From Korean folk and hip-hop to jazz, post-rock, experimental music and gaming soundtracks, K-Music Festival returns to London this autumn with one of its most diverse programmes yet.
Korean music is much bigger than K-pop, and this autumn K-Music Festival is bringing that wider musical world to London.
The festival returns for its 13th edition from 28 September to 23 November, taking over venues including Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall, Rich Mix, EartH Theatre, Stone Nest and Upstairs at Ronnie’s.
Organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK, this year’s programme brings together artists working across traditional Korean music, contemporary composition, hip-hop, art pop, jazz, post-rock, experimental sound and video game music.
Rather than focusing on one particular side of Korea’s music scene, K-Music Festival 2026 looks at the connections between its past and present, bringing centuries-old traditions together with some of the country’s most forward-thinking artists.
A bold opening night
The festival will open at EartH Theatre on 28 September with a line-up that immediately demonstrates its musical range.
Acclaimed folk ensemble ADG7 will perform alongside genre-defying hip-hop duo Lil Cherry & GOLDBUUDA and singer-songwriter Chang Kiha, creating an eclectic opening night that moves between traditional Korean sounds, experimental hip-hop and alternative pop.
ADG7 have built an international reputation for combining Korean folk and shamanic traditions with contemporary sounds, choreography and an energetic live show. Following appearances at festivals including Glastonbury, the eight-piece group will bring their Let’s Dance! project to London as they begin a new European tour.
Lil Cherry & GOLDBUUDA bring a very different sound. The sibling duo, who grew up between Miami, New York and Seoul, blend hip-hop, trap and electronica with a distinctly experimental, internet-age approach. Following their London debut at SXSW London earlier this year, they return to the city as part of the festival’s opening night.
Completing the bill is Chang Kiha, one of Korea’s most distinctive contemporary singer-songwriters, whose work crosses art pop, indie rock and alternative pop.
Tradition meets the future
The festival continues on 3 October with Wind Alone, Sand Alone – Make No Sound at Stone Nest. Bringing together musicians from Korea and France, the immersive performance combines medieval chant, Korean traditional music, ambient sound and improvisation. The project features six musicians, including Eunyong Sim of acclaimed Korean post-rock group JAMBINAI.
Gaming fans will have something to look forward to too.
On 11 October, Korean Games in Concert arrives at Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room, where the National Gugak Center’s orchestra will perform music from games including Black Desert, Lies of P, Solo Leveling: ARISE, Skul: The Hero Slayer and SANABI.
The concert will give these contemporary soundtracks a new dimension by reimagining them through traditional Korean instruments, accompanied by visuals inspired by Seoul and Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Psychedelic sounds and cross-cultural collaborations
On 17 October, Rich Mix will host Chudahye Chagis, led by vocalist Chu Dahye. The Seoul-based group combine Korean shamanic music with psychedelic funk, hip-hop, R&B and rock.
Their boundary-pushing approach has already earned major recognition, with their latest album SOSUMINJOK winning Album of the Year and Best R&B/Soul Song at the 2026 Korean Music Awards.
At the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room on 29 October, gayageum player and composer Kyungso Park will perform alongside Swedish bassist Björn Meyer. Their collaboration brings together Korean traditional music, jazz and contemporary influences, offering one of the festival’s more intimate performances.
Then, on 11 November, progressive trio Dongyang Gozupa return to London following their sold-out K-Music Festival appearance in 2022. Their music combines post-rock and progressive influences with the distinctive sound of the yanggeum, a Korean hammered dulcimer. The group will also preview new material from an upcoming release.
The festival will close on 23 November with Baroque in Blue at Upstairs at Ronnie’s. Led by pianist and composer Jisu Jung, the ensemble combines jazz improvisation with Baroque influences, reworking Charlie Parker compositions through a blend of classical and contemporary ideas.
More than K-pop
What makes K-Music Festival particularly interesting is its refusal to define Korean music through one genre.
At a time when Korean culture continues to have a huge international presence, the festival offers London audiences the chance to explore a much broader side of the country’s musical identity — from traditional folk practices and Korean instruments to experimental electronic sounds, hip-hop and gaming culture.
“K-Music Festival will help you discover a whole range of the country’s diverse aural culture,” Time Out previously noted.
For Artistic Director Jaeyeon Park, that balance between heritage and experimentation remains at the heart of the festival.
“The festival continues to evolve as a space where tradition and innovation exist in dynamic dialogue,” Park says, adding that this year’s programme reflects the “extraordinary breadth” of Korea’s musical landscape.
With performances taking place across London over almost two months, K-Music Festival 2026 is set to offer a different perspective on Korean music — one that looks beyond the global K-pop phenomenon and towards the many sounds shaping Korea’s music scene today.
K-Music Festival 2026: Key Dates
28 September — Opening Night
ADG7, Chang Kiha, Lil Cherry & GOLDBUUDA — EartH Theatre
3 October — Wind Alone, Sand Alone – Make No Sound
Stone Nest
11 October — Korean Games in Concert
Southbank Centre, Purcell Room
17 October — Chudahye Chagis
Rich Mix
29 October — Kyungso Park + Björn Meyer
Royal Albert Hall, Elgar Room
11 November — Dongyang Gozupa
Rich Mix
23 November — Baroque in Blue
Upstairs at Ronnie’s
K-Music Festival runs from 28 September to 23 November 2026.
