Coreyah taps into an international folk-music vibe with its psychedelic sound.

The Seoul-based band’s freewheeling vision combines traditional Korean melodies and lyrics with a variety of global music elements—Anglo-American rock, funk, Balkan-Romani folk, and South American and African beats.

The band amplifies the customary Korean percussion, flute, and stringed instruments with driving, rhythmic percussion to create traditional Korean Gugak folk-modern rock fusion.

The sextet—Kim Donggeun (daegeum, sogeum, tungso); Ham Boyoung (vocals); Jeong Jun Kyu (percussion, Chulhyungeum); Kyungyi (percussion); Kim Yerim (geomungo); and Ko Jaehyeon (guitar)—made its debut in 2010. The band was featured on an NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert in 2020.

The name Coreyah is a Sino-Korean homonym that refers to the inheritance of the past. Translated to Korean, it means “whale,” the group’s totem animal and good luck charm.

Free but registration is required.