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| Korean fusion folk-pop band ADG7 holds a North America tour in November. Courtesy of SORI Artists |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Korean folk-pop group Ak Dan Gwang Chil, also known as ADG7 internationally, has embarked on a North America tour this month, resuming live concerts as the COVID-19 pandemic situation settles.
The nine-member band combines music used for Korea's shamanic "gut" ritual and "minyo" (folk songs) from Hwanghae Province, now in North Korea, to create a new style of traditionally minded Korean music for contemporary audiences.
"Ak Dan" from the group's name means troupe and "Chil" means seven, as the band was established in 2015 when Korea commemorated the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
Unlike other Korean folk fusion bands which are open to the use of electronic instruments, ADG7 only uses traditional Korean instruments such as "gayageum" (12-string plucked zither), "daegeum" (bamboo flute) and "piri" (double-reed instrument).
The band has received much attention both domestically and globally, reflecting the rising popularity of Korean music around the world.
The New York Times described ADG7's music as "bouncy, upbeat, often swinging songs that link the concision of folk tunes to the catchy repetition of pop, with brash cymbals for drive and flute and zither lines for instrumental hooks."
ADG7 made its U.S. debut in January 2020, but its concert tour plans were postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the band had to meet audiences through virtual concerts until it could return to the U.S. for this live concert tour.
The North America tour kicked off on Nov. 3 at the Wilshire Ebelle Theatre in Los Angeles, co-hosted by the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles and SORI Artists, a New York-based artist service agency specializing in Korean music.
At the concert, ADG7 performed new songs from the newly released second album, "Such is Life," and other hits from its first album including "Young Jeong Geo Ri," "Eulssa," "Whatever," "Hello, Lonely," "Hee Hee" and more.
The tour continued to Seattle, Washington, on Nov. 5, and Portland, Oregon, and Nov. 7.
ADG7 will continue to perform through Nov. 21 on the eastern side of the continent including Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware, as well as Quebec, Canada.
"The U.S. concert industry is not fully welcoming international artists yet. We hope ADG7's tour would become a good example and open more opportunities in the U.S. for international artists, including those from Korea," concert organizer SORI Artists said in a press release.
