This study is carried out in a way to grope for a new direction in the study of Korean folk song. It examines preceding studies and, through an exhaustive inspection of their problems and issues, tries to make them a guide to further studies. In consequence, three important study subjects are discovered. The first is to reflect on methodology, leaning toward a field work methodology, which has to be combined with a structural methodology. The second is to introduce a study subject of comparative folk songonlogy and to attempt to compare Korean folk song with Japanese folk song as a particular illustration. The third is to present a problem : from what point of view has to be studied the creation and extinction of the folk song, and to consider proper preservation plan of folk song. These study subjects are deemed requisite to determine the contemporary stage of folk song study.