깡총깡총 뛰면서 어디를 가느냐
        • BOUNCING, BOUNCING WHILE YOU RUN
  • Draw Your Own “San Toki” Rabbit

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