Published on: 2025/02/14 20:00
Friday means it's time for our Arts and Culture segment.
We're joined by our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin in the studio.
Welcome!
Great to be here!
What do you have for us today?
There's a saying: 'Don't be afraid to try something new. It might just become the best thing you ever do.'
And here in Korea, a concert taking place today and tomorrow is proof of that.
Today, I have a sneak peek of a bold fusion of two very different musical worlds.
Take a look.
This 2007 hit by SM Entertainment's girl group Girls' Generation, "Into the New World," has jumped into a new world -the world of classical music.
Since 2020, SM Entertainment and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra have teamed up, with eight classical renditions of songs by artists such as SHINee, Red Velvet, and aespa.
Now, they've brought the world's first-ever K-pop orchestra live concert to Seoul.
"It's the first of a kind in that the entire setlist performed by the orchestra is K-pop songs. So we're very proud of that."
Performing over a dozen K-pop songs, is a new experience for everyone, starting with arranging the music.
The key was to keep the original while adding originality.
"When arranging, we sample works by famous classical music composers. We looked for pieces that would blend well with the original K-pop track to stay true to the original and highlight the classical elements."
Then, it was practice, practice, and more practice until every note hit the mark.
"We watched the original performance videos and compared them to the sheet music. Our goal was to bring the lyrics, rhythms, melodies, and emotional depth of the K-pop tracks into our orchestral performance."
Finding this new groove wasn't easy.
The orchestra's associate concertmaster compares it to learning a new language.
"Because we're so used to playing all the you know normal classics Beethoven, Mahler, Brahms you know, and then now you know all these K-pop songs, so it's been a little bit challenging in a way."
But in the end, they discovered the beauty of crossing genres and unlocking new potential.
"We're taking K-pop's flashy performance and transforming it into something you can appreciate with just your ears. We're not just playing melodies. We're reimagining K-pop as 21st-century orchestral music. Even if you're not familiar with the original songs, you'll find something to enjoy."
Two genres, worlds apart, have come together to strike a chord, creating something groundbreaking, making classics trendy, and turning trends into timeless classics.
It really sounds like the audience will get the best of both worlds.
As you mentioned in your report, this concert is taking place today and tomorrow.
Can you tell us a bit more about what the audience can expect?
Of course!
The first concert is happening right now.
It started at 8 PM Korea time at the Seoul Arts Center, which is just about a 10-minute walk from our station.
Tomorrow's concert will be held at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul's Songpa-gu District, starting at 5 PM.
Tickets are available both online and at the venue.
SPO will be performing 16 to 17 songs by SM artists.
What's notable is that SHINee's Minho will host both concerts and Red Velvet's Wendy will join the orchestra to perform her solo songs during Saturday's show.
But for those who can't make it, is there any way they can still experience this collaboration?
Luckily, there is.
Last month, SM Classics released its first full album, "Across the World."
It's available on major music platforms like Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music.
The album features 14 songs, including some that are being performed at these concerts.
When asked which songs stood out, Conductor Kim mentioned aespa's "Black Mamba" and SHINee's "Sherlock," while the arrangers picked Red Velvet's "Feel My Rhythm."
All three are on the album, and you can hear them live at the concerts as well.
And there's more to come.
This September, Seoul Philharmonic will collaborate with Jung Jae-il, the composer behind the Squid Game soundtrack, to perform his latest works.
It'll be fascinating to see how the orchestra reinterprets contemporary music once again.
That sounds like something to mark on the calendar.
Thank you for your report today, Yoo-jin.
Always a pleasure.
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