Sounds of jazz to warm cool autumn

The 22nd edition of the Jarasum Jazz Festival, South Korea's largest annual jazz festival that started in 2004, is being held Friday to Sunday on Jara Island and in the surrounding town in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province.

This year, a total of 41 acts from 17 countries are performing at the event. The lineup includes Bill Frisell Trio, Ibrahim Maalouf, Mathias Eick Quintet, Wolfgang Muthspiel Trio and Hungarian Focus artists Dresch Quartet, to name a few. The festival will also feature performances from Bloto, Bireli Lagrene, Lakecia Benjamin, Dianne Reeves and Sunwoojunga.

Tickets are available at Yes24 Ticket and can also be purchased on-site before the festival ends.

In Busan, the 2025 Haeundae Jazz Festival will be held at the Haeundae Culture Center from Oct. 22-25.

Since its inception in 2014, the Haeundae Jazz Festival has become a community-centered celebration of music. Set in Haeundae, home to the city's most famous beach, the festival captures the beauty and spirit of jazz, with fresh performances each year. Sungkimoon trio and soul singer Park Jae-hong are among the artists who will take the stage.

Another event, "2025 Jazz All Stars," held on Nov. 21 at the Mapo Art Center in Daeheung-dong, western Seoul, will feature jazz artists from different generations.

The 120-minute show will feature performances by first-generation jazz vocalist Kim Jun, jazz diva Woong-san and jazz musician Maria Kim. Han Chung-eun, who plays Korean traditional bamboo flutes, daegeum and sogeum, will also appear as a special guest.

Jazz vocalist You Sa-rang, along with pianist Joeng Mose, jazz bassist Lee James, drummer Kim Jeong-hoon and guitarist Kim Young-min are joining forces as a quartet for a jazz concert.

Titled "Romantic Jazz," the concert features warm, intimate jazz, rearranging songs from different genres. It will be held on Nov. 26 at the Anseong Customized Art Hall in Gyeonggi Province.

Jazz vocalist Woong-san will hold her solo concert "All That Jazz" at the National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Theater on Dec. 5. The concert will showcase a fusion of jazz and traditional Korean music, known as "gugak," according to JP Company, her management agency.

The singer will perform her songs such as "Colors," "All in a Dream," "Somehow Today," "Everything Must Change" and "Yesterday."

Lee Jae-ha, who plays the geomungo, a Korean zither, and is known for blending traditional Korean music with modern sensibilities, and Bang Ji-won, who plays the janggu, a Korean drum, will join the show as special guests. Jazz saxophonist Lee Jung-sik, gypsy music violinist KoN and contemporary dancer Lee Luda will also take the stage.