Korean Folk Opera and Drama Soundtracks: Mixed by Lucy Liyou

The act of world-building is often brought up when considering the ways in which artists approach their work. 

Lucy Liyou – the Philadelphia-based experimental musician behind vital full-length releases such as 2020’s Welfare and 2021’s Practice – is an artist garnering steady recognition for their world-building abilities. It makes sense, of course, given that much of Liyou’s work is inspired by pansori – a traditional Korean art form, also referred to as folk opera, performed by a solo vocalist and a single drummer. Think enthralling and dramatic storytelling through song.

For our Specialist Mix series, Liyou taps into their web of musical influences as they craft a mix around pansori pieces and music featured on Korean drama soundtracks. 

“The unmatched expanse and musicality you hear in the excerpts of the five remaining pansori repertoire featured in this mix should be both a rebuke and a challenge to the one-dimensional pastiche of Korean drama OSTs regurgitated to this day,” says Liyou. “Here, alongside the pansori, I introduce my favourite Korean OSTs – past and future – that represent both perfection in form and a vision of what Korean OSTs can be.”