Gayageum sanjo is an instrumental form in which a solo gayageum, accompanied by a janggu drum, moves from slow rhythmic cycles toward faster ones. Citing the writings of Ham Hwa-jin, the National Gugak Center's encyclopedia identifies Yeongam-born Kim Chang-jo (1856–1919) as a musician who created an early form of gayageum sanjo. The same source, however, also places contemporaries including Han Suk-gu and Sim Jeong-sun among sanjo's first generation. It is therefore possible to remember Kim as a major pioneer without reducing the genre's formation to a single person's invention. Across later generations, movements and melodies expanded and distinct schools took shape.
To present this lineage and support the preservation and transmission of traditional music, Yeongam County opened the Gayageum Sanjo Memorial Hall near Wolchulsan Gichan Land on March 21, 2014. Its displays included gayageums, janggu drums, danso flutes, and materials connected with sanjo masters; the surrounding theme park also provided a performance hall, a shrine, and an outdoor stage. A visit is most revealing when it moves beyond the label “founder Kim Chang-jo” and follows how many performers and teacher–student relationships shaped the music heard today. Exhibition schedules, performances, and closing days can change, so check the Yeongam Culture and Tourism Foundation notice before visiting.