Korean jazz takes center stage at Budapest festival

Cho Yoon-sung Quintet performs at the House of Music Hungary during the Jazz Fest Budapest, in Hungary, June 28. Courtesy of Korean Cultural Center in Hungary

From intimate club performances to open-air concerts, Korean jazz musicians captivated audiences in Hungary as Korea took the spotlight as the guest country at one of Central Europe's leading jazz festivals.

The Korean Cultural Center in Hungary said Friday that it successfully concluded the first half of Korea's guest country program at Jazz Fest Budapest 2026, held from June 28 to July 5.

Five Korean acts participated in this year's program, including vocalist Nah Youn-sun, pianist Cho Yoon-sung, the Near East Quartet, Yonglee & The Doltang and the One Mind Trio.

The performances highlighted the diversity of Korea's contemporary jazz scene through traditional, experimental and modern styles.

The festival, directed by Hungarian jazz musician Attila Kleb, marked its fifth edition this year.

Organizers said the event has collaborated with the Jarasum Jazz Festival since 2024.

Last year, the Jarasum Jazz Festival hosted a "Hungary Focus" program, while this year's Budapest festival introduced a "Korea Focus" program featuring Korean artists.

Cho Yoon-sung Quintet opened the Korean program on June 28 with a performance at the House of Music Hungary.

Nah performed at the Korean Cultural Center in Hungary on June 29.

Experimental jazz group Yonglee & The Doltang later appeared at the Sopron music festival on July 1 and performed again at Rákóczi Square on July 3.

The Near East Quartet also took the stage at Rákóczi Square on July 3.

The first-half program concluded on July 5 with a performance by the emerging jazz group One Mind Trio.

The cultural center also opened a special photography exhibition, "Resonance," featuring works by jazz photographer Na Seung-yull documenting Hungarian and Korean musicians who participated in last year's Jarasum Jazz Festival.

The exhibition opened on June 29 and will continue through Nov. 20.

The cultural center said the second half of the guest country program will feature additional Korean artists, including Black String, alongside performers from the Jeonju Sori Festival Frontier program.

"The three-year collaboration between the two jazz festivals has led to Korea being selected as this year's guest country," said Yu Hye-ryong, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Hungary.

"We were able to present the breadth and vitality of contemporary Korean jazz to Hungarian audiences," Yu said.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.