[Herald Review] 2022 Seoul Jazz Festa provides musical healing to COVID weary

People thirsty for stage performances flocked to Nodeul Island, central Seoul on Saturday, seeking to find comfort in jazz music in line with the South Korean government’s “phased return to normal” scheme. It was a perfect day to enjoy jazz music outdoors in spring weather, with the gentle breeze scattering flower petals. Marking the UNESCO-designated International Jazz Day, the 2022 Seoul Jazz Festa drew roughly 750 music fans who showed their excitement over the return of lon

May 1, 2022

K-pop singer Soyou returns with first EP ‘Day&Night’ after 13 months

K-pop singer Soyou returned to the stage with her first mini-album “Day&Night” Wednesday, following her last single “Good Night My Love,” which was released in March last year. “Since ‘Day&Night’ is my first mini-album, I have a deep affection for it. I tried to fill up with various genres of songs,” Soyou said during a press showcase event held in Seoul on Wednesday, ahead of the EP’s online release at 6 p.m. “Day&Night&

April 27, 2022

Viviz first K-pop girl group on Grammy’s ‘Global Spin’

Girl group Viviz will be taking the virtual stage on the Grammy’s digital performance series titled “Global Spin,” according to the trio’s agency Big Planet Made Entertainment on Tuesday. The act will be the first K-pop girl group to perform on the music show. Viviz will showcase “Bop Bop!” from its first mini-album “Beam of Prism,” released in February. The prerecorded performance will show the trio in black hanbok -- Korea’s traditional co

April 26, 2022

With its third revival, ‘City of Light’ eyes global stage

The “City of Light,” known as “Gwangju” in Korean, is back for the third time since it first took the stage in 2020. This time, the musical aims to reach a global audience to deliver a story of resistance and the democratic movement when it gives a preview on Broadway later this year, the musical’s production team said last week. “‘City of Light’ was created as part of an initiative to popularize the iconic protest song ‘March for the Be

April 25, 2022

[Herald Interview] Orchestre National de Metz hopes to share pure joy, inspiration through French classical music

Orchestre National de Metz, one of the 12 French national orchestras, will embark on a five-city tour of Korea this week in Daegu, becoming the first foreign orchestra to perform in the country this year and signaling a return to normalcy in international concert tours. “It took a long process of nearly three years for (Metz) orchestra to tour Korea because of the COVID-19 crisis. It is really an honor and joy to see this tour coming to conclusion,” Orchestre National de Metz&rsquo

April 25, 2022

Seoul Jazz Festival unveils star-studded lineup for in-person concerts

With the landmark Seoul Jazz Festival resuming in-person this year after a three-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lineup of stars for this year’s festival has been unveiled. The 14th Seoul Jazz festival will be held over three days outdoors, starting May 27 at the Olympic Park’s 88 Jandi Madang in southern Seoul, according to the festival’s organizer Private Curve. It is set to feature a number of big-name artists who will come to Korea for the first time, officia

April 21, 2022

World-class pianists head to Korea after COVID-19 restrictions lifted

Several world-class pianists are poised to perform in Korea in the coming months, as the country returns to normalcy with most of the social distancing measures removed. The list of acclaimed pianists coming to Korea includes many familiar names, such as Maurizio Pollini, Yuja Wang and Rudolf Buchbinder. Legendary pianist Maurizio Pollini, 80, will take the stage twice in May in what would be his first recital in Korea. Also making a debut in the country is Yuja Wang, a Chinese pianist kn

April 20, 2022

Singer Cho Yong-pil likely to return with new album this year

Legendary Korean singer Cho Yong-pil is likely to release his first new album in nine years sometime this year, according to music industry sources and local media Wednesday. The 72-year-old singer has recently started working on a new album, aiming to release it within this year, according to reports. He is said to be considering various genres and concepts for the upcoming album. If Cho drops an album this year, it would be a follow-up to his 19th full-length album “Hello,” rele

April 20, 2022

Japanese pianist Yuhki Kuramoto gears up for Korea concert tour

Japanese New Age composer and pianist Yuhki Kuramoto is returning to Korea for a nationwide tour starting in May. The 70-year-old musician will kick off the tour on May 15 with a Jeongseojin Spring Classic performance in Incheon, followed by recitals in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, on May 20; Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province on May 21; Geochang, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 27; and Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, on May 28. The tour will wrap up at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul on June 5. Th

April 20, 2022

Legendary pianist Pollini to perform in Korea, commanding unprecedented price for tickets

Maurizio Pollini, who is considered one of the world’s leading pianists, is coming to South Korea for the first time for two recitals next month. The 80-year-old pianist will take the stage on May 19 and May 25 at Seoul Arts Center. Much anticipated by his fans, his 100-minute recital, titled “The Emperor of Piano: ‘Once in a Lifetime,” marks Pollini‘s Korea debut. However, the upcoming recitals are also gaining attention for a different reason -- the exorbitan

