Classic Revolution 2020 Beethoven to be held at Lotte Concert Hall

An online version of the country’s biggest jazz festival will be livestreamed May 8-11, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic keeps jazz fans at home. Dubbed the Jarasum Online Alright Jazz Festival, the organizers of Jarasum International Jazz Festival said that it will be the first local music festival to be streamed online. The event aims to offer performance opportunities to local jazz musicians who have been struggling with the virus crisis, and also to encourage the stagnant performan

Pianist Cho Seong-jin will share his solo recital with the global audiences online from Berlin. According to label Deutsche Grammophon, Cho’s solo recital will be held at the Meistersaal, a historic concert hall in Berlin. The recital, conducted without the actual presence of audiences, will be streamed via DG’s YouTube channel on Saturday.  The exact program has not been revealed yet, but will include works from his upcoming album, and often presented repertoires. The re

Amid pandemic, pianist says, ‘We need music in life’

Trot music fever sweeps South Korea on the back of popular reality TV shows

Though the performing arts scene has been gearing up to get back into the groove as the number of COVID-19 cases drops, concerts remain canceled in April. Pianist Kim Sun-wook’s concerts with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in April have been canceled. Kim, a Beethoven specialist, was to perform with the SPO on April 24 at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul.   The program was to include Haydn’s Symphony No. 102 in B flat major Hob. I: 102, Beethoven’s Piano Concer

Pengsoo, the popular costumed penguin character from educational television channel EBS, collaborated with rapper Tiger JK to release his first digital single. On Friday, EBS announced the release of Pengsoo’s digital single, “Billboard Project Vol. 1” at 6 p.m. on April 21. Artists Tiger JK, Bizzy and BiBi featured in the song that has both rapping elements and yodeling elements. “Working with Pengsoo! It was an honor lol,” posted Tiger JK on is Instagram on Tue

The indie music scene in Hongdae is struggling to stay afloat as concerts and festivals are delayed or canceled amid strict social distancing. While major music labels are better able to endure long-term losses, allowing musicians to concentrate on their next albums, small labels and clubs that rent out venues to bands are suffering to the point where their very existence is under threat. “We had zero profit. What worries us the most is not now but what is about to come. Usually from la

Violinist performs to empty Kumho Art Hall as recital is livestreamed

Musicians of Antenna Music will hold a live stream concert for fans stuck at home due to the spread of COVID-19. Antenna music posted an official poster for the event on its social media page Sunday announcing the line-up for the event. “Everything is OK, with Antenna” will be held for four days on April 11, 12, 18 and 19 starting at 8 p.m. on its official YouTube channel. The online music festival will feature all 11 artists of Antenna starting with Toy (Yoo Hee-yeol) and Lee Jin

K-pop group JYJ’s Kim Jae-joong canceled his schedule in Japan after criticism for announcing he had the new coronavirus as an April Fools‘ Day joke. Kim released his third Japanese single “Brava Brava Brava” in March and was scheduled to promote the album by appearing on several music shows in Japan. Kim’s agency CJes Entertainment on Friday announced that due to the current situation Kim would not appear as scheduled on TV Asahi’s music show “Musi

American singer-songwriter Halsey called off her Seoul concert due the novel coronavirus spread. “‘Halsey - Manic World Tour Live in Seoul,’ originally slated to be held on May 9 at the Olympic Hall in the Olympic Park, has been canceled,” said the concert’s local organizer Live Nation Korea in a statement issued Monday. The organizer stated that all tickets will be automatically refunded without any charges. Those who canceled their tickets after 5:30 p.m. on

Musical starring former K-pop idol Kim Jun-su continues winning streak despite COVID-19

As the entertainment industry struggles through the novel coronavirus outbreak, the prolonged pandemic is taking an especially heavy toll on small music labels and independent musicians. According to Record Label Industry Association of Korea on Thursday, the 44 member labels of the association have seen a loss of more than 3.5 billion won ($2.85 million) due to the cancellation or delay of events scheduled between Feb. 13 and April 11. A total of 61 gigs have been either rescheduled or called

DG puts together lineup of world-class pianists