Korean centre seeks Afrobeat-K-pop music collaboration

The Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria has expressed interest in fostering collaboration between Nigeria’s Afrobeat sound and traditional Korean music, using the global appeal of K-pop to deepen cross-cultural ties through music.

This was revealed by the KCCN Director,  Jeon Ju Ho, on Tuesday during the opening of the exhibition titled “K-pop Meets Korean Traditional Music” at the Centre’s premises in Abuja.

K-pop, a global music phenomenon that originated from South Korea, has garnered millions of fans worldwide.

While highlighting the depth and emotional resonance of traditional Korean music embedded in K-pop, Ju Ho noted that no meaningful collaboration has yet occurred between Korean traditional music and Nigeria’s globally renowned Afrobeat genre — a gap he believes presents an opportunity for artistic fusion.

“When it comes to Korean traditional music, to be honest, there has not been any collaboration around Afrobeat.

“We are hoping for more collaborations and opportunities so that traditional Nigerian music can also be introduced to Korea.”

According to Ju Ho, many Nigerians love K-pop but are unaware of the traditional Korean sounds that influence it.