Community voices “comfort like home food”: Gayageum (가야금) in Dunedin

This article describes the possibility of the therapeutic use of gayageum 가야금 for Korean people in New Zealand. During my time in Dunedin (2016-2022), I performed gayageum music for Korean New Zealanders.Conducting informal interviews, the majority of participants experienced feelings of “comfort”, “relaxation”, and “home”. These findings suggest two conclusions: (1) gayageum music can be a resource for New Zealand music therapy practice with first-generation Korean immigrants; and (2) the possibility of studying the diasporic meaning of gayageum in New Zealand.