Please join us for a fun Korean learning experience. On Friday, October 12th, The Korea Society will hold a special Sing Along K-Pop session of Psy’s Gangnam Style, the K-Pop music video that has gone viral on YouTube. During the session, participants will read and interpret the lyrics and learn several Korean expressions. Have an enjoyable time singing, shuffling your feet, and learning the moves of the Psy's now-famous horse-riding… Read More

Celebrate Korea as a center of excellence in the classical arts with a short concert by virtuosa Jia Kim, who performs Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major and Cassado’s Suite for Cello Solo. Kim began cello at eleven in Korea, where she took first in the Korean Music Association Competition, National Symphony Orchestra Competition, and Young Musician Foundation’s National Debut Concerto Competition. She has performed at Carnegie Hall,… Read More

The Korea Society proudly presents Barame Soop (Forest, Wind and Rain) performed by the Sonagi Project. One of the leading percussion groups in Korea, the Sonagi Project consists of five musicians led by Chang Jea Hyo. The group has created modern, original music on the basis of Korean traditional rhythms and chants. Barame Soop concerts are built around changgo (two-headed, hourglass shaped drums), ching (gongs), and p'ansori (narrative, story-telling folk… Read More

The music of rare and exceptional artistic expression from North Korea will be showcased at the Korea Society as part of its Korean Traditional Music Series. Eun Sun Jung, an award-winning and talented young kayagŭm (12 and 25 string zither) artist from Seoul, Korea, presents some of the folk music of North Korea, selected for its vibrant folk music style and its contemporary interpretation of older traditions. This includes the well-known folk… Read More

Master percussionist Pak Vongku leads a recital of Korean buk and Japanese stringed koto, marrying the melodies of ancient Korea, Japan and India in a thoughtful zen/son-inspired performance for Asia Week New York 2012. Pak appeared recently for The Korea Society as part of its Seattle outreach program and has received rave reviews in New York City and nationally. Enjoy drummer Pak (janggu) and string-and-flute accompaniests Masayo Isigure (koto) and Steve Gorn (bansuri). The Contemplative… Read More

Born in Seoul in 1994, Bokyung Byun began playing at six, and by her teen years had won competitions held by the Korea Guitar Association, the Embassy of Spain, and the Music Association of Korea. She went on to take top prizes at the Vienna Forum Guitar International and the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA). Her special Asia Week program includes Capricho Árabe (Francisco Tárrega); Fuge and Allegro from BWV998… Read More

Born in Seoul in 1994, Bokyung Byun began playing at six, and by her teen years had won competitions held by the Korea Guitar Association, the Embassy of Spain, and the Music Association of Korea. She went on to take top prizes at the Vienna Forum Guitar International and the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA). Her special Asia Week program includes Capricho Árabe (Francisco Tárrega); Fuge and Allegro from BWV998… Read More

Accompanying the opening of Highlights, this meditative short performance of six-stringed komungo celebrates p’ungnyu, the classical ensemble music of Korean nobility. As a philosophy, p’ungnyu refers to a state of leisure where one celebrates arts and companionship. The evening’s performer, Park Min-ji, graces the audience with her komungo skills. Park graduated from Hanyang University in Korea, was honored at the Dong-A Korean Traditional Music Concours in 2009, and took first… Read More

Enjoy a meditative hour of stringed kayagum set to p’ungnyu, the classical ensemble music of Korean nobility and central theme of our spring/summer performance series. The Korea Society here presents p’ungnyuin its chul-p’ungnyu(stringed-instrument) form. P’ungnyu also refers to a state of leisure when one is elevated from the mundane to better appreciate poetry, music, and companionship. Park Yoon-suk, founder and president of the twenty-year-old Korean Traditional Music and Dance Institute… Read More

Enjoy a meditative performance of changgo, a traditional hour-glass drum, adapted for p’ungnyu, the classical ensemble music of Korean nobility and central theme of The Korea Society’s 2011 traditional music series. P’ungnyu also refers to an elevated state of leisure in which one can better appreciate poetry, music, and companionship. Percussionist Lee Chun-seung performs a solo Suljanggu, followed by a Samulnori and Binari featuring three additional percussion instruments, the kkwaengguari,… Read More