Baek Byung-dong, Pioneering Korean Composer, Dies at 90
Baek Byung-dong, a leading figure in Korean contemporary classical music, died on the 12th at age 90.
Born in 1936 in Manchuria, he studied at Seoul National University’s College of Music and went on to study composition in Germany at Hannover under Yun I-sang.
Over a career spanning six decades, he produced more than 100 works across genres, including song, orchestral music, chamber pieces, opera, cantata, dance music, and traditional Korean music.
Notable works include vocal pieces such as “O Green Tombstones!” and “Funeral Song,” as well as “Sea and Butterfly.” His orchestral titles include “Jin-yeo,” “Byeon-yong,” “Yeoulmok,” and “Jin-hon.”
His honors began with the 1961 New Artist Award and extended to the Korea Composers Award, Korea Dance Festival Music Award, Seoul City Cultural Award, and the Korean Music Award.
Baek served as a professor at Seoul National University, later becoming professor emeritus, and held an endowed chair at Cheonan University. He was named a member of the Korea Academy of Arts in 2011.
In 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded him the Silver Crown Medal for his contributions to arts and culture.
He wrote influential books for music students, including Harmony (화성학), which remains a widely used textbook in Korea, along with Music Theory, Trends in Contemporary Music, and Seven Fermatas.
Survivors include his wife, Woo-haja, and his nephew Woo Yeon. The wake is at St. Mary’s Funeral Home in Seoul, with the funeral service scheduled for 6:50 a.m. on the 15th and burial at Seoul Memorial Park.
Context for U.S. readers: Baek’s life reflects Korea’s postwar emergence of a serious, globally connected modern music scene. His European study and leadership in Korean music education helped shape a generation of composers and students, while his textbooks illustrate how Korea’s academic infrastructure supports cultural production. As the United States increasingly engages with Korean culture, Baek’s legacy highlights the intellectual and educational foundations underpinning Korea’s growing influence in contemporary music, arts, and cultural diplomacy.