K-Music Festival 2025 Returns To London

Now in its twelfth year, the K-Music Festival returns in autumn 2025 with an expansive programme of concerts showcasing the diversity and innovation of contemporary Korean music. Running from October 1^st to November 20^th, the K-Music Festival is organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK in partnership with Serious, producers of the EFG London Jazz Festival, and will feature leading Korean and UK artists at major London venues including the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, and Kings Place.

Since 2013, the K-Music Festival has introduced UK audiences to Korean musicians working at the intersection of tradition, jazz, and experimental sounds. While the festival remains rooted in fusion and improvisational music, it also supports cross-genre collaborations, including contemporary classical commissions and hybrid performances. The 2025 edition reflects this commitment to breadth and dialogue, with concerts that span improvisation, orchestral post-rock, and jazz-influenced chamber works.

The festival opens on October 1^st at Kings Place with a collaboration between Korean cellist and composer Okkyung Lee and UK-based electronic artist Mark Fell. Known for her boundary-defying technique and exploration of sonic extremes, Lee’s work blends noise, traditional Korean forms, and avant-garde composition. Her collaborators have included Arca, Swans, and Christian Marclay, and her performances have been presented at MoMA, the Serpentine, and Donaueschinger Musiktage. In this project, she joins Fell – an influential figure in digital art and experimental music – for a performance shaped by extended techniques, abstract rhythms, visceral improvisation and electronic soundscapes.

On October 5^th, JAMBINAI will perform with the London Contemporary Orchestra at the Barbican, under the direction of conductor Robert Ames. This show marks the first time a traditional Korean band has headlined the Barbican. Founded in Seoul in 2009, JAMBINAI are known for fusing Korean traditional instruments such as haegeum, geomungo, and piri with the dynamic power of post-rock. This orchestral collaboration represents a new evolution of their sound – blending cinematic textures with Korean folk aesthetics – and continues their long association with the K-Music Festival. JAMBINAI performed a sell-out show at the festival in 2023 and also gained international attention at the Closing Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

On October 18^th, Korean string trio Hilgeum will make their London debut at the Purcell Room at Southbank Centre, performing with British vocalist and composer Alice Zawadzki. Hilgeum – comprising Yoin Cho (gayageum), Yerim Kim (geomungo), and Somin Park (haegeum) – combine deep knowledge of traditional string performance with contemporary sensibilities. Their recent work includes the 2024 EP WASTELAND, which expands on the cinematic themes of their debut album Utopia. The collaboration with Zawadzki, an acclaimed genre-crossing artist, promises a lyrical and intimate exchange across cultural traditions.

Acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalist Park Jiha returns to the festival with her latest album All Living Things (★★★★ The Guardian), demonstrating her remarkable command of traditional Korean instruments. Blending classical minimalism with cinematic and ambient soundscapes, Park crafts an evocative musical experience that is both innovative and deeply rooted in tradition. She performs a headline show at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room on Sunday 25^th October.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Won Il, who opened the inaugural K-Music Festival in 2013, returns with a new interdisciplinary work, Dionysus Robot, co-presented by the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 14^th at Queen Elizabeth Hall. The piece draws on Korean shamanic music, contemporary electronics, and live performance to create a ritualistic meditation on instinct, control, and transformation. Featuring drag artist Jimin Mo, Dionysus Robot pays tribute to the philosophy of Dionysus and the legacy of Nam June Paik, offering an immersive theatrical experience where sound, movement and image converge.

The following evening, on November 15^th, the quartet Gray by Silver will perform at the Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall, as part of the Late Night Jazz series. Led by pianist and composer HanBin Lee, the group brings together jazz, traditional Korean music, and classical influences into an introspective and improvisational sound. Their latest album Eternal Gray was awarded Best Jazz Album at the 2024 Seoul Music Awards, and recent international appearances include Lincoln Center, Jodhpur RIFF, and Colours of Ostrava.

