The K-Music Festival returns for its twelfth edition in autumn 2025, celebrating the richness of contemporary Korean music through a wide-ranging concert programme from 1 October to 20 November. Organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK, the festival spans major venues like the Barbican Centre, Southbank Centre, and Royal Albert Hall.
Opening at Kings Place, cellist Okkyung Lee teams up with electronic artist Mark Fell for a visceral, experimental performance. Jambinai will make history as the first Korean band to headline the Barbican on 5 October, joining forces with the London Contemporary Orchestra for an orchestral post-rock spectacle. On 18 October, string trio Hilgeum collaborate with vocalist Alice Zawadzki at the Southbank Centre in a lyrical cross-cultural concert. Interdisciplinary artist Won Il returns on 14 November with “Dionysus Robot”, blending shamanic music and electronic performance art. The festival closes with the London Symphony Orchestra premiere of a new piano concerto by Dong-hoon Shin, marking a major moment for Korean classical music on the global stage.
Since its launch in 2013, the K-Music Festival has brought outstanding Korean artists to UK stages, spotlighting those who blur the lines between traditional music, jazz, and sonic experimentation. Though fusion and improvisation remain at its core, the festival has steadily expanded its scope to include boundary-crossing projects—ranging from contemporary classical compositions to genre-blending performances.
You can find out more about this year's festival programme and book tickets here.