Korean Art Song Competition

Gagok is a genre of Korean art songs—musical settings of poems or texts composed using Western classical music traditions and notation systems, which were introduced to Korea in the late 19th century. The Korean Art Song Competition (KASC) was created to celebrate and promote the history and beauty of Gagok.

As interest in K-pop, K-dramas, Korean films, and the Korean language continues to grow in the United States, now is the perfect time to make Gagok more accessible to American audiences. This competition offers a unique opportunity for American singers to engage in an in-depth exploration of Gagok—from phonetic and poetic analysis to compositional styles, text-melody relationships, and the historical and cultural context behind each piece.

Through this event, we hope to foster deeper appreciation for Korean culture and its rich musical heritage.

We warmly invite you to join us and experience the elegance and emotion of Korean art songs—Gagok—live. Come and enjoy this special celebration of music and culture!