The festival concludes on November 20^th at Barbican Hall with a major commission: the world premiere of a new concerto by composer Dong-hoon Shin, written for pianist Seong-Jin Cho and performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. This performance is part of the LSO Futures series and marks a significant collaboration between two leading Korean artists in the field of contemporary classical music. Cho, winner of the 17th International Chopin Competition and current Artist-in-Residence with the Berlin Philharmonic, returns to the Barbican following his sold-out recital in 2023. Shin’s works have been commissioned and performed by major international ensembles and are published by Boosey & Hawkes.

Jaeyeon Park, Artistic Director of the K-Music Festival:

“I’m thrilled to present an exciting and genre-defying line-up for this year’s K-Music Festival. Leading the programme is Jambinai’s Barbican Centre debut – a powerful collision of post-rock and traditional Korean sounds, made even more electrifying through a full orchestral collaboration and produced in partnership with the Barbican itself. Equally exciting is Dionysus Robot, an interdisciplinary, sensory-rich work by Won Il, a pioneer of Korean traditional music who continues to push artistic boundaries. And for the first time, we’re expanding into Korean classical music with two world-class artists: the internationally acclaimed pianist Seong-Jin Cho and the fearless experimental cellist Okkyung Lee – both pushing boundaries in their own extraordinary ways. I hope this year’s K-Music Festival offers UK audiences a chance to experience an even wider spectrum of Korean music.”

The K-Music Festival 2025 presents a series of performances that reflect the evolving landscape of Korean music and its growing dialogue with global practices. From traditional string ensembles to large-scale orchestral works, and from experimental improvisation to ritual performance, this year’s line-up underscores the diversity and depth of contemporary Korean music.

K-Music Festival 2025

WED 1 OCT | Kings Place Hall One

Okkyung Lee with Mark Fell

This year’s K-Music Festival opens with a groundbreaking performance featuring Korean cellist and composer Okkyung Lee, known for her genre-defying style, creating vast sonic landscapes that move freely through noise, jazz, Western classical, and her homeland’s traditional and popular music.

For the acclaimed festival’s opening night, Okkyung Lee joins forces with UK-based multidisciplinary artist Mark Fell in a bold new collaboration. Fell is a pivotal figure in experimental sound and digital art, whose work critiques normative structures and explores alternative systems of creation. 

Together, they blend visceral improvisation and electronic soundscapes, weaving intense extended techniques and abstract rhythms to create an unforgettable, immersive experience.

Okkyung Lee’s distinctive approach to the cello has led to acclaimed releases on the iconic Tzadik label, founded by legendary New York composer John Zorn, as well as the influential experimental music label Editions Mego, formerly run by the late Peter Rehberg, and she is featured on over 30 albums.

Okkyung Lee is renowned for her visceral cello performance, blending noise, Korean traditional music, and improvisation into immersive sonic environments. Her works have been presented at MoMA, Serpentine Galleries, GRM (Paris), and Donaueschinger Musiktage, and she has collaborated with artists including Arca, Jenny Hval, Christian Marclay, and Swans. A 2025 DAAD Artist-in-Berlin fellow, she continues to challenge the role of performer and space in contemporary music.

Mark Fell is a pivotal figure in experimental sound and digital art, whose work critiques normative structures and explores alternative systems of creation. Over the past three decades, his projects have spanned installation, composition, choreography and text, with presentations at institutions such as the ICA, Barbican, ZKM, MoMA, and Pirelli Hangar Bicocca. His 2022 book Structure and Synthesis outlines his philosophical approach to creative practice.

Performers:

Okkyung Lee (Cello)

Mark Fell (Electronic)

SUN 5 OCT | Barbican Hall

JAMBINAI with London Contemporary Orchestra

Post-Rock band JAMBINAI make their Barbican debut in a rare and electrifying performance with the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO) led by Robert Ames — a conductor renowned for his work in contemporary classical music and for collaborations with artists such as Radiohead, Frank Ocean, and Steve Reich.

JAMBINAI sound less like a band than a force of nature, fusing the full dramatic range of post-rock dynamics to Korean folk roots to create an exhilarating, vivid and unique fusion. Their instrumental music is coloured by combining traditional Korean instruments like the haegeum, geomungo, and piri with crushing guitars and cinematic textures. 

