‘The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026(The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026)
Scheduled for May 22 to 24, the nation’s flagship music festival, ‘The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026(The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026)(hereinafter SJF)’, has announced its final 60-act lineup along with a timetable by performance date.
The final lineup includes Latin Kitchen Luna with Elaine, a Latin American music band formed by bandoneonist Ko Sang-ji and jazz pianist Choi Moon-seok. Since debuting with the single [Chef Gato] in March last year, Latin Kitchen Luna has continued steady musical activity, and through two solo concerts has presented stages spanning cha-cha, samba, bolero, and more. At this year’s SJF, they will open Saturday, May 23 at MAY FOREST(88 Jandi Madang), taking the stage with vocalist Elaine to present an even richer Latin sound.
This year’s SJF brings together artists across diverse genres centered on jazz. On Friday, May 22, the bill includes Janelle Monáe, who delivers performances fusing soul, funk, and hip-hop; legendary jazz trumpeter and 10-time Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval; the ‘Meboz’ DxS Dokyeom X Seungkwan (SEVENTEEN) from leading K-pop group SEVENTEEN; Jenevieve, behind the hit song ‘Baby Powder’; and singer-songwriter Jang Beom June, who sings candid lyrics with an unadorned voice.
On Saturday, May 23, the lineup features Jon Batiste, a singular artist who transcends genres including jazz and pop and a seven-time Grammy winner; FKJ (French Kiwi Juice), known for loop performances in which he plays piano, guitar, saxophone, and more simultaneously; 23-year veteran hip-hop group Epik High, who deliver sincere lyrics; singer-songwriter Yerin Baek, who has charted her own course with a robust musical universe; and two members of the group NCT, TAEYONG and HAECHAN, who will fill the stage with their distinct colors.
On Sunday, May 24, the stage will be graced by Herbie Hancock, a legend of the jazz world with a 65-year career and 14 Grammy Awards; Of Monsters and Men, Iceland’s representative band that captures both buoyancy and lyricism; the trio jazz band Medeski Martin & Wood, which adds experimental sounds to straight-ahead jazz; HYUKOH, a band that delves delicately into emotions with unadorned music; and Silica Gel, known for psychedelic textures and explosive energy.
Alongside performances by top-tier domestic and international artists, additional content to further enrich the festivalsuch as official MD, F&B booths, promotional booths, and the SJF VILLAGEwill be unveiled sequentially.
One-day tickets and regular-price three-day tickets for The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival 2026 are currently on sale via Melon Ticket, and further details can be found on the official website and official social media.
