A palace becomes the stage: traditional song meets K-pop on Immortal Songs

Imagine amplifiers against palace architecture and familiar music finding a new echo. Immortal Songs has chosen history itself as its backdrop.

The stage was prerecorded on Oct. 6 in Heungnyemun Square as a prelude to the fall Royal Culture Festival. The two television episodes were scheduled for Oct. 24 and 31 at 6:05 p.m. The announced cast spans Kim Young-im, Kim Chang-wan Band, Lyn, Lee Seung-gi, Heo Yong-byeol, Song Ga-in, BTOB's Eunkwang and Minhyuk, Honey J, La Poem, NMIXX, Park Ji-hyun, xikers and BOYNEXTDOOR. A collaboration between Kim Young-im and La Poem includes ‘Arirang’ and ‘Hand in Hand.’

Classical Korean vocal music and idol performances can seem worlds apart. Placing them in the same historic courtyard invites a comparison that is more interesting than simply declaring every genre alike.

Prebroadcast coverage relays the producers' description of audience emotion. We did not verify individual attendee comments or a representative public survey, so no invented chorus of reactions is offered.

The Royal Culture Festival uses performances, exhibitions and activities across Seoul's historic palace sites. Immortal Songs was a prerecording associated with the festival, not a new free-admission concert being held on the broadcast date.

Heritage authorities reported the Oct. 6 prerecording at Gyeongbokgung's Heungnyemun Square. KBS promotional coverage and Oct. 23–24 program listings put episode 777, part one, at 6:05 p.m. on Oct. 24 and part two on Oct. 31. These are broadcast dates, not new live performances at the palace.

Check the Oct. 31 listing and official clips for the second installment. This article does not claim verified ratings, exact running order or live viewer reactions for the Oct. 24 episode.