NEW YORK, NY (May 25, 2023) – Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) today announced details for Korean Arts Week presented by SK Group, a celebration of Korean cultural traditions as part of Summer for the City. 

Featuring more than a dozen free events, Korean Arts Week celebrates the amazing depth and breadth of Korean culture, bringing together the past, present, and future of Korean arts, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center New York and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Film at Lincoln Center, and the New York Asian Film Festival.

 

The series showcases some of the country’s most distinctive talents with dance performances, a K-Indie Music Night, visual art exhibitions, iconic DJs, a feature program with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, wellness events, family programs and much more!

 

July 19-22, 2023

David Rubenstein Atrium

Brace yourself for an unparalleled immersive experience, brought to you by the forefront of digital design: d'strict, a Seoul-based company renowned for its mesmerizing public media art projects that have stunned audiences worldwide. WAVE will send you on a thrilling ride through a paradoxical wave that crashes and roars, appearing to engulf everything in its path, but ultimately restrained within an otherworldly space. The screen serves as a huge transparent aquarium, providing a front-row view of the endlessly undulating waves within the virtual space.

Admission is FREE and tickets are not required.

 

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 11:30 am

The Garden at Damrosch Park

Lincoln Center’s Family Programming takes center stage at Summer for the City with this outdoor series of family-friendly weekday morning Storytime sessions, intended to energize families and foster an early love for the arts. Curated by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, each Storytime event features narratives all ages will enjoy. This Musical Theatre Storytime is hosted by Helen Park, composer of Broadway's KPOP.

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served.

 

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Damrosch Park

Join Seoul punk and indie rock pioneers Crying Nut and Busan surf-rock indie band Say Sue Me for an energetic taste of Korean rock n roll, curated by the Korean Cultural Center New York. Crying Nut became a household name in South Korea following their performances at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and Say Sue Me won Best Modern Rock Album and Best Modern Rock Song at the 2019 Korean Music Awards. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see both bands perform in New York City. The evenings will also be available via livestream for those who can’t make it in person!

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

 

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 9:00 pm

The Dance Floor

We kick off Korean Arts Week with a K-pop dance party from BIAS NYC. Co-founded by Sammy Kim and Julian Tong, the group's goal is to provide dance music, entertainment, and a safe space for the K-pop fandom to log off the internet. Step into the physical world, creating deeper in-person connections about what compels us and connects us in this world. And that’s what K-pop does—bring people together. Join us for a safe, freeing evening integrating club music with K-pop—a night sure to delight!

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

 

Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Friday, July 21, 2023 at 8:00 pm

Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 2:00pm

David H. Koch Theater

One Dance (Il-mu) has been described as “a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary dance that reflects the times we live in.” It’s a modern interpretation of ceremonial dance from traditional Jongmyo Jeryeak (Korean court music), designated as “Intangible Cultural Heritage” by both the Korean government and UNESCO. A performance of “Il-mu,” originally played in a formation of several rows and columns of dancers, is recreated by Korean traditional dance choreographer Hyejin Jung (Artistic Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre) in collaboration with modern dance choreographers Sung Hoon Kim and Jae Duk Kim. A classic yet contemporary reinterpretation of ceremonial Korean traditional dance, the performance features a large formation and picturesque stage that creates a sense of grandeur, harmony, and balance. Kuho Jung, a Creative Director who has made a name for himself in fashion and the arts, offers his audience a compelling mise-en-scène that captures the essence of K-Arts in a feast for the eyes and the soul.

Tickets start at $30 and are available online here, at the Box Office at 63rd and Columbus, or by phone at 212-496-0600.

