Interview No rest for Chloe Flower, 'piano goddess' Chloe Flower in her New York City apartment / Courtesy of Chloe FlowerBy Jia H. JungOn a winter afternoon, Korean American pianist, composer, producer and activist Chloe Flower arrives punctually at the Beaux-Arts Battery Maritime Building vaulted over Manhattan's East River. Cocooned in a black down puffer cloak, she seems no less potent than when unfurled at a piano in 3D couture with her hair volumized to its fullest extent.Settling into a round-backed chair upstairs, she says filming for the launch of “Core Self,” a podcast she's co-hosting with wellness influencer Mona Vand, ran long. Soon, she has to rehearse with rapper Lil Baby soon for NBC's “Saturday Night Live” (aired Jan. 28) and prepare for an interview with London radio at 4 a.m. ― but she can always make time for a Korean outlet.“I love Korea,” she declares, reciprocating the admiration of a country that has called her a “piano goddess.” Her last visit was years ago. She dreams of returning to perform there. And after collaborating on “Runaway” with Girls' GenFeb 13, 2023By Jon Dunbar
Korean National Symphony Orchestra aims to solidify identity, widen scope of classical music Korean National Symphony Orchestra (KNSO) President Choi Jung-sook, left, and KNSO Artistic Director David Reiland pose during a press conference at Seoul Press Center, Monday. Courtesy of KNSOBy Dong Sun-hwaThe Korean National Symphony Orchestra (KNSO), Korea's only national orchestra, has vowed to strengthen its identity and expand the horizons of Korean classical music. “I want to solidify the KNSO's identity so that it lives up to its name, helping it become more flexible in interpreting music and build more diversity in its repertoire,” KNSO Artistic Director David Reiland said during a press conference at Seoul Press Center, Monday. The event was held to mark the one-year anniversary of his appointment to the post and to ruminate on the changes the orchestra has seen since being named a “national orchestra” by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2022. “It is important for our orchestra to perform the classical music compositions of Mozart and Haydn, as the members have to hone their performing skills,” he said. “But we will gFeb 13, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Can Beyonce finally take home the top Grammy? Beyonce reacts after winning the entertainer of the year award in Los Angeles, California, U.S., in this March 30, 2019 file photo. Reuters-YonhapAs music's elite gather in Los Angeles for the Grammy awards on Sunday, one question is playing on loop: Will Beyonce finally win the coveted Album of the Year prize? The 41-year-old has the most chances at Grammy gold with nine nominations, following the release of "Renaissance," her rich, layered ode to club music.She is a powerhouse contender for the night's major awards ― but the same goes for British balladeer Adele, whose introspective ode to the ugly cry, "30," earned her seven nods.The face-off has prompted obvious comparisons to 2017, when Adele swept the top prizes at the glitzy music biz gala, shutting out Queen Bey's culture-shaking "Lemonade."Six years later, Beyonce has continued to make history as the Grammys' winningest woman; with four more victories on Sunday, she could overtake classical conductor Georg Solti for the most victories by any artist.But when it comes to the big three awards ― best album, best record, and bestFeb 5, 2023
Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process People read notes left at the scene of the Oct. 27 crowd disaster in central Seoul's Itaewon, Jan. 30. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jamie FinnHow should we act when faced with tragedy? It's a question that has no right answer. For some, the only acceptable way to conduct oneself when dealing with loss is with a quiet, solemn demeanor. They believe this is the only way to show respect for those affected by the tragedy. Others, such as the organizers of the upcoming music festival named Let There Be Love, Itaewon, believe that music can also be part of our response to grief, and that now is the perfect time to come together and build a community around music.Korea is still reeling from the devastating Halloween crowd disaster that happened last Oct. 27. The catastrophe that took the lives of at least 158 people will leave scars on this country for many, many years to come.In the three months since, Itaewon and the surrounding neighborhoods have become a center for mourning, with a series of memorials and ceremonies taking place in the area. While an important and necessary part Jan 30, 2023By Jon Dunbar
'100 Years of Korean Gagok': A closer look at the contested living histories of early Korean classical music “Bongseonhwa” (“Balsam Flower,” 1920), with music composed by Hong Nan-pa and lyrics by Kim Hyeon-jun, is performed by soprano Lim Chung-wha and the Soliall Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kim Bong-mi, at “Hong Lanpa's Music Festival: 100 Years of Korean Gagok,” held in Yonsei University 100th Anniversary Concert Hall, Dec. 27, 2022. Korea Times photo by Elise Youn By Elise YounThe titles of the songs on the program of “Hong Lanpa's Music Festival: 100 Years of Korean Gagok” on Dec. 27 have a beguiling plainness, recalling natural scenes and sentiments about them that nearly everyone living in Korea is familiar with: “Barley Field,” “Magnolia Flower,” “Rock Pass,” “A Moonlit Night,” “Inside a Flower-Shaped Cloud,” “Snow,” “Southern Village” and “Spring of My Hometown.” Yet a closer look into the background of these early pieces of Korean classical music ― known as “gagok” or Korean art songs ― reveals how the specific combination of music and poetry, together wJan 25, 2023
