
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
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Lee Jung-jae breaks down Gi-hun's journey and the line that left fans hanging
'Squid Game' star emphasizes the importance of living a life one can be proud of Lee Jung-jae's journey with "Squid Game" has come to a close, delivering a finale befitting a hero. The veteran actor, who made history by becoming the first Asian to win a Primetime Emmy with the global Netflix sensation, expressed a bittersweet farewell as the series wrapped its third season, released on June 27. Rather than mourning the end of the show, Lee reflected on parting ways with the cast and crew. 'The shoot lasted a long time, and during the process, the actors and staff built a lot of memories together. … We became close, and even more than that, our teamwork was so seamless that on set, instead of tension or pressure, there was a great flow. Because of that, we could look forward to unexpected ideas and spontaneous ad-libs from each other,' Lee shared during a group interview in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Thursday. 'Now that this project is wrapping up with such a well-synced cast and crew, that's what I feel the saddest about,' he added. The character of Gi-hun underwent significant evolution over the show's three seasons. Season 1 introduced him as a carefree contestant focused on winning the 45.6 million won ($33,538) prize, while Season 2 portrayed a revenge-driven Gi-hun reentering the deadly games to halt them after losing his friends. Season 3 presented a disillusioned, emotionally drained Gi-hun following the failure of his revolution against the games. Reflecting on the demands of the role in the latest season, Lee said, 'In Season 1, Gi-hun's emotions change from episode to episode. During the marble game, for example, he deceives someone, then moves on to the next game while carrying that guilt — this emotional shift gives him a wider range of choices.' 'But as we move into Seasons 2 and 3, the desire to stop the games becomes much stronger. In a way, compared to Season 1, instead of showing various sides of him, he's portrayed in a more determined, fixed way, which made me reflect a lot," said Lee. "I couldn't help but wonder: In this context, how can I draw the audience's attention and focus? It was something I had no choice but to wrestle with.' Perhaps due to this narrative shift, Gi-hun gradually assumed more of an observer role from Season 2 onward, with some critics noting his reduced presence in Season 3. Lee agreed with the observation, explaining that the change was intentional. "In Season 1, the fun was in showing Gi-hun's emotions across various situations, but in Seasons 2 and 3, the structure changed to delivering both message and entertainment by presenting diverse situations and characters.' 'Because of that, Gi-hun transformed into more of an observer's perspective. (With this), it seemed like the heartrending stories and choices of others became more visible," he said. "I wonder if ('Squid Game' Season 3) could have been so diverse if it only focused on Gi-hun. ... I think it was a good choice. Since this is a team project, I didn't dwell on any regrets.' Gi-hun's arc concludes with a poignant moment: delivering a soliloquy about how people are not mere game pieces to a black screen behind which the VIPs — those who sponsor the "Squid Game" for their amusement — stand. His final words, 'People are…' precede his sacrifice to save a baby born during the brutal games, ensuring her victory. Lee described the complexities behind filming this scene: 'I talked a lot with the director about the fact that the lines weren't finalized. Still, we said, 'Let's at least come up with a few.' We decided to shoot everything on set and try a few versions, so I thought about it a lot too." "The director had countless ideas but wouldn't tell me. I was going crazy trying to figure out what would be good," he said. 'Whatever line we tried felt insufficient somehow. The emotions were so complex, and trying to express that in a single short line was incredibly difficult. It just felt so lacking,' said Lee, adding, 'The more time passed, the more (we) came to think that leaving it empty for viewers to fill would be the best.' 'Squid Game' has resonated worldwide with its layered messages, touching on the flaws of capitalism, democracy and social realities. Reflecting on what he hoped to convey through Gi-hun's journey, Lee said he wanted to emphasize the importance of living a life one can be proud of — free from shame. 'For me, I talk a lot about conscience. Sometimes it's about humanity, while the director (also) touches on social and political themes. But from the perspective of playing Gi-hun, I focused a lot on conscience, what kind of choice (we) would make. In the end, isn't it most important to live a life you're not ashamed of?" yoonseo.3348@


Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Police transfers DUI case involving comedian Lee Kyung-kyu to prosecution
