International acts across genres to thrill Korean music fans

As the hot summer slowly comes to an end, several international artists announce their concerts in Korea.

On Aug. 28, Emotional Oranges, a California-based duo, will hold their first concert in Korea at the Yes 24 Live Hall, Seoul.

Emotional Oranges was formed in 2017 in California, by audio engineer Azad Right and vocal coach Vali. The group has gained a large following in Korea, particularly for tracks from their second album, such as "West Coast Love" and "Sundays," which are loved for their refreshing sound.

The pop and R&B duo's live performances are notable for creating an immersive experience, using fog to blur the stage and wearing sunglasses to focus the audience's attention solely on the music.

The beginning of September will be marked by American singer-songwriter Sasha Alex Sloan's concert.

Sloan's concert will take place Sept. 1 at the Myeonghwa Live Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. This will be her first performance in Korea in a year and a half since her last visit in March 2023, as part of her "I Blame The World" Asia tour.

The artist first gained recognition as a songwriter in 2015 by featuring in Kaskade's song "Phoenix." She has since worked with numerous well-known artists, including Kygo, Steve Aoki, Camila Cabello, John Legend, Anne-Marie, Pink and Katy Perry.

Since releasing her debut single "Ready Yet" in 2017, Sloan has showcased her distinct musical style through works like "Sad Girl" and "Self Portrait," earning widespread acclaim, particularly for the autobiographical song "Older."

November will see Japanese singer-songwriter Yuuri holding his first solo concert in Korea.

Yuuri will hold a stand-alone concert titled "Yuuri Live in Seoul 2024" on Nov. 11 at Yes 24 Live Hall.

The 30-year-old artist was a vocalist for the rock band The Bugzy before the group disbanded in May 2019. He restarted his career as a solo artist in December of that year. His song "Dry Flower," released in October 2020, became a massive hit in Japan, and his soundtrack "Betelgeuse" for the drama "Super Rich," topped Billboard Japan's "Japan Songs" chart in the first half of this year.

The popular Japanese band Official Hige Dandism will return to Korea for the first time in eight years.

The upcoming concert, part of the band's Asia tour "Rejoice," will take place on Dec. 1 at Kintex Hall 5 in Ilsan, Goyang. Official Hige Dandism held its first concert in Korea in 2016 at the Hyundai Card Understage, Seoul.

Formed in 2012, the band has created theme songs for popular animated films like "Tokyo Revengers" and "Spy x Family." The band won the Japanese Artist of the Year award at the Apple Music Awards. Recently, the band completed an arena tour in Japan, attracting around 300,000 people.

The new wave, synth-pop band Pale Waves will also hold their first concert in Korea.

The Pale Waves concert on Dec. 12 at Yes 24 Live Hall in Seoul is part of a tour for their upcoming fourth album "Smitten," set to be released in September.

Formed in 2014 in Manchester, England, by vocalist and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran, the band was initially called Creek. They later changed the band's name to Pale Waves and brought onboard bassist Charlie Wood and guitarist Hugo Silvani.

The band gained critical acclaim with the release of the debut single, "There’s a Honey." It was also named Spotify's Best Indie Band in 2017, establishing itself as a group with both musical and popular appeal.