At Renaissance, Seoul’s forgotten classical music salon comes back to lifeThe bustling Daehangno area in Seoul is a haven for artists and art lovers. Theater posters layer the walls and audiences drift between small stages, cafes and late-night bars. Tucked inside the Arts Council of Korea’s (ARKO) Artist House is a quieter kind of stage. Behind its doors sits Renaissance, a music salon that feels less like a venue and more like a time capsule. Vintage speakers tower over the room. Record players and old amplifiers sit like relics of another era. Faded fliers and yellowing papers hint at stories that stretch back decades. Opened in May 2025, the space invites visitors to do something increasingly rare: sit still and listen. Renaissance is rooted in the legacy of one man — Pak Yong-chan (1916-94). Born into an affluent family in Imsil, South Jeolla Province, during Japanese colonial rule, Pak developed a love for classical music at an early age. He studied economics at Meiji University in Japan, and when he returned home, his luggage was said to be filled with classical music vinyls — as many as 8,000. When Seoul was taken by North Korean and Chinese forcesJan 28, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Pianist Kim Kang-tae wins 3rd prize at Liszt Piano Competition UtrechtPianist Kim Kang-tae, 29, has won third prize at the prestigious Liszt Piano Competition Utrecht in the Netherlands, the Kumho Culture Foundation (KCF) said Sunday. Kim performed Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in the final round, finishing behind Russia’s Alexander Kashpurin, who took first prize, and the U.K.’s Thomas Kelly, who placed second. His awards include 8,000 euros, or approximately 14 million won, professional coaching, a customized website, recording opportunities and recital engagements at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as well as in Norway, Italy, Hungary and Belgium. Launched in 1986, the competition is held every three years and is open to pianists between the ages of 19 and 29. Other Korean laureates include Minsoo Hong, who won second prize in 2017, and Park Yeon-min, who also took second in 2022. Born in 1997, Kim debuted through KCF’s young artists program. His previous accolades include second prize at the 2018 Takamatsu International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2017 Jirisan International Music Festival Competition and first prize at the 2016 BeijingJan 25, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Korean violinist wins US competition after car accident forces long hiatusViolinist Lim Hyun-jae won the first prize at the 2026 Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) held in Florida on Sunday (local time), marking a major milestone in her comeback after a yearslong hiatus following a car accident. The 28-year-old Korean national clinched the top honor with a performance of Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, accompanied by the Lynn University Philharmonia Orchestra, according to the competition's website. Video footage posted by the competition shows Lim performing in a wheelchair. As the winner, Lim received $30,000 in prize money, along with an additional $2,000 in special awards. She will also be offered performance opportunities over the next three years on international stages, including in New York, Boston and Italy. Lim moved to the United States at the age of 7 and later graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music, emerging as a promising young talent in the international classical music scene. Her career was abruptly interrupted in May 2020 when she was involved in a traffic accident while in Korea, forcing her to stop playinJan 21, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Girls' Generation's Seohyun draws mixed reaction with classical music performanceSince her debut as a member of the idol group Girls’ Generation in 2007, Seohyun has been active as a singer, songwriter and actor. Little was known about her hobbies until last week, when an announcement about her latest activity sparked online debate. On Jan. 14, Seohyun’s agency, Kkum Entertainment, announced that the singer would perform on March 13 at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul as a solo violinist with the Sol Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble composed of non-professional musicians. “Instead of the perfection of a professional performer, I will show the pure passion of someone who truly enjoys music,” Seohyun was quoted as saying. “I hope that through my challenge, many people will feel closer to classical music and discover its joy.” The announcement also indicated that she has been learning the violin for five months. Critics accused Seohyun of exercising her privilege as a superstar. “Five months of violin lessons … There are areas you shouldn’t touch. Classical music is a natural talent discovered before the age of six, and it takes incredible effort and tuitJan 18, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
Korean Chamber Orchestra to premiere work by French composer TailleferreThe Korean Chamber Orchestra (KCO) will open its new season with a concert featuring music by a French composer largely unknown to Korean audiences. According to the orchestra, the KCO will premiere Germaine Tailleferre’s Concertino for Harp and Orchestra with solo harpist Kwon Min-young at its season-opening concert at the Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 10. Tailleferre (1892–1983) was the only female member of Les Six, a group that helped shape French neoclassical music with wit and elegance in the early 20th century. She studied at the Paris Conservatoire and composed prolifically across genres, producing more than 200 works despite persistent gender barriers and the frequent lack of publication of her scores. Active as a composer until the age of 91, her music is marked by lyricism, bitonality and jazz influences. The program also includes Robert Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo and Finale for Orchestra, Op. 52, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 43, featuring pianist Sun Youl. The concert will conclude with Hungarian composer ZoltánJan 15, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