“Epic folk-rock that proves there’s more to Korea than K-pop” (★★★★★ Songlines)

“Korea’s JAMBINAI impressed with their genre-blurring sound, applying traditional folk instruments to eruptive instrumental drone-rock reminiscent of Sonic Youth” (★★★★ Times)

Formed in Seoul in 2009, JAMBINAI have earned international acclaim, including 5 recognitions in the Korean Music Awards and a breathtaking performance at the Closing Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics. After captivating audiences during their sold-out appearance as part of K-Music Festival 2023, they return ready to unleash their bold and immersive signature sound, unlike anything you’ve heard before.

This programme is presented by the Barbican in partnership with the K-Music Festival.  

Performers:

Ilwoo Lee (Piri, Guitar, Vocals)

Bomi Kim (Haegeum, Vocals)

Eunyong Sim (Geomungo)

Jaehyuk Choi (Drums)

B.K Yu (Bass)

London Contemporary Orchestra

Robert Ames Conductor

SAT 18 OCT | Purcell Room, Southbank Centre

Hilgeum with Alice Zawadzki

Hilgeum is a rising Korean trio redefining traditional string instruments with a bold, contemporary voice. Formed by Yoin Cho (gayageum, a 12-string zither), Yerim Kim (geomungo, a six-string zither), and Somin Park (haegeum, a two-string fiddle), the group weaves emotionally resonant, intricately layered music that speaks to a new generation.

In 2025, Hilgeum will make their London debut at the K-Music Festival, joining forces with the British award-winning singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Alice Zawadzki. Known for her expressive voice and genre-defying artistry, Zawadzki will blend seamlessly with Hilgeum’s rich, textured strings to create an intimate, cross-cultural performance.

The trio’s 2022 debut album Utopia explores cinematic soundscapes, while their 2024 EP WASTELAND takes a bold turn into raw, emotionally charged territory. Hilgeum have performed at major venues including the National Theater of Korea and represented Korean culture on the global stage, with standout appearances at the Hide & Seek Festival in Brussels and Les Polysons Festival in Huy, solidifying their reputation as one of Korea’s most captivating and innovative contemporary acts. 

This programme is presented in partnership with the National Asia Art Centre. 

Performers:

Yoin Cho (Gayageum)

Yerim Kim (Geomungo)

Somin Park (Haegeum)

SUN 25 OCT | Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall 

Park Jiha
Acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalist Park Jiha returns with her latest album All Living Things —a radiant sonic meditation on the textures, rhythms, and quiet power of the living world.

At the K-Music Festival Park Jiha showcases her mastery of traditional Korean instruments, the piri(a double-reed bamboo oboe), saenghwang(a freereed mouth organ), and yanggeum(a hammered dulcimer), intricately woven with deeply personal composition and a deft use of contemporary sonics. The result is a soundscape that defies genre at once post-classical, ambient, and cinematic, yet entirely her own.

Since debuting with Communion in 2018, Park has released Philos (2019), The Gleam (2022), and All Living Things (2025) on Tak:til / Glitterbeat Records, exploring sound as a form of breathing. Her work includes a BBC-recorded collaboration with poet Roy Claire Potter and her film scoring debut for Garth Davis’ Foe (2023), showcasing her cinematic sensibilities and evolving soundscapes.

FRI 14 NOV | Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre
Won Il’s Dionysus Robot
Renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist, Won Il, who inaugurated the very first K-Music Festival in 2013 with the National Orchestra of Korea, returns this year with a daring new work: Dionysus Robot.

Inspired by Nietzsche’s philosophy of Dionysus and paying homage to media art pioneer Nam June Paik, Dionysus Robot is a bold, interdisciplinary work that fuses traditional Korean and electronic instruments, shamanic vocalisations, kinetic movement, and projected image. This immersive experience unfolds as a contemporary gut — a modern Korean ritual where sound, light, body and technology collide to provoke all five senses. As the title suggests, the piece explores a space where chaos meets control, instinct meets machine, and the sacred meets the synthetic.

