The K-Music Festival returns to London from October 1 to November 20, 2025, offering an eclectic program of performances that highlight the diversity and innovation of contemporary Korean music.
Organized by the Korean Cultural Centre UK in partnership with Serious (producers of the EFG London Jazz Festival), the festival will take place at major venues including the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, and Kings Place.
Now in its 12th year, the K-Music Festival continues its mission to explore the intersections of traditional Korean music, jazz, classical, and experimental sounds. This year’s line-up reflects a bold expansion in scope, blending cross-genre collaborations, contemporary classical commissions, and avant-garde performance.
The festival opens with a collaboration between cellist and composer Okkyung Lee and UK electronic artist Mark Fell at Kings Place. Known for her genre-defying work, Lee will perform a set blending traditional Korean elements with electronic soundscapes.
A major highlight comes on October 5, when post-rock group JAMBINAI will perform with the London Contemporary Orchestra at the Barbican. This marks the first time a traditional Korean ensemble headlines the venue. JAMBINAI, known for combining Korean folk instruments with cinematic rock textures, gained global attention after performing at the 2018 Winter Olympics closing ceremony.
Other featured performances include:
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String trio Hilgeum performing with vocalist Alice Zawadzki at Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room (October 18)
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Park Jiha, known for her minimalist compositions using Korean traditional instruments, headlining the Elgar Room at Royal Albert Hall (October 25)
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Won Il’s interdisciplinary work Dionysus Robot, featuring drag artist Jimin Mo, exploring ritual, transformation, and multimedia performance (November 14, Queen Elizabeth Hall)
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Jazz ensemble Gray by Silver bringing a hybrid of Korean music and jazz to the Elgar Room (November 15)
The festival concludes on November 20 at Barbican Hall with the world premiere of a new concerto by composer Dong-hoon Shin, written for internationally acclaimed pianist Seong-Jin Cho, performed with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Artistic Director Jaeyeon Park emphasized the festival’s genre-defying vision: “This year’s line-up pushes boundaries across genres—from Jambinai’s orchestral collaboration to Dionysus Robot’s immersive performance. We’re excited to present a wider spectrum of Korean music to UK audiences.”
The K-Music Festival 2025 positions Korean music as a vital and evolving force in global contemporary culture, offering audiences in London an opportunity to engage with both tradition and innovation on the same stage.
Tickets are available now at serious.org.uk/k-music.
