K-band N.Flying is coming to the UK on their next tour titled ‘&CON4:FULL CIRCLE’ in Europe. See them live on 1 October at indigo at The O2 – don’t miss it! N.Flying (엔플라잉) is a South Korean band known for their energetic rock sound and engaging stage presence. They debuted in 2015 under FNC Entertainment. … [Read More]
Music
Welcome to LKL’s Music section, where we cover Korean music from K-pop to P’ansori and beyond. Here you will find news of concerts as well as featured content such as our live music reviews, recorded music reviews, and music-related interviews and features. You can also find Dr Colette Balmain’s K-pop essays featuring BTS and more.
8TURN – 8TURNRISE World Tour in Islington
8TURN consists of 8 members, JAE YUN who is the leader, MYUNG HO, MIN HO, YOON SUNG, HAE MIN, KYUNG MIN, YUN GYU, and SEUNG HEON. The meaning of the team is with the 8(∞) boys, who have infinite possibilities and added the word ‘TURN,’ which makes the new word that contains the bold ambition … [Read More]
World Peace Concert celebrating 80th anniversary of VE day and Liberation in Korea
Get ready for a spectacular musical journey from the timeless elegance of Rossini, the passion of Piazzolla, to the anthemic power of Queen, all beautifully woven together with the rich sounds of traditional and contemporary Korean music. This special concert marks the first cultural collaboration between the Royal Borough of Kingston and Seocho District, Seoul, … [Read More]
Seoul Arts Centre on Screen: Shim Chung
Back by popular demand, Shim Chung returns to the Korean Cultural Centre UK as part of the SAC on Screen series. This beloved ballet, performed by the Universal Ballet Company, retells the timeless Korean folktale of a devoted daughter who sacrifices herself to restore her blind father’s sight — and is miraculously reborn in a … [Read More]
Hyelim Kim’s Celadon Club perform in Wandsworth Arts Fringe
Experience vibrant ESEA (East and Southeast Asian) traditions with The Celadon Club, directed by Hyelim Kim. Featuring outstanding musicians and dancers from South Korea, Japan, China, and Indonesia, this captivating performance blends traditional instruments, folk melodies, and expressive dance, celebrating multicultural unity and artistic harmony. Performers: Hyelim Kim, Akinori Fujimoto, Kwong Thye Lee, Rachinta Platts, … [Read More]
K-music 2025: Seong-Jin Cho – Artist Portrait. Part of LSO Futures
World premiere of a new piano concerto by Dong-hoon Shin, written for Seong-Jin Cho Following his sold-out Barbican recital in 2023, piano superstar Seong-Jin Cho returns to the Barbican for the world premiere of a piano concerto commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) from Dong-hoon Shin—one of Korea’s most prominent contemporary composers—written especially for … [Read More]
K-music 2025: Gray by Silver
Jazz, tradition, and improvisation in poetic conversation The 2024 Best Jazz Album winner at the Seoul Music Awards, Gray by Silver, join the K-Music Festival with their upcoming third album, Time of Tree, blending the emotional depth of traditional Korean music with the expressive language of contemporary jazz and classical. Formed in 2016, Gray by … [Read More]
K-music 2025: Won Il’s Dionysus Robot
A contemporary ritual where tradition meets technology Renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Won Il, who inaugurated the very first K-Music Festival in 2013 with the National Orchestra of Korea, returns this year with a daring new work: Dionysus Robot. Inspired by Nietzsche’s philosophy of Dionysus and paying homage to media art pioneer Nam June Paik, Dionysus … [Read More]
June New Talents: Kiyoka Hyun Duo
For the June performance of 2025 New Talents, we are delighted to introduce Kiyoka Hyun Duo, composed of Kiyoka Ohara (Flute) and Hyunjeong Hwang (Piano). Don’t miss this chance to enjoy Kiyoka Hyun Duo’s amazing musical adventure this June! Programme J.S. Bach Flute Sonata in E-flat major BWV821 I. Allegro moderato II. Siciliano III. Allegro G. … [Read More]
K-music 2025: Hilgeum with Alice Zawadzki
A tapestry of ancient tones and an untamed voice Hilgeum, a rising Korean trio redefining traditional string instruments, will make their London debut at the K-Music Festival, joining forces with the British award-winning singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Alice Zawadzki. Known for her expressive voice and genre-defying artistry, Zawadzki will blend seamlessly with Hilgeum’s rich, textured … [Read More]
K-music 2025: JAMBINAI with London Contemporary Orchestra
Orchestral grandeur collides with post-rock fury. Post-Rock band JAMBINAI make their Barbican debut in a rare and electrifying performance with the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO) led by Robert Ames—a conductor renowned for his work in contemporary classical music and for collaborations with artists such as Radiohead, Frank Ocean, and Steve Reich. JAMBINAI sound less like … [Read More]
K-music 2025: Okkyung Lee with Mark Fell
A sonic dialogue between cello and electronics. This year’s K-Music Festival opens with a groundbreaking performance featuring Korean cellist and composer Okkyung Lee, known for her genre-defying style, creating vast sonic landscapes that move freely through noise, jazz, Western classical, and her homeland’s traditional and popular music. For the acclaimed festival’s opening night, Okkyung Lee … [Read More]
Yunchan Lim Plays Rachmaninov at the Proms
After a ‘dazzling’ Proms debut last year, pianist and global phenomenon Yunchan Lim returns, joining Kazuki Yamada and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for Rachmaninov’s final piano concerto. Rich in scope and ambition, tinged with the jazz rhythms and harmonies of the composer’s new homeland, it’s a technical tour de force. Musical visions from … [Read More]
Tengger 2025 UK Tour
TENGGER (formerly ’10’) is an electronic psychedelic musical duo based in Japan and South Korea that has toured extensively in Asia, Europe, and the USA. It is a traveling musical family, made up of Pan-Asian couple, itta and Marqido, who create their brand of psychedelic New-Age drone magic through the use of harmonium, voice, and … [Read More]
Japanese Breakfast UK tour
American indie-pop band Japanese Breakfast, fronted by Korean American author singer and songwriter Michelle Zauner (Crying in H Mart) embark on tour for their fourth album For Melancholy Brunettes. They are supported by Minhwi Lee, is a South Korean contemporary folk singer-songwriter and composer. After a decade making the most of improvised recording spaces set … [Read More]
EDITH × Yoon Dong-ju: Poetry Reimagined through Electronic Sound
Edith is a musician who reinterprets the poetry of Yoon Dong-ju through electronic and rock music. Her work bridges classical literature and contemporary sound, transforming Yoon Dong-ju’s writing into an immersive auditory experience. Her notable single, “Gongsang” (Imagination), inspired by the poet’s poem of the same name, reimagines the Tower of Babel as a symbol … [Read More]