Western choral music was first introduced to Korea over 130 years ago. Choral singing in Korean traditional music does not exist, and music is sung by singers only in terms of unison, antiphonal, and responsorial singing. Hymns brought to Korea by Christian missionaries were the first introduction of Western choral music, and the hymns also played an important role in educating Koreans about the Christian faith. The first instance of choral education was taught in church choirs.
There are more than 60,000 protestant churches in Korea, and 5 of the top 10 mega churches in the world are located in Korea. According to 2005 Population and Housing Census, 53.1% of the population are religious. Among them, 43% are Buddhist, 34.5% are Christian Protestant, and 20.6% are Catholic. Almost every church has a choir (or choirs), and amateur choral singing is very active in churches. Many prospective singers are first trained in church choirs. Also, the majority of church choir members go to various choral concerts on a regular basis. Each summer, KCMA (Korea Church Music Association) holds a church music convention.