At the centre of the performance is drag artist and dancer Jimin Mo, who embodies a modern-day Dionysian high priest, leading the audience through a raw, sensory-driven ritual of liberation and transformation.

Won Il, former Artistic Director of the National Orchestra of Korea and Music Director for the 2018 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, is widely acclaimed for his influential albums Asura and Wonderful Days, which have played a key role in shaping Korea’s contemporary music scene rooted in tradition. His work moves fluidly across genres crafting a sonic language that resonates deeply today. In this sense, Dionysus Robot embodies K-Music Festival’s mission: a bold harmony between innovation and tradition.

Performers:

Won Il – Composer & Conductor

Yoin Cho (Gayageum)

Yerim Kim (Geomungo) 

Somin Park (Haegeum) 

Kwonsoon Kang (Vocals) 

Yongeun Park (Violin)

Jiyoung Park (Cello)

Seonggeun Kim (Ajaeng)

Hwiseon Choe (Yanggeum) 

Insoo Kim (Percussions) 

Wonyoung Shin (Percussions) 

Ahyoung Lee (Saenghwang) 

Woongwon Han (Bass)  

Suyu Kim (Guitar)

Jimin Mo (Dance) 

SAT 15 NOV | Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall

Gray by Silver

The 2024 Best Jazz Album winner at the Seoul Music Awards, Gray by Silver join the K-Music Festival with their upcoming third album, Time of Tree, blending the emotional depth of traditional Korean music with the expressive language of contemporary jazz and classical.

Formed in 2016, Gray by Silver are led by pianist-composer HanBin Lee, joined by the ethereal vocals of HanYul Lee, the evocative daegeum (bamboo flute) of Taehyun Kim, and the dynamic percussion of Yedarm Pak. In an ever-accelerating musical landscape, Gray by Silver offer a compelling voice — one that embraces improvisation, stillness, and poetic reflection. Their presence on this stage reflects a different facet of Korea’s contemporary soundscape today.

The quartet’s recent international appearances include Lincoln Center in New York, Colours of Ostrava in the Czech Republic, and Jodhpur RIFF in India, alongside festival invitations in Denmark, Japan, and China. Their 2024 album Eternal Gray received the Best Jazz Album award at the Seoul Music Awards.

Performers:
HanBin Lee (Piano) 
HanYul Lee (Vocals)
Taehyun Kim (Daegeum)
Yedarm Pak (Drums)

THU 20 NOV | Barbican Hall

Seong-Jin Cho: Artist Portrait

Part of LSO Futures

Following his sold-out Barbican recital in 2023, piano superstar Seong-Jin Cho returns to the Barbican for the world premiere of a piano concerto commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) from Dong-hoon Shin—one of Korea’s most prominent contemporary composers—written especially for Cho.

Dong-hoon Shin’s music has garnered international acclaim, earning prestigious awards such as the Grand Prix at the ANM-BBVA International Composition Competition in 2010, the Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize in 2016, and the Claudio Abbado Composition Prize in 2022. His works are published by Boosey & Hawkes.

Winner of the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw and currently the Artist-in-Residence with the Berlin Philharmonic, Seong-Jin Cho has performed with leading orchestras worldwide, including a 2024 appearance at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. His acclaimed discography includes his latest release, Ravel: Complete Works for Solo Piano, released in January 2025. 

This performance marks the first collaboration between two leading figures of Korea’s new generation of classical music in partnership with the K-Music Festival as part of a wider Artist Portrait series with the LSO, featuring concerto performances with the Orchestra at the Barbican and chamber music recitals at LSO St Luke’s

Performers:

Seong-Jin Cho (Piano) 

Gianandrea Noseda (Conductor)

London Symphony Orchestra 

Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Baxter PR

K-Music Festival 2025 runs from October 1^st to November 20^th, the K-Music Festival is organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK in partnership with Serious, producers of the EFG London Jazz Festival.

Tickets are on sale now and available from serious.org.uk/k-music