Heemoon Lee, the visionary vocalist of SsingSsing, takes us on a transcendental musical journey with his band OBANGSINGWA and their new album, SPANGLE. A powerhouse of Korean music, Lee injects fresh energy and new life into time-honoured Korean folk songs (minyo). Seamlessly blending minyo with a kaleidoscope of genres – including jitterbug, pop, dance, rock … [Read More]
Venue: Purcell Room
Southbank Centre | Belvedere Road | London SE1 8XX | [Map]
| Web and contact link(s): |  |
K-music 2024: Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra x No-Noise
Find yourself in the bustling centre of a town square with No-Noise’s energetic and distinctive blend of Korean and Western sounds and instruments. Performing with the outstanding musicians of the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra (SMTO), No-Noise is a dynamic ensemble led by Lee Il-woo, the visionary behind the post-rock sensation Jambinai, and Sung Si Young, … [Read More]
Jaha Koo’s Haribo Kimchi at the Purcell Room
Floating aromas of a steamy simmering soup, the sharp sound of a knife quickly slicing spring onions, the hissing and sizzling of mushrooms on a scorching fire. In Haribo Kimchi, we find ourselves in a pojangmacha, a typical late-night snack bar that can be found scattered across the streets of South Korea. There we meet several … [Read More]
Book talk: Yu Miri’s The End of August
Join bestselling writer Yu Miri and her translator Morgan Giles as they present Yu’s latest novel to be translated into English, The End of August. In 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea, Lee Woo-Cheol is a running prodigy and a contender for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics – but only if he runs under the Japanese flag. Nearly a … [Read More]
K-music 2023: Soojin Suh & Kit Downes
Korean creative force, experimental drummer Soojin Suh brings her Chordless Quartet for a collaboration with acclaimed keyboardist Kit Downes. The concept behind the Soojin Suh Chordless Quartet is to explore freedom from all polyphonic instruments as a metaphor for freedom in society. Recent releases by the quartet include 2018’s critically acclaimed Strange Liberation and its 2021 follow-up, Roots … [Read More]
Han Kang: Greek Lessons launch event
Han Kang, author of The Vegetarian, launches a powerful new novel about the saving grace of language and human connection, in conversation with Octavia Bright. Greek Lessons tells the story of two ordinary people brought together at a moment of private anguish – the fading light of a man losing his vision meeting the silence of a … [Read More]
K-music 2022: Sun-Mi Hong | Ant Law + Alex Hitchcock
Drummer Sun-Mi Hong was born in Incheon, Korea, but moved to Amsterdam to study at the Conservatoire and is now well established in the Dutch jazz scene, with a distinct style combining rooted groove with well-tempered outbursts. Her award-winning album ‘A Self-Strewn Portrait’ came out in 2021 and she releases a new album with her … [Read More]
K-music 2022: Lee Jaram performs Hemingway
Leading pansori singer and performer Jaram Lee presents The Old Man And The Sea, inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s classic story. Pansori is the ancient art of expressive musical storytelling where a singer is accompanied by a drummer and performs a narrative that can be tragic or funny – always entertaining. It is thought to have … [Read More]
The Sound of Nature: Dal:um live at Southbank Centre
“Korean traditional instruments contain the sound of nature.” This is the opening line of Ha Suyean’s answer to my question regarding what Dal:um would like their international audience to know about ancient Korean instruments gayageum and geomungo. “For someone coming to these two ancient instruments for the first time, what will they discover?”, I had … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Soojin Suh Coloris Trio & Camilla George
I know I should no longer be surprised at how well these collaborations work, but last year’s online meeting between Soojin Suh and Kit Downes was really rather good, so I’ll certainly be attending this gig, the last of the 2021 K-music festival. Soojin Suh Coloris Trio & Camilla George Wednesday 17 November 2021, 7:45pm … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Dal:um
Dal:um are a Seoul-based musical duo who challenge the sonic possibilities of Korea’s most well-known traditional string instruments: Dal:um Saturday 6 November 2021 7:45pm, Southbank Centre / Purcell Room | Belvedere Road | London SE1 8XX | Buy tickets Monday 8 November 2021 8pm Norwich Arts Centre | 51 St Benedict’s Street | Norwich NR2 … [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]
Jambinai launches K-music 2019 with explosive force
Call me a grouch, but when you need both ear plugs and a blindfold to survive a gig in any degree of comfort you have to start questioning the wisdom of some of the sound and lighting judgments. Ear plugs, handed out for free at the entrance to Jambinai’s Purcell Room gig that opened K-music … [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]
K-music 2019: Kyungso Park: SB Circle + Hey String, 29 Oct @Purcell Room
Kyungso Park returns to London with her new ensemble, a collaboration with saxophonist Shin Hyunpil. Kyungso Park: SB Circle + Hey String Tuesday 29 October 2019, 7:45pm Southbank Centre / Purcell Room | Belvedere Road | London SE1 8XX Tickets £15 + booking fee | Book tickets A Southbank Centre takeover pushing gayageum to its … [Read More]
K-music 2019: Jambinai, 3 October @Purcell Room
Jambinai open the 2019 K-music festival as part of their six-city England tour. K-music 2019: Jambinai Thursday 3 October 2019, 7:45pm Southbank Centre – Purcell Room | Belvedere Road | London SE1 8XX Tickets £15 + booking fee | Book tickets Jambinai present Korean traditional music in a new and innovative way, with their ground-breaking post-rock … [Read More]