London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

K-music 2020 online: Gray by Silver + Gonia

The second of the two online concerts from the New Talent strand brings together two interesting jazz-infused acts: New Talent III & IV: Gray By Silver + Gonia Monday 9 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gray By Silver Expressive pianist and composer Hanbin Lee leads this jazz group in expertly performed, emotional pieces … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Black String

Black String return to K-music in the second of the K-music Greats strand of the 2020 festival: K-music Greats II: Black String Saturday 7 November, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive ACT artists and masters of traditional Korean music and jazz Black String burst on to the London scene in 2011, their rise to the … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Hey String

For me, Hey String were the highlight of K-music 2019. So it’s great to see that they’ve got another gig this year. K-Music Specials I: Hey String Friday 6 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gayageum trio Hey String push beyond the limitations of traditional performance in a full force of interplaying melodies and … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Jaram Lee

The final show in the K-Music Encounters series features leading pansori singer, Jaram Lee, where she will discuss and perform The Old Man and The Sea, based on Ernest Hemingway’s masterpiece and recreated in pansori form. Lee goes back to the basics of pansori, and only with traditional Pansori linguistics and simple percussion, she brings … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Kyungso Park, Jae Il Jung + Soona Park

A double-bill of collaborations in the third online concert of K-music 2020. K-music Encounters II: Kyungso Park + Soona Park Wednesday 4 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Kyungso Park Kyungso Park is a composer, player and improviser of the gayageum, a traditional Korean stringed instrument that sounds like a cross between a harp, … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Yoon Jeong Heo + Vincent Peirani

Some of the highlights of previous K-music festivals have been the collaboration between Korean and Western performers. Here’s the first such event in the 2020 festival. K-Music Encounters I: Yoon Jeong Heo (from Black String) + Vincent Peirani Tuesday 3 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive In the first episode of K-Music Encounters, geomungo … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Dongyang Gozupa + Dal:um

The second online concert of K-music 2020 introduces some new acts that we haven’t seen before. Let’s hope they get to come over in person next year. K-Music New Talent I + II: Dongyang Gozupa + Dal:um Monday 2 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Dongyang Gozupa In a hard-hitting combination of progressive, post-rock … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Jambinai

The first online concert of K-music 2020 features one of the most popular acts from previous years. K-Music Greats I: Jambinai Saturday 31 October, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Jambinai present traditional Korean music in a new and innovative way, with their ground-breaking post-rock sound that combines folk, metal, jazz and ambient electronic elements … [Read More]

K-music 2020: the official press release

Despite the pandemic, Serious and the KCCUK have arranged a great line-up for K-music this year. Bookended by live performances to open and close the festival, there’s a range of exciting online performances which involve new collaborations between favourite K-music artists from the past as well as some new names. We’ve already posted about the … [Read More]

K-music 2020 livestream: Soojin Suh + Kit Downes

As an update to all the below, there will be a livestreamed collaboration between Soojin Suh and Kit Downes broadcast on the Serious YouTube channel, Tuesday 8 December at 7pm. More details here. =================== The November lockdown is the final nail in the coffin of this on-off gig. K-music 2020 is now online only. But … [Read More]

K-music 2020 live: ADG7 CANCELLED

I just got this email from King’s Place: Dear Patron, We regret to inform you that this event has been cancelled. Please see the below message from the show curators at Serious… ‘The ADG7 concert will be postponed until K-Music 2021 because of concerns about travelling at present. The rest of the K-Music 2020 programme … [Read More]

Gig review: Kyungso Park, SB Circle + Hey String

Isn’t it refreshing when a band exceeds expectations? When you were expecting something pretty good, and you get something astoundingly good. When the newbie support band has the class to headline their own gig. OK, to call the gayageum trio Hey String a newbie band neglects to mention their success as prizewinners in Seoul Namsan … [Read More]

Brief review: Park Jiha at Rich Mix

Park Jiha closed K-music 2017 supported by a trio of musicians (playing bass, sax and vibes). She returned to London this year as a solo performer, presenting material from her new album, Philos, as well as older material. We also got one premiere. Park plays yanggeum (dulcimer), piri (oboe) and saenghwang (mouth organ), and when … [Read More]

K-music 2019: Black String, 18 Nov @ Purcell Room

Based on Black String’s latest album release, Karma, this closing concert could be the highlight of the festival. The concert is also part of the London Jazz Festival line-up. K-music 2019: Black String Monday 18 November 2019, 7:45pm Southbank Centre / Purcell Room | Belvedere Road | London SE1 8XX Tickets £15 + booking fee … [Read More]