April 19, 2022

Songkran Music Festival to hit Korea in July

Songkran Music Festival will be held in Korea for the first time in July, fighting off the summer heat with water and heart-thumping music, according to the festival organizer BEPCTangent Creative on Tuesday. S2O Korea will take place at Seoul Land in Gwacheon, about 20 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 9 and 10. It will feature top electronic dance musicians while 1 million liters of water is dumped on the audience, the organizer said. Songkran Music Festival has its roots in Songkran, a 1

April 19, 2022

BTS attracts over 620,000 fans to Las Vegas concerts

Some 624,000 people joined K-pop supergroup BTS’ latest live concert series both online and offline, according to data compiled by the band’s agency Big Hit Music. During the four “Permission to Dance on Stage - Las Vegas” shows on April 8-9 and Friday and Saturday at Allegiant Stadium, nearly 200,000 fans -- 50,000 attendees per session -- showed up to the sold-out concerts. It was also estimated that a total of 22,000 people gathered at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in

April 18, 2022

2NE1 reunites to perform at Coachella festival

Disbanded girl group 2NE1 surprised music fans by reuniting to perform at Coachella music festival in the US as a four-member act for the first time since disbanding six years ago. The reunion took place on the main stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which was held in Indio, California, Saturday. Following a mini solo set by former leader CL, the former bandmates -- CL, Sandara Park, Park Bom and Minzy -- teamed up to perform “I Am the Best,” released in 2011.

April 17, 2022

Seventeen’s first all-English single ‘Darl+ing’ gets favorable response

K-pop boy band Seventeen’s first all-English language single “Darl+ing,” which was released Friday, has received favorable comments from foreign media. US music magazine Billboard took note of the 13-member act’s latest release, calling it “a touching song that acts as a love letter and shows appreciation to their dedicated fanbase.” “For Seventeen, doing the work of recording in another language isn’t just about making a global crossover, but a

April 17, 2022

Seoul Park Music Festival to hold in-person concerts

Seoul Park Music Festival will hold in-person concerts in June at the Olympic Park‘s 88 Jandi Madang in southern Seoul. This year’s Seoul Park Music Festival will be held for two days starting June 25 and operate with reserved seating for floor seats with chairs and a picnic zone. Only one stage will be available, in keeping with the COVID-19 guidelines, according to the festival organizers BEPCTangent Creative and CJ ENM. The specific guideline on ways to enjoy the festival may be

April 17, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘My goal is to be remembered as musician who can bring comfort’

There are still many talented singers out there who have not received the public’s attention yet. A few local broadcasters have introduced “new” singers by giving them a chance to be known through TV competitions. It took about 23 years for singer-songwriter Bak Chang-geun, the winner of TV Chosun’s “Tomorrow’s National Singer,” to get the spotlight. Although he struggled working over the last two decades as an unknown singer, his passion for music kep

April 16, 2022

Concert highlights King Sejong’s musical talent

A concert seeking to shed light on the musical talent of King Sejong the Great will take place next week at the National Gugak Center. King Sejong the Great (1397-1450) was the fourth ruler of the Joseon era, whose remarkable legacy includes, most notably, the creation of Hangeul, the Korean writing system. The Court Music Orchestra of the National Gugak Center will celebrate one of King Sejong’s legacies in a concert titled “Sejong’s sound: Yeomindongrak,” which trans

April 14, 2022

[Unveil] Indie musician Fromm talks about her own story through music

Now in her 11th year as an independent artist, singer and songwriter Fromm’s her unbounded music style, charming low-pitched voice and poetic lyrics have earned here the nickname “Goddess of Hongdae” amongst her fans. With her stage name signifying “the music story that starts from me,” her music tells a story that is easy to relate to. “I think musicians are like novelists. After all, they are people who write stories and put some melodies to them,” Fro

April 14, 2022

Jessi says preparation to return with ‘Zoom’ was most intense

Singer-rapper Jessi returned to the stage with her new digital single “Zoom” Wednesday, following her last single “Cold Blooded (with Street Women Fighters),” which was released six months ago. “It’s been a while since I made a comeback on the stage. I’ve been appearing on variety shows lately,” Jessi said during an online press conference Wednesday, ahead of the single’s online release at 6 p.m. “I was pressed for time more than eve

April 13, 2022

Long-running chamber music festival returns next week

A long-running chamber music festival led by violinist Kang Dong-suk is set to return next week with a focus on cello. Titled “Cellissimo!,” the 17th edition of the festival will delve into the beauty of the four-string instrument that originated in Italy in the 1600s. This is the third time the festival is focusing on a particular instrument: In 2011, the piano took center stage followed by the violin in 2012. “Cello is one of the most popular instruments and cellists

April 13, 2022