At a recent colloquium of the Music Team of the Center for Modern Korean Studies, two presentations explored Korean contemporary music from the perspectives of traditional instruments and emerging technologies.

In the first presentation, Professor Lee Jiyoung(Seoul National University) examined gayageum works created in collaboration with composers from diverse global backgrounds. Focusing on selected compositions, the talk highlighted how the gayageum has been reinterpreted and expanded within contemporary compositional discourse, revealing new sonic possibilities and performance practices in an international context.

In the second presentation, Professor Oh Hee-sook(Seoul National University) discussed Korean contemporary music that incorporates technology, with a particular focus on computer music and AI-based composition. Through analyses of representative works – and with the participation of one of the composers whose piece was discussed – the presentation offered rare insights into compositional processes and artistic intentions at the intersection of music and technology.

This colloquium provided an opportunity to reflect on how traditional instruments and advanced technologies intersect in contemporary Korean music, opening up new creative pathways and modes of musical expression.