Like the komun' go, the kayagum also has a soundboard made of paulownia wood and a back-board made of chestnut. Unlike the komun'go. however, it has twelve strings, rest on movable bridges, also carved in the shape of a crane's foot.  There are two types of kayagum in existence: the older one (sometimes referred to as the podgum), used in chamber and orchestral works, has a wider soundboard, and, consequently, its strings are spaced further apart than the comparatively newer version, that used for playing sanjo and other forms of folk music, where the space between the strings is considerably narrowed to facilitate the playing of rapid passages.  Also, the lower end of the older instrument has a T-shaped piece that protrudes out on both sides, something like the horns of a ram.  The kayagum originated in the kingdom of Kaya, from whence it derives its name, located in the southern part of the country, in the 6th century A.D.  In addition to being used in chamber and orchestral music, like the komun'go, the kayagum is also used to accompany kagok and in sanjo.  But, over and beyond this, it is today perhaps the most favored and representative of all Korean instruments that are normally performed in a solo capacity.  The player sits cross-legged and supports the instrument flat on the right knee.  The body of the instrument stretches away to the left.