Janice Jo Lee, the Toronto‑based folk‑fusion singer of Korean descent, will finally perform in her ancestral homeland after a decade‑long battle over citizenship and visa rules. The three‑city tour kicks off in Busan and will include stops in Seoul and Jeonju, the latter of which is set to host her at the country’s premier folk‑music event.

Lee’s return to Korea was not a simple matter of booking venues. Born in Canada to Korean parents, she had a legal claim to Korean citizenship. However, the nationality law in effect at her birth prohibited dual citizenship, forcing her to renounce that claim and apply for a Canadian work visa. Lee has described the process as a “bureaucratic nightmare” that stalled her band’s touring plans and even led to the cancellation of a Canadian tour last year.

The invitation that finally opened the gates to Korea came after Kim Hee‑sun, then artistic director of the Jeonju International Sori Festival, spotted the QTs performing in Ottawa. Kim told Lee, “the way I sing about my grandmother, the deep melancholy in the melodies—my music was more Korean than I understood.” That remark, according to Lee, validated her long‑standing effort to weave her music with her heritage.

Lee’s family ties span two distinct Korean regions. Her father’s side hails from Ulleung Island in North Gyeongsang Province, while her mother’s family comes from Mokpo in South Jeolla Province. Growing up in Toronto, Lee spoke Korean at home, attended Korean church, and practiced ancestral rites (jesa) and Lunar New Year celebrations. She also studied gugak, Korea’s traditional music and dance, from a young age.

She has spoken candidly about the experience of being a “gyopo,” a Korean‑Canadian who feels neither fully Canadian nor fully Korean. Racism and a sense of outsider status pushed her to explore her roots, a theme that permeates her songwriting. Her work often references “Ancestor Songs,” a concept she uses to describe the music and voice inherited from her lineage.

Musically, Lee blends folk storytelling, blues, and Korean traditional elements. In 2018 she began studying the janggu, an hourglass‑shaped drum central to gugak. She described the rhythm as syncopated and lilting, contrasting with Western classical music’s “square” patterns. The learning process was described as a “decolonizing” of her body’s musical instincts, and the result can be heard in the track “Years of Secret Melody.”

Pansori, another Korean tradition, also inspired Lee. She co‑wrote “Swim Forever” with her mother, poet Young Hee Kim, who translated the lyrics into Korean.

Lee’s lyrical themes extend beyond heritage. She has stated that she applies principles of human rights and self‑determination to her band’s operations and to her songs. The track “Fire Fire” addresses global environmental destruction, while other pieces critique capitalism’s impact on the planet and people.

The QTs, a multicultural ensemble that includes members from China, Sri Lanka, Mexico, and Catalonia, are led by Lee as a small business owner. She has expressed frustration with the music industry’s shift toward free digital content, noting that recordings are now largely controlled by “Big Tech” and that live performances have become the only remaining revenue source.

The tour schedule begins Friday at Busan’s HQ Bar, with Nereidas opening. The next two shows are in Seoul: Saturday at Uplift, where proceeds partially support the Beyond The Rainbow Foundation, and Sunday at Seendosi. On August 13 the band will appear at the Jeonju International Sori Festival. Lee said this will be her third visit to Korea and she hopes family members, including her aunt, will attend.

For more information about the tour, dates, and tickets, visit janicejolee.ca.