 

Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Damrosch Park

Two-time winner of Best Pop Album at the Korean Music Awards, South Korean singer-songwriter Yerin Baek arrives at Lincoln Center to deliver a night to remember, curated by the Korean Cultural Center New York. Formerly part of the K-pop duo 15&, Yerin is lauded for her unique and awe-inspiring vocals. A solo singer-songwriter, her warm voice and persona spreads genuine and far-reaching comfort, sympathy, hope, and love to fans across the globe. The evening will include popular songs from her albums FRANK, Bye bye my blue, Our love is great, Every letter I sent you, and tellusboutyourself, as well as selections from her newest release and her first cover album, Love, Yerin. Offering a mix of soul to R&B, dream pop to grunge rock, Baek’s music consistently defies expectations—she will enthrall you with her ethereal vocal stylings!

 

Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 9:00 pm

The Dance Floor

Beat the heat and immerse yourself in the beat this summer! As a child, New York-based Korean American DJ Peach loved music and sang opera. As an adult, she became an auditor at a public accounting firm until she changed careers in 2019, to become a DJ full-time. With a set list of songs featuring K-pop’s hottest artists and groups, DJ Peach will bring the beats!

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

 

Friday, July 21, 2023 at 6:00 pm

Hearst Plaza

In partnership with Lincoln Center, PEN America convenes a roster of leading NYC-based Korean-American writers and artists. The conversation will explore what fuels their creative practice, their relationship with South Korea's growing global cultural influence, and the role that Korean-American traditions and history have on their body of work. The discussion will also examine the ways in which the Korean diaspora and the broader Asian-American community have responded to the current wave of anti-Asian-American racism and violence. Over the last 100 years, PEN America has mobilized countless writers, activists, and public intellectuals in the fight to defend free expression and the open exchange of ideas. A roster of speakers and attendees for this event will be announced shortly.

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served.

 

Friday, July 21, 2023 at 7:30 pm

David Rubenstein Atrium

The innovative trio Dongyang Gozupa blends the national folk songs known as gugak with prog rock, experimental music, and heavy metal with a completely unique, modern-meets-traditional post rock combo of bass guitar, drum kit, and the Korean traditional hammered dulcimer called the yanggeum. The result is a thrillingly fast-paced, bombastic wall of percussive sound that defies easy pigeonholing. Open-minded listeners will find the band's 2022 sophomore album, KYUL, to be a treasure trove packed with aggressive shredding, instrumental flights of fancy and original compositions constructed with enrapturing complexity.

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

 

Friday, July 21, 2023 at 9:00 pm

Damrosch Park

Bong followed his critically acclaimed Memories of Murder with this Seoul-set giant monster spectacle starring Song Kang Ho and Bae Doona. After an enormous amphibious mutant—rendered as alternately chaotic, lethal, and clumsy—emerges from the Han River and begins attacking the city, a young girl is carried away by the beast; in response, her family members do everything in their power to rescue her from its clutches. A high-concept disaster film and then some, The Host took inspiration from a real incident from 2000, in which a Korean mortician was ordered by the U.S. military to illegally dump formaldehyde and gives ample space to shrewdly satirize national and foreign bodies in crisis—from inept and uncaring governments to self-righteous protesters. An NYFF44 selection and part of the New York Asian Film Festival taking place from July 14-30, 2023 at Film at Lincoln Center, co-presented by NYAFF and Film at Lincoln Center.

 

Friday, July 21, 2023 at 9:00 pm

The Dance Floor

Bounce to K-pop spun by Gamma Vibes, a New York–based electronic producer, DJ, and vibraphonist from Korea who started learning the piano at five and developed a passion for percussion at fifteen. She became fascinated with playing jazz vibraphone before graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2011. Gamma Vibes returns to Lincoln Center after performances in 2021 and 2022, presented by the Korean Cultural Center. In January 2022, she debuted inside the Metaverse for Samsung’s “837x” grand opening, and last March, she performed live at South by Southwest. She has worked with such legendary artists as two-time Grammy Award winner Richard Stoltzman, two-time Latin Grammy Award winner Eddie Gomez, and legendary drummer Steve Gadd. She brings organic originality to every performance, using the rare electronic vibraphone, partnered with contemporary synthesis. Join us for a night of K-pop infused beats!

