Three major concerts bringing together leading Hong Kong ensembles and prominent Korean musicians will mark Seoul’s cultural calendar in October.
Part of Hong Kong Week 2025@Seoul, the performances range from traditional Chinese orchestral works to contemporary Asian premieres and Romantic classics, placing music at the heart of the festival’s monthlong program.
The series begins Oct. 11 at Lotte Concert Hall, when conductor Yan Huichang leads the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. The ensemble, renowned for blending traditional Chinese instruments with modern expression, will perform a program that includes Ng Cheukyin’s “Drama,” Wang Iyu’s “Huang” and Tan Dun’s “Northwest Suite.”
Adding a Korean dimension, pansori singer Kim Soo-in of the National Changgeuk Company and organist Park Joon-ho will appear alongside sheng player Chen Yiwei and the Wizard Choir, a children’s chorus. The program also features an orchestral arrangement of the Korean classic “Chunhyangga.”
On Oct. 19, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall under the baton of music director Lio Kuokman. Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon, winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, joins as soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. The program also includes Chin Unsuk’s “Subito con Forza,” a new work by Hong Kong composer Charles Kwong and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.
The music program closes on Oct. 23 at the Bucheon Arts Center with the Asian Modern Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble founded by conductor Wilson Ng that unites musicians from across Asia and Europe. Pianist KaJeng Wong will be the featured soloist in a concert that blends classical masterworks and contemporary Asian compositions, reflecting the cosmopolitan identity of today’s orchestral scene.
The concerts form the centerpiece of Hong Kong Week 2025@Seoul, a monthlong international arts festival running Sept. 26 to Oct. 25.
Organized by Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the festival has been staged since 2019 in cities across mainland China and abroad, with Bangkok hosting it in 2023. Seoul marks its first Korean edition, presenting 14 programs spanning music, dance, film, comics, visual art and fashion.
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