Underground Electronic Music in Seoul

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Conclusion

(DJ Bowlcut’s set in Boiler Room’s party in Seoul)

Seoul’s electronic music scene is in between two states. It is not mainstream yet : most Koreans do not know much about it beyond EDM. Electronic music clubs in Seoul are still a small minority, electro bars and vinyl shops are very few. On the other hand, the city’s reputation is already quite established : it is widely seen as one of the main hubs for the genre in Asia, and it’s produced artists that have become successful worldwide.

Some factors push towards optimism as to its future. The scene is home to a great variety of artists and of styles, and its growing popularity provides a fertile soil for creativity. It is enriched by foreign influence, as many of its artists have lived in Europe or America, and bring back their experience from there, all the while remaining very Korean : the great majority of the city’s artists are from Korea (unlike cities like Berlin, which has become home to DJs from all over the world). The local electronic music community is also characterised progressive values, as they are in European cities. It allows women artists to prosper, and creates a place of freedom for the Queer community, in a country otherwise socially conservative.

On the other hand, some believe that this growing popularity is coming too soon. They are nostalgic of the days when electronic music in Seoul was truly underground, with a limited group of aficionados. The main fear is that by becoming mainstream, the electro scene would try to cater to a much wider audience and its creativity dampen. This fear is shared in many other electro hubs, and it is hard to predict which dynamic will prevail.

What is clear is the growing influence that this music genre is having on Korean culture in general. One could only think of this in the positive, if it helps promote the values it carries as well.

— Brian

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Seoul’s role in the East Asian underground scene.

When most people think about the underground electronic music scene Western cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, Chicago or Detroit normally pop into mind. Asia is mostly thought about less. However, the underground scene in Asia is widely spread, especially in the eastern part of Asia. Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea each offer a unique underground electronic music experience. At first, the underground scene was mostly in Japan. Here, electronic music was accepted and perfected quickly. From hosting one of the most anticipated and appreciated electronic music festivals in the world – “Labyrinth”- to creating sound systems that surpass Western standards in every aspect, Japan is one of the leading countries when it comes to electronic music. However, due to the stagnating economy in recent years less and less young people are willing to go out and party. Taiwan’s scene is just as important to look at. Being the first Asian country to legalize gay marriage in May 2017, the younger generations have always strived for freedom and liberty. Consequently, Taiwan has a very open and vibrant underground scene. South Korea is no different. Even though the scene is relatively young compared to Taiwan and Japan, the music scene in Seoul seems to be exploding with energy. Every week one can choose from a variety events ranging from experimental raves to classical Korean 80’s. What a very special thing about the underground electronic scene here is, is the fact that people go wild. The atmosphere is never static, and the scene seems to be growing day by day. As mentioned by previous blogs, South Korea is still a place where conservative values dominate. Thus, it is especially amazing to me personally that the underground scene here so open and accepting. Just like in Taiwan, younger generations strive for a sense of freedom.

However, during my stay in Seoul I have talked to multiple organizers and people that have been in the scene here for a while and it seems that many are concerned that the boom of electronic music in Seoul could become overhyped. Every weekend multiple underground electronic clubs are filled with people which ultimately means that there are always people visiting the clubs just because of the hype.  Consequently, that could lead to electronic music being less and less attractive making it “die out” eventually. Due to this concern, clubs like vurt in Hongdae are actively fighting the hype. The small club offers an intimate vibe solely dedicated to underground music and artists.

All in all, it can be said that Seoul is a city that should not be left out when talking about the electronic underground in eastern Asia. Its open and accepting atmosphere, the wild crowd, forward thinking artists and organizers as well as many upcoming female artists (e.g. Peggy Gou) make the capital of South Korea a vital and important part of the electronic music scene in Asia and of the world. It seems to reignite the hype and love for electronic music from Japan’s and Taiwan’s 90’s and 2000’s.

~Sam

Sources:

Photo: https://www.trazy.com/experience/detail/seoul-city-night-tour

https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/3093

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_Taiwan

http://www.electronicbeats.net/city-guide-seoul-south-korea/

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Party Drugs in South Korea.

Coming from the European party scene, when I think of the underground electronic music scene recreational drugs are mostly somehow involved. Thus, when I first went to a techno party here in Seoul, it was a somewhat different but still amazing experience. People either sober or under the influence of alcohol having just as much fun, if not even more, to the repetitive but heavy basslines.

I started talking to Koreans and wanted to know their opinions and experiences with “party” or recreational drugs (e.g. Ecstasy or Marihuana) and I learned that South Korea’s take on drugs is a completely different story than in most parts of the Western world. Drugs are demonized, not just hard drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine, but also softer drugs (e.g. Marihuana). This is astonishing as the hemp plant, also known as “Cannabis Sativa”, has been part of the Korean peninsula for many many years. Even though it was mostly -and still is today- used as hemp fiber for making so-called sambe, which was mostly used for traditional funeral clothing, it is still striking to me that cannabis is controlled by the same law as the use of hard drugs.

To understand this demonization of drugs we must look at the history and the relationship of drugs and (South) Korea. In the end of the 19th century, