Norwegian folk duo Kings of Convenience will return to enchant Korean fans with their music at a concert April 4 at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. / Courtesy of Private Curve

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Norwegian folk duo Kings of Convenience are bringing their soft, sometimes melancholic, acoustic tunes to Seoul in April.

Kings of Convenience, composed of Erlend Oye and Eirik Glambek Boe, are performing April 4 at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul.

The duo are best known for their touching and stripped down melodies that have earned them comparisons with the likes of Simon & Garfunkel and Belle and Sebastian.

Oye and Boe first met as 16-year-olds in high school, where they formed a band with other friends. A few years later, they formed Kings of Convenience and made their debut in 2001 with the album ``Quiet is the New Loud.''

They followed it up with 2004's ``Riot on an Empty Street,'' which garnered critical acclaim and earned them fans all over the world.

The songs ``Stay Out Of Trouble'' and ``I'd Rather Dance With You'' were especially popular in Korea, where they were used as the soundtrack for TV commercials. Having earned a dedicated fan base in Korea, Kings of Convenience made their first trip to Seoul in the spring of 2008.

Last October, the duo released their long-awaited album ``Declaration of Dependence,'' five years after ``Riot.'' The album did not disappoint, boasting of lovely guitar tunes and honest lyrics that are a breath of fresh air in the music industry.

``Declaration of Dependence,'' the group's third album, showed Kings of Convenience's shift to a more unplugged sound. With only their voices and acoustic guitars, Kings of Convenience showed off their new acoustic sound in songs ``Mrs. Cold,'' ``Me in You'' and ``Rule My World.''

Kings of Convenience remains popular in Seoul, as seen with the strong sales of ``Declaration of Dependence.'' It topped the pop charts at record chain Hot Tracks (Kyobo) when it was released last year.

The concert starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are 88,000 won and 77,000 won. Visit http://ticket.interpark.com (1544-1555). For English-language information and reservations, call (02)563-0595 or email info@privatecurve.com.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr