3 October — 18 November 2019
London’s Festival of Korean Music
K-MUSIC 2019
JAMBINAI
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Thursday 3 October
K-Music is London’s festival of Korean music. Now in its sixth year and our mission is to provide a platform for the rich and ever-developing sound of Korean music, which is genre-breaking, fusing ancient and modern, giving the chance to experience it across London.
Purcell Room, Southbank Centre CELEBRATE PANSORI
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Sunday 6 October The 2019 Festival starts hard and loud with post-rock masters Jambinai, with their first comprehensive UK tour playing Brighton, London, Canterbury, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham, performing material from their new Bella Union album.
Kings Place Hall 1, Kings Cross PARK JIHA: Philos
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Thursday 17 October Rich Mix, Shoreditch KYUNGSO PARK: SB CIRCLE + HEY STRING
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Tuesday 29 October Purcell Room, Southbank Centre GONNE CHOI
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Monday 11 November
‘Just as the mainstream is currently alive to K-Pop thanks to BTS and Blackpink, the avant-garde is also having something of a Korean moment’ MOJO
PizzaExpress Live BLACK STRING
International star Park Jiha returns to London with her traditional Korean instruments, modern aesthetics and new Glitterbeat album Philos. Kyungso Park presents her new jazz group SB Circle, alongside trio Hey String, in a takeover that pushes traditional Korean music to the limits.
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(as part of EFG London Jazz Festival)
Gonne Choi creates real emotion with her soaring voice and acoustic guitar, combining rock, folk, jazz and traditional influences to create a highly original sound
Monday 18 November Purcell Room, Southbank Centre
K-Music is ‘original, powerful and thrilling like nothing you have ever heard before’ ««««« Evening Standard
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
Next we celebrate pansori as we sample five traditional Korean operas in one night, performed by The Korea Pansori Preservation Association, bringing this beautiful, ancient artform to the modern audience.
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K-Music festival 2019
And Black String close the Festival in style with their explosion of heavy rhythms, traditional Korean instruments, mind-bending electronics and jazz guitar licks. Wake up to Korean music in the here and now. See you at the shows.
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‘A thrilling, constantly surprising set in which gently hypnotic passages suddenly give way to a crash of guitars’ ««««« Songlines on ‘Onda’ ‘A triumph… Countless bands can switch from quiet to loud effectively; few do it with such overwhelming power as Jambinai.’ «««« MOJO on ‘Onda’ ‘Korea’s Jambinai impressed with their genreblurring sound, applying traditional folk instruments to eruptive instrumental drone-rock reminiscent of Sonic Youth’ «««« Times
THE JAMBINAI UK TOUR:
JAMBINAI
Wednesday 2 Oct. — BRIGHTON Green Door Store Thursday 3 Oct. - London Southbank Centre
Thursday 3 October
Purcell Room
onstage 7.45pm
Southbank Centre
£15 + bkg
SE1 8XX
Friday 4 Oct. — CANTERBURY Gulbenkian Theatre Sunday 6 Oct. — MANCHESTER The Night People
Jambinai present Korean traditional music in a new and innovative way, with their ground-breaking post-rock sound that combines folk, metal, jazz and ambient electronic elements in a mix of traditional Korean and modern instruments. With their huge following they have wowed stages at major rock festivals, including Glastonbury and Robert Smith’s Meltdown. Their third Bella Union record Onda has just been released.
Monday 7 Oct. — LEEDS Lending Room Tuesday 8 Oct. — BIRMINGHAM The Flapper
Onda artwork
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
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‘In pansori, the intimacy, the translation, the audience and the ambience are just as important as the music. When all that comes together, pansori really is one of the world’s great musical art forms.’ Simon Broughton/Songlines
There are five surviving stories within Korea’s pansori tradition, and this concert will present selected extracts from; Jeokbyukga, Simcheongga, Heungboga, Chunhyangga and Sugungga – each performed in Korean with English surtitles.
Kings Place Hall 1
onstage 7.30pm
Kings Cross
£15 + bkg
N1 9AG
Chunhyangga - describing a love that overcomes class barriers, this is a love story between Seong Chun-hyang and Lee Mongryong, the son of the newly appointed Minister in the southern area, Namwon. ‘Sarangga’ (Love Song) is the most famous song of the entire piece.
The Korea Pansori Preservation Association preserves the rich history of traditional Korean opera, studying the art and sharing its joy and charm throughout the modern world. The company consists of Living National Treasures, holders of Important Intangible Cultural Assets and their Senior students.
Sugungga – a loyal tortoise goes out to hunt for rabbit liver to save the Dragon King under the sea. Although the tortoise attracts the rabbit and brings it to the subaqueous kingdom, with cunning, satire and humour the rabbit then escapes the Dragon King by disguising itself as another animal.
