
Lee Seung-yoon ready for the international stage
Singer-songwriter Lee Seung-yoon, loved for his electrifying stage presence and philosophical, poetic lyrics, is now venturing beyond Korea to reach a global audience.
Having earned a steady following performances at a variety of music festivals, Lee kicked off the 2025 festival season late last month at The Glow 2025 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
Lee is set to appear at several major domestic festivals in the coming months, including Lovesome 2025 at Nanji Hangang Park in Seoul on April 27, the 2025 KMA Festival on May 3, the Peak Festival 2025 on May 24, Beautiful Mint Life 2025 on June 13, the Chilpo Jazz Festival on June 14 and the Asian Pop Festival 2025 on June 22.
Lee's schedule will also see him performing on international stages.
On May 1, Lee is to perform in the Taiwan capital at Road to Bu-Rock Taipei, ahead of the 2025 Busan International Rock Festival. On July 19, he will take the stage at Colours of Ostrava 2025, one of Europe's top music festivals, in Ostrava, Czech Republic — marking his first live performance in Europe.
Colours of Ostrava was named one of the top 10 music festivals in Europe by The Guardian newspaper in 2016. Lee joins a prestigious lineup that includes global stars Sting, Iggy Pop and The Chainsmokers.
Lee first popped up on the music scene in 2011 as a finalist in the MBC College Musicians Festival, performing own original songs. He continued to make music as part of rock band Alary-Kansion, but his breakthrough came in 2020 when he won JTBC reality music competition "Sing Again," leaving a strong impression on viewers with his rebellious charm.
In February, Lee was named musician of the year at the 22nd Korean Music Awards, where he also won for best rock song for the main track of his third full-length album, 'Yeok Seong,' and best modern rock song for 'Waterfall,' another track from the same album.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Korea Herald
15 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee to host public film screening to commemorate 80th Liberation Day anniversary
President Lee Jae Myung said Saturday he will host a movie screening for members of the public this weekend as part of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. In a social media post, Lee said he plans to watch "La Resistance," a documentary film on the Korean independence movement, on Sunday at a movie theater in Seoul and shared a website link for the public to apply for the event. The exact location and time were not disclosed for security reasons. Lee said the participants will be chosen randomly due to limited seating and asked for the public's understanding. "Behind the prosperity and freedom we enjoy today are countless unsung heroes who devoted themselves with indomitable will for liberation and the restoration of our sovereignty," Lee wrote on social media. "I invite you to join me in remembering their sacrifice and honoring the meaning of the 80th Liberation Day." Liberation Day, celebrated annually on Aug. 15, commemorates the end of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.


Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Journalist adopts cat behind 'frozen Han River' meme
"Over the Han River, frozen solid, a cat is walking," goes a popular internet meme that swept across Korean social media last year. Lee Dong-hak, the MBN video journalist who filmed the original clip of a cat crossing the river, revealed through his YouTube channel last week that he located and adopted the very female cat that inadvertently sparked the meme. Originally aired on Dec. 27, 2021, the news clip covered a cold snap that gripped the country, freezing a part of the wide river running through the nation's capital. However, it went viral for the anchor's description of the lonely cat's walk once it was spotted, particularly his use of the word "kong kong" — a Korean onomatopoeia for the state of being frozen solid. The somewhat rhythmic phrasing led internet users to add a melody and rhythm to the clip, which spurred a TikTok dance trend. It took off, with K-pop stars including IU, members of Twice, Seventeen, aepa's Karina and BTS' Jin taking part in the "Kong-nyangi Challenge," named by combining the slang word for cat, "nyangi," with kong from kong kong. The popular meme led to the stray cat being found by someone on the internet, who posted her photo and the information that she was seen at Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul. "I've always felt bad for not caring for the cat who gave so much joy to the people," Lee wrote in the YouTube video. "I thought there was little chance I would find her, but I went anyway. ... Then I saw a cat, and I knew instantly it was the one that I filmed that day." Lee said he recognized the cat by the patterns on her fur and got close by feeding her every night. He eventually adopted her and named her Kong Kong, after the popular meme. The journalist said he logged onto the animal protection information system to find that a female cat resembling her had been neutered in March of 2021. He also found online photos and videos that appear to be of Kong Kong dating back to April of 2020. In them, she appeared younger with both her ears intact. Clipping the ear is a standard procedure here after neutering a stray cat. Based on this information, he presumed that Kong Kong was born sometime in 2019. The two videos about the popular cat getting a home have garnered over 400,000 views as of Wednesday.


Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea to mark 80th Liberation Day with commemorative ceremony, formal inauguration of Lee
South Korea will commemorate its National Liberation Day on Friday with a series of major events in central Seoul: a morning ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, and an inauguration ceremony for President Lee Jae Myung in the evening. At 10 a.m., the commemoration of the 80th National Liberation Day will take place at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts. Around 2,500 people, including descendants of independence activists, senior government officials, diplomatic missions to Korea as well as representatives of various social groups, will be in attendance. Eighty national flags of Korea will be displayed on stage in commemoration of the 80th anniversary, while the opening performance, 'Arirang Rhapsody,' will blend traditional Korean music, orchestra and choral elements in symbolism of the country's growth over eight decades. The descendants of 80 independence activists will also join the stage during the performance. Another celebratory performance will also take place in the form of a theatrical production, showcasing Korea's cultural strength envisioned by late independence leader Kim Gu. The program will also feature the Pledge of Allegiance, accompanied by actor Cho Jin-woong, as well as a commemorative address and an award ceremony where Independence Merit Awards will be handed out to the independence activists' descendants. A total of 311 people have been named as recipients this year, and five of those recipients will receive the award in person at the ceremony. In the evening, an inauguration ceremony for President Lee will take place at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. Lee, who assumed the presidency on June 4, took the position without the customary transition period or ceremony. According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the event will bring together leading figures across various fields in Korean society — including business, culture, education, labor, science and technology and women's affairs — alongside senior government officials and politicians, and foreign diplomats based in Korea. Some 3,500 citizens who applied in advance will also be in attendance. Eighty citizen representatives, including trauma surgeon and director of the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital Lee Guk-jong and go master Lee Se-dol will take the stage to hand the letter of appointment to Lee. Each representative will deliver the letter, which contains their hopes and wishes for Korea and its future. The event will be followed by the president's remarks, expressing gratitude and commitment for his remaining career in office. The evening ceremony will also consist of cultural performances, featuring a musical performance by veteran singer Lee Eun-mi and a performance of 'Golden' from the "K-pop Demon Hunters" soundtrack by Izna. Both opposition parties — the People Power Party and New Reform Party — stated that they will not be attending Lee's inauguration ceremony. Representatives from both parties were quoted in local media reports saying that they found 'no clear purpose' for the appointment ceremony and said it 'does not align with the spirit of National Liberation Day.'