Spotify launches program to support rising Korean hip-hop artists Korean hip-hop rookies toigo, XINSAYNE, GONEISBACK, Roh Yun-ha and NSW yoon are seen in this photo provided by Spotify, the world's largest music streaming subscription service. YonhapSpotify, the world's largest music streaming subscription service, announced Wednesday the launch of a program to support rising Korean hip-hop artists.Kicking off and as part of the "K-hip-hop Rookies" program, five hip-hop rookies who took part in the Korean TV rap competition show "Show Me The Money 11" pre-released a track titled "Hop on the truck" exclusively on Spotify on Tuesday, the service said.It added the track will be officially available on various music platforms Friday.Produced by Amoeba Culture, "Hop on the truck" is the first song performed by toigo, GONEISBACK, NSW yoon, Roh Yun-ha and XINSAYNE since the TV competition show. Spotify said it will provide a wide range of support for the rookies, ranging from the production of music and music videos to online and offline promotions."We will continue to work hard to connect more local Korean artists across different genres including hip-hoJan 18, 2023
Pianist Lim Dong-hyek acquitted of obscenity charges in feud with ex-wife Pianist Lim Dong-hyek / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukPianist Lim Dong-hyek, who was sued by his former wife for sending obscene photos to her during their divorce process, has been acquitted by the prosecution, judicial officials said Wednesday.The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office dropped the case against 39-year-old Lim on Dec. 27 last year, citing insufficient evidence to prove the charges, the officials said.Lim's ex-wife sued him in June last year, alleging the pianist sent obscene pictures to her via mobile messenger KakaoTalk during their divorce proceedings in 2019 and again sent obscene messages by e-mail after the divorce in 2021.Seoul's Songpa Police Station transferred Lim's case to the prosecution last October, but prosecutors eventually dismissed the charges. (Yonhap)Jan 11, 2023
Webtoons embrace original soundtracks to appeal to wider audience The poster of "Stay Alive," the theme song for the BTS-inspired webtoon titled "7Fates: Chakho," produced by Suga, right, and sung by Jungkook, left, is seen in this photo provided by Hybe. YonhapWebtoons are fun to read with catchy visuals and creative stories, and they want to offer more to attract readers with differentiated content: music for your ears.While background music and sound effects have been used in some digital comics optimized for reading on mobile devices, audio had been considered to be background content for webtoons, widely popular among young readers, in the past.The trend has changed as webtoon providers are actively collaborating with the music industry to produce original soundtracks (OST) for popular series to capitalize on the rising popularity of Korean content in the global market.Since 2020, a growing number of K-pop bands and renowned musicians have featured vocals for webtoons published on major portals, including Naver and Kakao, and several theme songs have swept local music streaming charts.The webtoon OST market gathered further momentum last year Jan 3, 2023
Classical music performances for 2023 Conductor Chung Myung-whun / Courtesy of Matthias CreutzigerBy Dong Sun-hwaFor classical music fans in Korea, 2023 is set to be a thrilling year as a legion of prominent musicians and orchestras are scheduled to perform here. The Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world's oldest orchestras, founded in 1548, will take the stage in Seoul this March. Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun, who has been the principal guest conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden since 2012, will take the helm of the upcoming concert. The Germany-based orchestra will collaborate with internationally acclaimed pianist Cho Seong-jin, the winner of the 17th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition (2015), to perform Tchaikovsky's piano concertos and Schubert's “Unfinished Symphony.” Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, the oldest symphony orchestra in Switzerland, established in 1805, will be coming to Korea on June 28. Led by conductor Michael Sanderling, the orchestra will team up with Korean pianist Lim Yun-chan, an 18-year-old who became the youngest winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn InternationalJan 2, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa
Trot singer Lim Young-woong donates $234,000 to help people in need Trot singer Lim Young-woong / Courtesy of Mulgogi MusicBy Dong Sun-hwaTrot singer Lim Young-woong has donated 300 million won ($234,000) to charity in the name of his fan club.The charity group, the Community Chest of Korea, revealed Friday that Lim made the contribution to support people in need. Lim reportedly contributed 200 million won ― the proceeds of his nationwide concerts held this year ― and his management company, Mulgogi Music, donated the rest of the amount. So far, the total amount of donations made by Lim has reached 800 million won. In March, he gave 100 million won to the Community Chest of Korea to support the victims of forest fires that occurred in the cities of Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, and Samcheok, Gangwon Province. He also contributed 200 million in June in celebration of his birthday. His fan club has consistently been making philanthropic efforts as well, donating 260 million won to the victims of forest fires. It is also a member of the Giving Leaders Club ― a club for those who have donated more than 10 million won over the past three years. Lim isDec 23, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
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