Lotte Concert Hall Revisits the Magic of Shinik Hahm & Symphony Song's 2019 New Year's Eve Concert
The roar of the crowd that filled the Lotte Concert Hall at the end of 2019 still feels like yesterday. Seven years on, the magic of that night is once again a hot topic among music fans. With recent broadcasts revisiting the concert footage, even those who weren't there to witness 'the magic' firsthand are now caught up in the excitement.
The Unbeatable Synergy of Shinik Hahm and Symphony Song
The stars of this concert, which ran from December 31st, 2019, to January 1st, were undoubtedly conductor Shinik Hahm and his orchestra, Symphony Song. As always, he conducted the musicians with boundless energy, and the audience was immediately under his spell. Symphony Song's ensemble, renowned for the rich, warm tone of its strings, perfectly delivered major works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, infusing them with their own distinct colour under Hahm's dynamic direction.
The Night the Lotte Concert Hall Came Alive
Among the countless concerts that mark the year-end season, this one stands out and is still talked about because it transcended a simple performance – it was a true celebration. The absolute highlight of the New Year's Eve concert was the impromptu jam session towards the end. The playful glances Shinik Hahm exchanged with his orchestra members, the spontaneous applause and laughter that erupted from the audience – that night, the formalities of classical music were cast aside in favour of pure, shared joy.
- The Setlist: Featured the 'Ode to Joy' solo from Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker' Suite, and a medley of Korean art songs arranged by Shinik Hahm himself.
- Special Moment: Just before the New Year's bells rang, the entire audience joining in a mass 'sing-along' (if you can call it that!) to 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik' became the stuff of legend.
- The Encores: After four encores, Shinik Hahm's cheeky encouragement of his exhausted musicians brought hearty laughter from the delighted crowd.
Reliving the Magic of 2019
The recently released live footage and audio recordings from that night are proving to be a precious gift for music lovers. These documents, which have only grown more brilliant with time, vividly demonstrate how the perfect acoustics of the Lotte Concert Hall blended with Shinik Hahm's unique charisma. While some fans lament, "If only we could experience that 2019 energy again," there's immense gratitude for being able to trace the echoes of that night through the recordings.
A spokesperson for the venue said, "The 2019 New Year's Eve and New Year's concert remains one of the most shining moments in our hall's history," adding, "We will continue to rediscover and present such legendary performances." Here in 2026, we are still listening to the echoes of that night's applause.