At this show, twelve highly respected vocalists and live musicians to tell these ancient stories that still resonate today This performance will be surtitled in English
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
Simcheongga – a devoted daughter, Simcheong, sacrifices herself for her blind father by falling in to the sea and is reincarnated, with the help of the Dragon King, to open her father’s eyes. ‘Begging For Food For Her Father’ is one of the saddest songs in this piece. Heungboga - this humorous pansori tells the tale of the poor but generous Heungbo and his wealthy but greedy brother Nol-bo. ‘Breaking a Calabash’ is the climax that sees Heungho finally become rich having received a fortune from the calabash which a swallow had given to him as a reward.
CELEBRATE PANSORI Sunday 6 October
Jeokbyukga – ‘’Song of the Red Cliff’ sings of the fiercest battle, Jeokbyeok, from the Chinese novel Samgukji, The Records of the Three Kingdoms.
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‘With one foot in and another of minimalism and hypnotic
Park Jiha performs her new material solo, by looping and building soundscapes from an array of traditional Korean instruments, such as the piri (double reed bamboo instrument), saenghwang (double reed mouth organ of 17 bamboo pipes) and yanggeum (hammered dulcimer-like metal stringed instrument)
PARK JIHA: Philos Thursday 17 October
Rich Mix
Onstage 8pm
Shoreditch
£15 + bkg
E1 6LA
Park Jiha stunned audiences and critics alike with her Glitterbeat album Communion, described by The Guardian as ‘new music for ancient instruments’. She returns with her second Glitterbeat release Philos, which looks to the future while conversing with a rich instrumental language from the past.
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
traditional Korean music, in modern iterations ambient, Park Jiha created streams of sound’ The Wire
‘Using no more than three instruments, Jiha’s music expresses as much emotion as words could convey’ «««« Guardian, Global Album of the Month
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She returns with her new band, SB Circle, combining jazz, electronic and traditional Korean music with fellow established musicians Shin Hyunpil (saxophone, keys), Seo Young-do (bass) and Christian Moran (drums) in a myriad of folk, improvisation and filmic music. Their paths now flow and meld in their debut release Topology.
KYUNGSO PARK: SB CIRCLE + HEY STRING Tuesday 29 October
Purcell Room
onstage 7.45pm
Southbank Centre
£15 + bkg
SE1 8XX
‘She treated a rapt crowd to a wide swath of music, both cutting-edge original compositions and traditional numbers. As serious and meticulous a composer and player as she is, she’s also a very funny, engaging performer’ New York Music Daily
The night opens with a British debut of female gayageum trio Hey String, pushing beyond the limitations of traditional performance in a full force of interplaying melodies and rhythms to create enthralling soundscapes
A Southbank Centre takeover pushing gayageum to its limits Kyungso Park is a composer who plays the zither-like gayageum and who freely breaks down the borders between traditional and contemporary music. K-Music 2016 saw her collaborating with British saxophonist, Andy Sheppard in ‘an engrossing improvisational encounter.’ (The Guardian)
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
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‘Her mix of melodic acoustic themes, powerful vocals, and sheer lyrical prowess, definitely struck the right chord with punters. From the moment Gonne stepped on stage, she was simply breath-taking, and her stage presence was overwhelming. Each set was an emotional rollercoaster ride. Throughout, there was raw energy pumping out of every pore, washing over those watching’ Cubed3 ‘There was risk-taking in the vocals, which displayed a range and agility that reminded me of Youn Sun Nah; and the set included some lovely takes on traditional Korean folk songs. She was the highlight of the evening. Definitely one to watch’ London Korean Links
GONNE CHOI Monday 11 November
PizzaExpress Live
doors 6.30pm, onstage 8.30pm
Holborn
£15 + bkg
WC1V 6LF
Gonne Choi’s distinctive voice takes you on a heartfelt journey. The colour of her songs come from her wide and varied musical background, learning Korean traditional instruments and opera as well as singing in a hardcore rock band - all of this feeding into her musical diversity. Gonne Choi has performed at Glastonbury Festival and she returns this year ahead of her European tour and K-Music 2019 performance.
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
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‘An engaging exploration of what can be achieved by bringing ancient and modern into creative fusion’ Jazzwise ‘Black String play a riveting, hauntingly epic, sold-out show’ New York Music Daily
They present their band as ‘the unfathomable and endless possibilities of both the East and the West’ and have performed with prominent Korean musicians as well as many major UK artists, such as Kathryn Tickell, Tim Garland and Gwilym Simcock.
