University music listening societies offer audiophile experience for students

Music listening spaces at universities in Korea bring classical music closer to students and provide a cozy space where they can rest while enjoying tunes.

Members of Yonsei University's classical music society, Harmony, listen to classical music together. [NASIM RAGUS]

When you enter Room 120 at Korea University's Central Square, you are welcomed not by the ordinary ambiance of a classroom but by the sound of classical music playing as the sounds of violin and piano reach your ears.

The sound comes from speakers that are as tall as a human and are standing in front of a wall where videos are projected onto, informing visitors are currently hearing a a piece of music by Mahler, Chopin, Tchaikovsky or others.

The music comes from a listening room known as the Korea University Music Appreciation Center (Kumac), where students come to enjoy music in a cozy environment.

Korea University isn't the only university offering an audiophile experience for its students, with others like Seoul National University (SNU) and Yonsei University running similar clubs and facilities.

Korea University's listening room was renovated on March 20 and reopened to students on Sept. 11, offering an updated space with rearranged furniture and lighting to improve visitors' experience.

The Matrix 800 speakers from Bowers & Wilkins is a high-end lineup product recognized as the world's best speaker for its 800-watt output and three-way bass reflection, which provide a wide sound range that allows listeners to hear even the most minor details in a piece of music.

This photo shows the audio equipment at Kumac [NASIM RAGUS]

The center also has leather armchairs and tables with desk lamps for those visiting.

Kumac is run by a student club of the same name, with members organizing song lists and programs.

"It's almost like a library reading room, except there's music playing," Kim Se-ran, a member of the club, said. "Everyone is very focused, and it's quiet."

Full members of the club, given the status after a one-year probationary period, can access the center at any time.

Non-members, whether they study at Korea University or not, can access the room between noon and 1:30 p.m. on weekdays. It is occasionally also open between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. The club also posts specific hours on its Instagram page.

Those visiting the center can also make song requests at the door.

"Even if you don't know much about classical music or are not familiar with it, please feel free to come to Kumac at any time," Kim said.

"If you're interested in learning more about a piece you first heard in the listening room, we'd like to encourage you to search its title and listen to different versions [of it] to get a feel for the different interpretations of each arranger or conductor."

Kim added, "If a song intuitively resonates with you, it's a good idea to listen to it [multiple] times to get used to it and then start [studying its] background and features."

Students listen to music at the Korea University Music Appreciation Center. [NASIM RAGUS]

The club also allows its members to choose and curate music, and they go out twice a year to buy albums of their liking to place them in the listening room, with money collected from donations and the club's budget.

Kumac also co-hosts events with clubs of similar nature at other universities. In particular, it holds events with Yonsei University's Harmony twice a year. They invite each other to their listening rooms for joint sessions, which have taken place over many semesters.

Yonsei University music listening club Harmony's listening room was also renovated and reopened on Sept. 11.

Harmony's listening room, Room 314 at Yonsei's Student Union Building, welcomes its visitors with bright lights, couches and a table for co-working, as well as a members-only coffee machine. It has an interactive and comfortable come-and-go atmosphere. Currently, pieces by Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Mahler are played the most often from the club's music collection.

During the semester, the listening room is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Park Ha-sung, Harmony's president and publication manager, students often stop by the room between classes to rest since there aren't many places on campus where they can easily come and go.

Apart from the music room's regular opening hours, it hosts weekly music appreciation sessions on Friday, during which members share their classical music recommendations with other members who might not be as well acquainted with pieces they love.

Seoul National University, located on the other side of the Han River, has its own classical music association named Sorijigi, which has been running since 1978. Sori in Korean means sound, and jigi means keeper. Thus, the name Sorijigi translates to keepers of sound.

Sorijigi's spacious listening room is conveniently situated next to the cafeteria on the first floor of the university's Student Center, or Building 63, and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Seoul National University's music listening room Sorijigi is pictured. [NASIM RAGUS]

Like other audio rooms, it's equipped with audio equipment for listeners, a station for music requests and a screen that shows the piece being played.

Sorijigi's collection is kept in its DJ booth, from where it plays pieces using a streaming service that is funded by membership contributions. To inform its visitors of what to expect during their visit to the venue, Sorijigi uploads daily playlists on its Instagram, which it later compiles into monthly Instagram story highlights.

"There was a request by someone who wanted to know more about classical music," Baek Seo-yeon, president of Sorijigi, said. "They said that if we give more background information about the music being played, other than just the composer and the title, people who are not familiar with classical music will be able to enjoy it better."

Baek added, "To be honest, it surprised us that a visitor had such passion and interest in classical music."

The club is currently preparing for its visitor-oriented event called Sori World, through which it hopes to get to know its audience better by accepting and reading submissions of stories from visitors, like a radio show.

BY STUDENT REPORTER NASIM RAGUS [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]