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

 

Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 11:00 am

Griffin Sidewalk Studio, David Geffen Hall

Find stillness and clarity at the start of your Saturday with an hour of guided meditation led by Corinna da Fonseca Wollheim, set to a soulful performance of Korean traditional music by Dooyi Yoon Sook Park on gayageum, Jung Bae Park on danso, and Vong Pak on janggo. Explore a deeper connection to silence and sound through a simple mindfulness practice designed to open the heart and the ear so that you can float into your weekend refreshed and recentered. The session concludes with a short Q&A with performers and participants.

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served.

 

Saturday, July 22 Pre-show Family Workshop at 11:00 am

From the Heart of Korea at 12:00 pm

Hess Grand Promenade, David Geffen Hall

Join an interactive, creative Pre-Show Family Workshop led by Lincoln Center Teaching Artists! Open to visitors of all ages and ability levels.

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served.

 

Saturday, July 22 at 12:00 pm

Hess Grand Promenade, David Geffen Hall

Experience the lively and captivating beauty of Korean traditional dance and music in a special Korean Arts Week event perfect for the whole family! KTMDC Dance Company, under the direction of Yusun Kang, will bring this unforgettable cultural experience and will transport you to a world of ancient Korean tradition and modern interpretation. Through elegant costumes, complex footwork, and dynamic rhythms, performers showcase the rich cultural heritage of Korea with their dynamic movements and graceful gestures, leaving a lasting impression on all who attend. Before the show, join us for an interactive, creative Pre-Show Family Workshop led by Lincoln Center Teaching Artists! Open to visitors of all ages and ability levels who are excited and curious to explore art-making inspired by the performance.

This event is FREE and General Admission, first-come, first-served.

 

Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Damrosch Park

Louis Langrée, conductor

Jasmine Choi, flute

Soo Yeon Lyuh, haegeum

Trad (arr Jisoo Lee) Arirang

W. A. Mozart Concerto for Flute No. 2 in D major

Soo Yeon Lyuh Dudurim

L. v. Beethoven Symphony No. 7

This year's series of concerts from the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra kicks off with a free outdoor concert in Damrosch Park as part of Summer for the City’s Korean Arts Week, conducted by Louis Langrée. The opening program includes an orchestral arrangement of the Korean folk song Arirang, Soo Yeon Lyuh's Dudurim with the composer also performing on haegeum, and Mozart’s Concerto No. 2 for Flute featuring celebrated Korean flutist and Orchestra member Jasmine Choi. Beethoven's thrilling Symphony No. 7 rounds out the program.

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

 

Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 7:30 pm

David Rubenstein Atrium

Gray by Silver is a four-piece combo of piano, vocals, percussion, strings, and junggeum bamboo flute. The band finds equal inspiration from contemporary western classical, indigenous folk song, modern jazz, and new age instrumentals. Their latest album, 2021's The Song of Ethnic, features intricately rendered arrangements of traditional vernacular tunes, Asian nursery rhymes and original compositions by the group's lead pianist HanBin Lee. Easily accessible and beautifully executed, Gray by Silver presents music that is unmistakable in its Korean identity but global in its aspirations. The quartet's U.S. debut is part of Lincoln Center's continuing celebration of the spectrum of Korean performing arts, Korean Arts Week.

There are two ways to access this FREE event: 1. General Admission, first-come, first-served. 2. Fast Track, opening the Monday before the event at noon.

June through August

Rockefeller Center

This summer, New Yorkers will be invited to celebrate Korean culture, art, cuisine, fashion, and music at Rockefeller Center. The celebration will culminate in a week of festivities which will be held from July 19 to 23 and will include special events, offerings, and pop-ups in collaboration with retailers at Rockefeller Center. Beginning June 8, Johyun Gallery, the leading art gallery in Busan, Korea, will present Origin, Emergence, Return which will focus on emerging and younger Korean artists.