Produced in association with EFG London Jazz Festival
The band brings together East and West, with Yoon Jeong Heo on geomungo, (zither-like stringed instrument with bridges and frets), Aram Lee on daegeum (large bamboo transverse flute) and yanggeum (hammered dulcimer-like metal stringed instrument), Jean Oh on guitar and electronics and Min Wang Hwang on vocals and percussion to offer a fresh, new sound to audiences by presenting ancient tradition within a modern setting.
BLACK STRING Monday 18 November
Purcell Room
Onstage 7.45pm
Southbank Centre
£15 + bkg
SE1 8XX
ACT artists Black String burst on to the London scene eight years ago at the Jazz Festival and now the masters of traditional Korean music and jazz are back to make their mark on EFG London Jazz Festival 2019. Their storming international debut Mask Dance (ACT) earned them a 2018 Songlines Music Award, their performance being a true representation of ‘borderless contemporary Korean music’. Their 2nd album will be released by ACT in the latter half of this year.
Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
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The reach of Korean music
Daily to Seoul and Beyond
We are delighted that Platform Changdong 61 has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the K-Music Festival to introduce Korean musicians to audiences in the UK. The Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have launched several plans to promote a wider range of Korean music. The Ministry is extending its support for the promotion of Korean indie musicians worldwide, and the Seoul government has created a “Global Music City Seoul Plan”. This includes building the Seoul Arena in Changdong (a suburb of Seoul that’s quickly becoming a dynamic centre for music and the arts), setting up a new music business school, promoting Korean traditional and classical music and developing new music festivals. Platform Changdong 61 is a visionary space that opened in 2016 and has helped to drive the evolution of the whole district of Changdong. It combines intimate, state of the art venues and a commitment to developing and supporting new kinds of music and performance, and it is gaining popularity as a cultural hub where people can experience a whole range of Korean musical genres. Each year, five teams are selected for its residency programme, which includes record production and performance opportunities in collaboration with 20 bands such as Jambinai. Their eclectic enthusiasm for new Korean music makes Platform Changdong 61 a natural partner for the K-Music Festival, and we look forward to doing more to support Korean musicians in the UK, and to facilitating greater musical exchange between the two countries. Dong-yeon Lee Artistic Director, Platform Changdong 61 and Professor, Korea National University of Arts
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About the KCCUK Since 2008, the KCCUK (Korean Cultural Centre UK) has promoted friendship and understanding between Korea and the UK with an annual programme of events that cover visual and performing arts, music, literature, food and film, as well as education and language. For the enjoyment of audiences across the UK, each year the KCCUK’s performing arts team collaborates with renowned arts venues and acclaimed Korean artists to present a series of exciting events, these include the K-Music Showcase, A Festival of Korean Dance and the K-Music Festival. Starting in the spring, the K-Music Showcase introduces young and emerging indie bands to London before these groups embark upon the festival circuit. This is followed by A Festival of Korean Dance with The Place that brings acclaimed Korean dance companies to the UK. Then in the autumn, the KCCUK in partnership with SERIOUS presents the ‘K-Music Festival’, an event that highlights the very best from across Korea’s musical spectrum. Grand Buildings, 1 Strand London, WC2N 5BW kccuk.org.uk
@KCCUK
@KCCUK
London Korean film festival 2019
@KCCUK
1–24 November
Sponsors & supporters
The London Korean Film Festival will return this autumn for its 14th year, bringing an exciting mix of classic and contemporary Korean cinema to UK screens.
CREDITS Director: Sungho Min Producer: Jaeyeon Park PR: Sally Reeves, Paul Wadey Admin Manager: Byunghyun Roh Coordinator: Yoona Park, Ji Kang, HyunJung Lee
koreanfilm.co.uk Book at serious.org.uk/k-music
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@theLKFF
K-MUSIC 2019 LONDON'S FESTIVAL OF KOREAN MUSIC
JAMBINAI Thursday 3 October — Purcell Room Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Waterloo, SE1 8XX southbankcentre.co.uk | 020 3879 9555 + K-Music UK tour
CELEBRATE PANSORI Sunday 6 October — Kings Place 90 York Way, N1 9AG kingsplace.co.uk | 020 7520 1490
PARK JIHA Thursday 17 October — Rich Mix 35–47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA richmix.org.uk | 020 7613 7498
KYUNGSO PARK: SB CIRCLE + HEY STRING Tuesday 29 October — Purcell Room Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Waterloo, SE1 8XX southbankcentre.co.uk | 020 3879 9555
GONNE CHOI Monday 11 November — PizzaExpress Live 99 High Holborn, WC1V 6LF pizzaexpresslive.com | 020 7439 4962
BLACK STRING (as part of EFG London Jazz Festival)
Monday 18 November — Purcell Room Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, Waterloo, SE1 8XX southbankcentre.co.uk | 020 3879 9555