A bold celebration of Korean music set to return to major London venues this autumn.
Now in its twelfth year, the K-Music Festival returns in autumn 2025 with an expansive programme of concerts showcasing the diversity and innovation of contemporary Korean music. Running from October 1st to November 20th, the K-Music Festival is organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK in partnership with Serious, producers of the EFG London Jazz Festival, and will feature leading Korean and UK artists at major London venues including the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, and Kings Place.
Since 2013, the K-Music Festival has introduced UK audiences to Korean musicians working at the intersection of tradition, jazz, and experimental sounds. While the festival remains rooted in fusion and improvisational music, it also supports cross-genre collaborations, including contemporary classical commissions and hybrid performances. The 2025 edition reflects this commitment to breadth and dialogue, with concerts that span improvisation, orchestral post-rock, and jazz-influenced chamber works.
The festival opens on October 1st at Kings Place with a collaboration between Korean cellist and composer Okkyung Lee and UK-based electronic artist Mark Fell. On October 5th, JAMBINAI will perform with the London Contemporary Orchestra at the Barbican, under the direction of conductor Robert Ames. This show marks the first time a traditional Korean band has headlined the Barbican. On October 18th, Korean string trio Hilgeum will make their London debut at the Purcell Room at Southbank Centre, performing with British vocalist and composer Alice Zawadzki. Composer and multi-instrumentalist Won Il, who opened the inaugural K-Music Festival in 2013, returns with a new interdisciplinary work, Dionysus Robot, co-presented by the EFG London Jazz Festival on November 14th at Queen Elizabeth Hall. The following evening, on November 15th, the quartet Gray by Silver will perform at the Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall, as part of the Late Night Jazz series. Led by pianist and composer HanBin Lee, the group brings together jazz, traditional Korean music, and classical influences. The festival concludes on November 20th at Barbican Hall with a major commission: the world premiere of a new concerto by composer Dong-hoon Shin, written for pianist Seong-Jin Cho and performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. This performance is part of the LSO Futures series and marks a significant collaboration between two leading Korean artists in the field of contemporary classical music.
The K-Music Festival 2025 presents a series of performances that reflect the evolving landscape of Korean music and its growing dialogue with global practices. From traditional string ensembles to large-scale orchestral works, and from experimental improvisation to ritual performance, this year’s line-up underscores the diversity and depth of contemporary Korean music.