Korean Chamber Orchestra to salute Sofia Gubaidulina with Seoul memorial concertThe Korean Chamber Orchestra will honor late Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina (1931-2025) with a memorial concert featuring two Korean premieres at Seoul Arts Center on April 26. The program, titled “Sofia Gubaidulina & Korean Chamber Orchestra,” will take place under the baton of conductor Park Tae-young. It will be the first memorial concert in Korea dedicated to Gubaidulina, widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary music. The event aims to spotlight the spiritual depth and experimental sound that made her a touchstone for performers and composers worldwide. Born in a small town in Russia, Gubaidulina defied Soviet conformity from her early years. She once said her desire was “to rebel and swim against the current.” She spent her life creating sonically daring works that pursued truth through art and a belief in art as a “beautiful prayer.” The evening will open with Ernest Bloch’s “Prayer” for solo cello and strings, framed by the orchestra as a musical requiem and tribute. It will continue with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto NoApr 10, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Global stars set for concerts in Korea amid venue shortageA wave of global stars is coming to Korea this year, from hard rock icons to chart-topping rappers, but their arrivals are colliding with a shortage of large-scale concert venues, testing fans’ patience over access. The latest to join the lineup is Deep Purple, the British rock legends who helped define 1970s hard rock. The band will perform at Incheon’s Paradise City complex on April 18, the first time in 16 years with classic-era members Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice. The upcoming Deep Purple show will anchor a year-long run of rock and pop heavyweights at Paradise City. The venue will host the Asian Pop Festival on May 30, featuring city-pop pioneer Taeko Onuki of Sugar Babe, followed by U.K. band My Chemical Romance’s return in November. On May 29, Canadian R&B singer-songwriter Daniel Ceasar will bring his “Son of Spergy” arena tour to KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, about two and a half years after his last appearance here. The Grammy-winning artist, known for “Best Part” with H.E.R. and his work on Justin Bieber’s “Peaches,” is returning to tour hApr 9, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Korea Times Spring Concert to feature maestro Chung Myung-whunThis year’s Korea Times Spring Concert will feature maestro Chung Myung-whun, who will lead the KBS Symphony Orchestra in a concert version of Bizet's opera "Carmen" in Seoul on April 17. The concert will offer a rare opportunity to hear one of Korea’s most renowned conductors, who is currently serving as the orchestra’s music director. He is also an internationally recognized musician. Last year, he was appointed to lead La Scala, the historic opera house in Milan — regarded as the birthplace of opera — starting in 2027. The upcoming performance will mark Chung’s second full opera-in-concert with the KBS Symphony Orchestra in 29 years. In 1997, he conducted Verdi’s “Otello.” The concert will also highlight Chung’s long-standing relationship with the orchestra. He first conducted the ensemble in 1972 at the age of 19, later serving as its fifth chief conductor in 1998 and becoming its first conductor laureate in 2021. Last year, he was reappointed as the KBS Symphony Orchestra’s music director. “Under the baton of Chung, an authority in opera conducting, ‘CarmenApr 1, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me'At 80, celebrated Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo says he feels freer than ever. "Reflecting on my past, I was under a lot of stress to perform and always offer something new, just like any other pianist. But now that I am 80, I feel all that is left for me is to enjoy music," Paik said at a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "From now on, I want to play freely. That is where my mind is right now," he said. Last week, Paik released a recording of Franz Schubert's Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14, 18 and 20 through Universal Music. To mark the release, he will embark on a nationwide recital tour next month. Expressing his admiration for the Austrian composer, Paik said he deeply connects with the famous saying that if one falls asleep while listening to Schubert, they will still wake up in heaven. "I am sometimes truly curious whether his music comes from heaven. Unlike some music where you can sense the human effort behind it, Schubert's seems to flow naturally, as if it were not made by human hands," he explained. Despite his deep admiration, Paik stressed that it was the music that chose him, notMar 30, 2026By Yonhap
Noridogam aims to 'bust truths' in 2nd album ahead of Asia tourSinger-songwriter Noridogam, the solo project of Silica Gel guitarist Kim Chunchu, has released his second full-length album, “TRUTHBUSTER,” ahead of an Asia tour set to begin next month. With a theme about confronting one’s truths, the artist sings about small, personal moments that reveal a more open sense of introspection. “You know the movie ‘Ghostbusters,’ right? It feels a bit like a parody of that,” Kim explained. “But instead of busting ghosts, it’s about busting truths.” The 11-track album — out Wednesday — includes the prereleased single of the same name, as well as “Hazard Course,” featuring Japanese artist mei ehara. “‘Truthbuster’ is the most emotional song among the tracks on the album,” he said. "I also felt that it represented the theme running through the whole album, so it became the album title as well." The inclusion of mei ehara as a featured artist was a deliberate choice, reflecting his intention to connect with talents beyond Korea. The record also features Noridogam’s own version of “Bucket Brigade,” originally from Kim'sMar 18, 2026By Mariel Abanes
