Entertainment · K-Culture & Anime · 5 hrs ago
Former South Korean vice minister releases AI-assisted Shakespeare album
Former South Korean vice culture minister Yong Ho-sung has released his first full-length album under the stage name Dr Dragon.
Called “Fragile Beauty,” it turns 15 of Shakespeare’s sonnets into chamber folk songs.
Ho-sung wrote lyrics based on the sonnets and used AI to compose the music, while an AI voice named NikkiD sings.
The album is part of DiVerse, a project to reinterpret all 154 of Shakespeare’s sonnets as music.
The project brings centuries-old poems into contemporary musical styles, with arrangements that also draw on avant-garde jazz.
Ho-sung plans to release further sonnet albums monthly in genres including jazz, blues, hip-hop and K-pop.
He also plans to share the work with Shakespeare-related groups in Britain and the United States to pursue collaborations.
Former South Korean culture vice minister Yong Ho-sung released his first full-length album on 10 November under the stage name Dr. Dragon.
Fragile Beauty reworks 15 Shakespeare sonnets as chamber folk songs.
Yong wrote lyrics based on the sonnets and used AI for composition; an AI voice called NikkiD sings on the album.
The album is part of DiVerse, a project to reinterpret all 154 Shakespeare sonnets in music.
Yong said he hopes the album will bring classical literature to today’s listeners and offer reflection and comfort.
- Who
- Yong Ho-sung, a former South Korean culture vice minister who performs as Dr. Dragon.
- What
- He released Fragile Beauty, an AI-assisted album based on 15 Shakespeare sonnets.
- When
- 10 November 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Yong said he wanted to bring the enduring vitality of classical literature to contemporary listeners and offer reflection and comfort.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Yong Ho-sung won a music criticism contest held by the monthly magazine Gaekseok and began criticism work.
Yong won the AI Love Jazz competition held in Montreux, Switzerland.
Yong released his first full-length album, Fragile Beauty.
- Album
- Fragile Beauty
- Tracks
- 15 songs based on Shakespeare sonnets
- Project
- DiVerse aims to reinterpret all 154 Shakespeare sonnets in music
- AI singer
- NikkiD
- Stage name
- Dr. Dragon
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What people are saying
I wanted to revive the eternal vitality of the classics and reach today’s public in a familiar musical language.
Through this, I want to offer listeners a time for deep reflection and comfort.