Pianist and Kyungnam University professor Lee Kyung Mi (center) and the Japanese string quartet Excelsior on Nov. 7 clap after finishing their performance at "Korea-Japan Friendship Concert" held at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul's Songpa-gu District. (Lee Kyoung Mi)

By Lee Kyoung Mi

Domestic and Japanese spectators on the evening of Nov. 7 filled the seats of Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul's Songpa-gu District to watch "Korea-Japan Friendship Concert."

The event seeks to strengthen bilateral friendship and expand cultural exchange through harmony built between Korean and Japanese artists. Lee Kyung Mi, professor emeritus at Kyungnam University in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, collaborated with the Japanese string quartet Excelsior comprising violinists Yuka Nishino and Haruna Kitami, violist Yukiko Yoshida and cellist Hajime Otomo.

Lee's heated performance that belied her age of 60 and the sophisticated melody of the quartet, which has performed for 29 years, became one on stage. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause throughout the two-hour concert.

"I was surprised to see far more people show up than I expected," Lee told Korea.net in a phone interview the day after the performance. "I could feel the support from the audience, who looked forward to music jointly created by Korean and Japanese musicians."

The performance was held the request of former Japanese Ambassador to Korea Kazuo Ogura to the professor, who has continuously sought to improve bilateral relations through music.

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have resumed shuttle diplomacy, or the practice of visiting each other's countries, through six bilateral summits and Koreans and Japanese in Israel last month were evacuated by Korean military aircraft. Amid improving relations in many sectors, the goal of the concert was a reconciliatory atmosphere through culture.

"I've always believed in contributing from a cultural perspective," Lee said. "Excelsior heard about the concert's purpose and willingly came after canceling prior plans."

"I think Korea-Japan relations are similar to a musician's performance on stage. A musician invests a lot of time in study and continuous practice behind the scenes to put on a good performance. While bilateral ties are improving, many unseen efforts are probably ongoing. Not only must such cultural exchange continue but people must remember that studying history is also a necessity."

km137426@korea.kr