Chamber music festival in Seoul highlights Mozart, young prodigiesThis year's edition of the Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music will mark Mozart’s 270th birthday with a two-week long program dedicated to the composer and young prodigy musicians slated for April 21 to May 3 in Seo Founded in 2006 by violinist and artistic director Kang Dong-suk in partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the festival has grown into one of the city’s representative arts events, serving as a launchpad for young virtuosos and challenging the notion that chamber music is difficult. Titled “Mozart and Prodigies,” the festival offers 13 concerts with a record lineup of 82 artists from Korea and abroad. Instead of simply repeating Mozart's greatest hits, the musicians are expected to explore two core keywords, “genius” and “beginnings.” The opening concert on April 21 pairs Mozart’s “String Quintet No. 5” with works by Camille Saint-Saens, Claude Debussy and Cesar Franck, all of whom are celebrated as prodigies or early bloomers in French music history. A subsequent concert on April 22 will focus on early works by Mozart, Beethoven and SchuMar 17, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Potatoi displays 'Orange Courage' with first full-length albumPotatoi, the stage name of Cha Soon-jong, bassist of Korean indie rock band wave to earth, has dropped his first-ever studio album, “Orange Courage.” An ode to his youth, the musician combined “orange,” the color he associates with this period of his life, with “courage,” for his journey to fully embrace his artistry. “I needed courage to try new things — to experiment, and to acknowledge that I can do these things. It takes tremendous courage to do so,” he explained about the creation of the record. Released March 13 and composed of 10 tracks — including pre-released singles “100p,” “She Wanna Blue,” “See Ya” and “90s” — the record merges the mundane with imagined narratives. “The idea comes from daily life, but when I start adding flesh to it, I sometimes include a bit more fiction,” he said. He cited “See Ya,” as an example, inspired by saying goodbye to his wife when he had to take a flight for an overseas tour. He also mentioned how “Lion’s Tear” — a favorite and collaboration with his bandmate Daniel Kim — was born from an inMar 13, 2026By Mariel Abanes
40 years on stage, soprano Sumi Jo says music can 'change people'Renowned Korean soprano Sumi Jo has said she hopes to "share the love" she has received through music as she marks the 40th anniversary of her stage debut. "How did 40 years pass like this? People say life is but a midsummer night's dream," the 63-year-old told Yonhap News Agency in an interview ahead of her anniversary concert "Mad for Love," to be held at London's Cadogan Hall on Thursday. "Reading my diaries from those years, I realize I truly lived with all my heart." The Grammy-winning artist said the concert program reflects her artistic journey, spanning baroque repertoire, opera arias and Korean art songs. She invited young American baritone Edward Nelson as a guest performer, part of her effort to support emerging talent. Since taking the role of Gilda in Verdi's "Rigoletto" at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Italy, in 1986, Jo has performed in leading opera houses around the world. Her ties with Britain date back to her high school days, when her father visited London in the late 1970s and asked officials at the Royal Opera House how his daughter might one day debut there. DecadesMar 11, 2026By Yonhap
Rapper Changmo to bring hip-hop to Sejong Center stage with orchestral concertRapper Changmo will bring hip-hop to one of Seoul's most prominent classical stages this spring, marking an unusual crossover between genres long associated with different cultural spaces. The artist is set to perform "CHANGMO: The Emperor," part of the 2026 Sejong Concert Series, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' Grand Theater on May 9 and 10. The roughly 3,000-seat venue, traditionally home to classical performances, will host a large-scale concert combining rap with a live orchestra. Speaking at a press conference held Wednesday at the Sejong Center in central Seoul's Jongno District, Changmo said performing at the venue carried personal significance. "I never imagined the name 'Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' would appear in my career," he said. "When I was young, I played piano and once dreamed about performing in a place like this. After that dream fell apart, I moved on and focused on hip-hop. To return here feels like a great honor." The concert will unfold in four narrative chapters designed to merge classical and hip-hop elements. The opening section, "The DreMar 4, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
'The Rose: Come Back to Me' traces Korean indie band's rise, struggles“The Rose: Come Back to Me” opens with a familiar image in K-pop storytelling — young musicians chasing a dream — but quickly turns into something less typical: a story about a Korean indie rock band determined to retain creative control, even when it costs them years in court. Released in theaters on Feb. 14, the documentary follows The Rose, a four-member band that has built a global following largely outside the traditional K-pop idol system. Rather than focusing on trainee camps, survival shows or major agencies, the film tracks how the group formed organically, wrote its own songs and tried to protect its creative voice in an industry built around tightly managed idols. That perspective sets it apart from recent Korean pop-centered documentaries. Streaming platforms have spotlighted major idol acts in polished behind-the-scenes features such as “BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky” and “BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star,” as well as audition docuseries like “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE.” While “The Rose: Come Back to Me” exists in the same genre of global K-pop documentFeb 19, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