Police said Wednesday it has sent veteran comedian Lee Kyung-kyu to the prosecution on charges of driving under the influence of drugs last month without issuing a detention request against him. Lee is accused of violating the Road Traffic Act by driving someone else's vehicle, the same model as his, under the influence of panic disorder drugs on June 8 in southern Seoul after a valet mistakenly gave him the wrong car. Police arrived at the scene following a report of a car theft, and conducted a preliminary drug test on Lee, which reportedly returned a positive result. A subsequent laboratory drug test also came back positive, according to the police. Last Tuesday, Lee appeared for questioning at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station and admitted to driving under the influence, saying he had not known he must not drive after taking medication prescribed for panic disorder. Lee's agency has said Lee has been suffering from a panic disorder for nearly 10 years and on the day of the incident, he drove to go to a hospital after taking medication for his symptoms. Under the Road Traffic Act, driving while impaired under the influence of drugs, including those prescribed for medical reasons, is prohibited. The 64-year-old seasoned comedian is known for hosting popular TV shows over decades, including "Healing Camp." (Yonhap)


Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Scooter Braun steps down as Hybe America CEO; Latin America chief Isaac Lee takes over
Hybe cites strategic synergy between North and South America as reason for executive reshuffle Scooter Braun is stepping down as CEO of Hybe America, the company announced Tuesday. Isaac Lee, the current chair of Hybe Latin America, will assume the role, overseeing Hybe's business operations across both North and South America. While Braun will no longer lead Hybe America, he remains on the company's board of directors and will serve as a senior advisor to Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the company said in a statement. The leadership transition comes as a surprise, just months after Braun and Bang were jointly ranked No. 17 on Billboard's 2025 Power 100 list for their contributions to the global music industry in January. The list highlighted achievements including Hybe's joint venture with Geffen Records, the debut of multinational girl group Katseye and the strong reception of their first EP, 'SIS (Soft Is Strong).' Though Braun has not publicly cited criticism or controversy as a reason for his departure, comments he made during a recent podcast interview hinted at possible underlying tensions. Reflecting on public backlash tied to his past business dealings with Taylor Swift and his split with longtime client Justin Bieber, Braun said, 'I was shocked. I don't need to go back into it, but what I can tell you is everything in life is a gift.' He added, 'I never knew what it was like to be on the global stage like that. I never knew what criticism like that felt like. All the praise I had received up until that moment was not deserved. All the hate I got after that moment was not deserved because none of these people knew me. The gift of pain was awareness.' Braun's feud with Swift began after his company acquired Big Machine Records in 2019, which gave him ownership of the master recordings for much of Swift's early catalog — a move she fiercely opposed. His professional relationship with Bieber, once his flagship artist, also ended in 2023 after years of speculation about their increasingly strained ties. Hybe did not elaborate on the reason for the sudden leadership change, instead emphasizing Lee's experience and strategic fit for the role. 'Isaac Lee brings exceptional creative vision, deep understanding of the local market, and a strong industry network,' the company said. 'We expect him to help grow Hybe's business in the Americas and expand the reach of Korean artists in North America.' Lee, a Colombian media executive, previously served as chief content officer at Univision Communications and Televisa, two of the world's largest Spanish-language media companies. He is also the founder of Exile Content Studio, a global multimedia company. Since November 2023, Lee has chaired Hybe Latin America and played a central role in expanding the company's presence in the region. With Lee now at the helm of both Hybe Latin America and Hybe America, the company anticipates 'operational synergies and stronger competitive edge' across the hemisphere. Hybe America's portfolio includes a wide range of labels: Big Machine Label Group, home to country music stars like Justin Moore, Thomas Rhett and Carly Pearce; Quality Control Media Holdings, known for top hip-hop artists such as Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Quavo and BigXthaPlug; and Hybe x Geffen Records, which manages Katseye, the multinational girl group behind tracks like 'Gnarly,' 'Gabriela' and 'Touch.'