Members of the Korea Grey Youth Choir, winners of the 2024 World Choir Competition, traveled to Istanbul to perform and express gratitude to Turkish soldiers for their heroism during the Korean War. The choir emphasized the importance of maintaining the close friendship between the two nations for future generations.
The Korean choir visited Istanbul to honor the friendship that began in 1950, when Türkiye sent troops to support South Korea. Using the universal language of music, the group aimed to strengthen friendship ties between the two countries and pay tribute to the contributions of Turkish soldiers.
The choir performed at the “Concert in Memory and Appreciation of Korean War Veterans” held at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) on the 75th anniversary of the Korean War. Their repertoire earned enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Yoon Haksoo, the choir’s president, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the project was driven by a deep sense of gratitude. He recalled that Türkiye was one of 22 countries that sent troops to South Korea during the war. “Türkiye provided enormous support for us at that time. Today, we are here to thank those heroes,” Yoon said.
The Istanbul concert marked the choir’s first official performance abroad. Yoon highlighted the special significance of performing in Türkiye: “Since Türkiye and Korea are kindred nations, it is especially meaningful for us to hold our first performance here.”
Founded in 2011, the choir’s success rests on strong belief and solidarity. Many members are around 70 years old, which adds depth and resonance to their performances. “Having lived for 70 years, they can perform these songs with greater meaning,” Yoon noted.
He also emphasized that the choir members had personally funded their trip. “They bought their plane tickets with their own money to perform in Türkiye, giving this concert with great respect for the veterans here,” he said.
Yoon stressed the importance of passing the friendship between Türkiye and Korea to younger generations. “We want the brotherhood between young Turks and Koreans to continue. That’s why we have launched scholarship programs with universities in Ankara and Istanbul,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the choir plans to hold concerts across Europe, Africa and the U.S. over the next four years, hoping the veterans will be able to attend in good health.
Conductor Kim Sangkyoung also highlighted the symbolic meaning of performing in Türkiye. “Since Turkey is a kindred nation, it is significant for our first performance to be here,” he said, describing the concert as an expression of gratitude.
Kim praised the hospitality of the Turkish people. “During our morning walk in a park, everyone greeted us in Korean, English and Turkish. I really liked that,” he said. He emphasized that music serves as a shared language between nations: “Our cultures may speak different languages, but it is easy to understand each other through music.”
Before traveling to Türkiye, the choir visited the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea. Kim recalled: “We saw the graves of Turkish soldiers, mostly 19-20 years old, who had given their lives for our country. We came here thinking about how we could express our gratitude to Türkiye.”
Kim concluded by affirming the enduring bond between the peoples of Korea and Türkiye: “The Korean people will never forget Türkiye’s support. We will remember it forever and continue to love Türkiye.”
