Documentary on Foreign Musicians’ Korean Traditional Band "Sound Trek" to Be Released in October

Five Members Selected Through April Auditions by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Performance in Uzbekistan... Showcasing the Selection and Training Process

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on September 15 that, in collaboration with the Foundation for International Broadcasting Exchange, it has formed the foreign musician Korean traditional music band "Sound Trek" and will release a five-part documentary chronicling the band's formation and musical journey to domestic and international audiences in October.

Sound Trek is a Korean traditional music band comprised of five talented musicians from Germany, Russia, Mexico, Mongolia, and Burkina Faso. Each member is responsible for a different instrument: wind instruments (such as flute and daegeum), keyboard instruments (accordion), vocals, string instruments (morin khuur), and percussion (djembe and janggu).

Sound Trek Uzbekistan Concert Poster [Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

The members were selected through auditions held in April and have dedicated themselves to about five months of intensive training under the guidance of Korean traditional music experts, including Kwon Songhee, a vocalist formerly of the band Leenalchi, master percussionist Jang Jaeho, and daegeum player Baek Dasom. In August, the band held its debut performance in Uzbekistan, presenting a unique stage with reinterpretations and arrangements of works such as "Sarangga," "Bukcheong Lion Dance," "Gut Pungnyu Sinawi," and the "Arirang Medley," blending instruments from various countries.

Sound Trek has been officially invited to perform at the "2025 Yeongdong World Korean Traditional Music Expo," the first-ever Korean traditional music expo in Korea, and will meet domestic audiences on September 18.

The documentary, which captures Sound Trek's auditions, training, stage preparations, and the personal lives and stories of its members, will be broadcast worldwide at the end of October on Arirang TV. Currently, preview videos of their activities are available on the Arirang TV YouTube channel ahead of the main broadcast.

A policy official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "Sound Trek is a special attempt by foreign musicians to reinterpret Korean traditional music with instruments from around the world. We hope that the sound of Korea, amplified by embracing differences beyond borders and cultural divides, will resonate with viewers around the globe."