PHOTO KNSO Academy nurtures aspiring musiciansHan Yun-sang, center, senior executive advisor of The Korea Times’ sister paper Hankook Ilbo, presents a 3 million won scholarship to cellist Hwang Hae-won, right, and flutist Lim Jeong-woo during the Korea National Symphony Orchestra's (KNSO) 2025 KNSO Academy completion ceremony in Seoul, Dec. 29. Hwang and Lim were recognized as exemplary participants in the string and wind instrument categories, respectively. This year’s KNSO Academy, now in its fifth edition, expanded enrollment from 18 to 60 young musicians under age 34, offering 10 months of training and over 30 performance opportunities, including orchestra, chamber music, ballet and opera productions. Courtesy of KNSODec 30, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo
Chung Myung-whun to lead KBS Symphony with focus on nurturing musiciansProminent conductor Chung Myung-whun is returning to his roots to lead the KBS Symphony Orchestra as its 10th music director starting in January, shifting his focus from competitive excellence to a mentorship-driven vision of supporting and nurturing musicians. His tenure will begin as the ensemble celebrates its 70th anniversary. “When I led Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra 20 years ago, it was as if I were building a national team for the Olympics with a clear goal in mind. But I think the time for that kind of thinking has passed,” the 72-year-old maestro said during a press conference in Seoul on Friday. “Now, my role is to love the musicians and help them grow as much as they can. I want to be someone who tells the players to perform with peace of mind.” Chung will serve as a music director through 2028. His move is noticeable given his recent appointment as the next music director of Italy’s legendary La Scala opera house, starting in 2027. Despite his demanding international schedule, Chung said he couldn’t pass up this offer because of his personal ties to Korea. The maesDec 26, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
BTS' Jung Kook releases holiday cover of 'Christmas Song'BTS’ Jung Kook released a cover of “The Christmas Song” on YouTube and SoundCloud on Christmas Eve, along with a music video he filmed himself, BigHit Music said. “The song is Jung Kook’s Christmas gift to BTS fans at the end of the year,” the agency said. The video features nighttime views of Seoul, with N Seoul Tower in frame. Jung Kook covered the version by U.S. singer-songwriter Johnny Stimson, who remade the classic in 2020. The original song was written in 1945 for the Nat King Cole Trio. He is currently appearing alongside fellow BTS member Jimin in the Disney+ travel reality show “Are You Sure?” A documentary about his journey as a solo artist during the release of his 2023 debut album “Golden” was also released on Sept. 18. BTS is anticipated to release a new album and embark on a world tour next year.Dec 25, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
'Dancing conductor' Baek Yoon-hak brings passion, playfulness to classical musicSet to "Overture" from Jacques Offenbach’s opera “Orpheus in the Underworld,” a conductor turns from the podium to signal the audience to quiet down. Facing the orchestra again, he hops lightly with arms spread wide, his legs moving as if waltzing to the rhythm, in a YouTube video that went viral. As the piece builds toward its finale, the pounding drums grow louder and his movements more intense. His arms shake vigorously, almost as if he were a shaman attempting to connect with the spirit world. The Korean conductor is Baek Yoon-hak of the Seoul Festa Philharmonic Orchestra. Many of his videos have went went viral, with one short-form surpassing 10 million views. The unexpected fame turned him into a social media sensation, earning him an invitation to the popular talk show “You Quiz on the Block,” hosted by Yoo Jae-suk. Many viewers were drawn to his unconventional conducting style, dubbing him the “dancing conductor.” Comments also praised the way he brought visual excitement to classical music. But is he really dancing? It is one of the questions Baek hears most often.Dec 19, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Where to hear Cho Seong-jin, Lim Yunchan live in Korea in 2026Two of Korea’s biggest classical music stars, Cho Seong-jin and Lim Yunchan, are poised to headline a stellar lineup of concerts in 2026, giving Korean audiences a rare opportunity to hear both pianists in solo recitals, chamber performances and accompanied by some of the world’s leading orchestras. For Cho, 2026 will be a particularly notable year, as Lotte Concert Hall named him one of its in-house artists this week. Cho, who in 2015 became the first Korean to win the International Chopin Piano Competition, is currently a resident artist with the Berlin Philharmonic. Cho is scheduled to appear twice at Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul in July, performing in a chamber concert on July 14 and a solo recital on July 19. At the chamber concert, he will share the stage with violinist and Berlin Philharmonic first concertmaster Daishin Kashimoto, principal clarinetist Wenzel Fuchs, principal horn player Stefan Dohr and violist Kyoungmin Park. At his solo recital, Cho will perform Bach’s Partita No. 1, Schoenberg’s Piano Suite, Schumann’s Carnival Jest from Vienna and Chopin’sDec 17, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
