The iron daegeum (大禁) on the top imitates bamboo nodes and is elaborately decorated with peony scrolls, floral patterns and crane designs inlaid in gold and silver. The technique of inlay is that of inserting gold or silver wire into finely chiseled patterns. Both artifacts are made of iron and were presumably for ceremonial use rather than for playing music.

The daegeum is the largest of the three traditional Korean bamboo transverse flutes – sogeum, junggeum and daegeum. Also called jeotdae, it has one blowing hole, a reed-hole, six finger holes and a tuning hole. The blowing hole is punched next to the first node of the bamboo pipe, and the reed-hole about 9cm away from the blowing hole. The reed-hole is usually covered with a thin inner membrane of a reed which creates its breathy, buzzing second sound that is found only in this traditional Korean instrument. Finger holes to play notes are spread between the second and third bamboo node. The tuning hole, also called the chilseong-gong (七星孔, holes of the seven stars or Great Bear), is between the third node and the flute tip. In the past the daegum had five tuning holes but now the number of holes may vary.

The Musical Cannon (Akhak-gwebeom, 樂學軌範) explains that daegum pipes are made of aged yellow bamboo. Currently, however, the most favored material for making daegum is ssanggol-juk (雙骨竹, double-groove bamboo). This rare mutated stem of bamboo has an exceptionally thick and strong wall which is ideal for making flutes, since its branches of grow from both sides of a node instead of either side in turns.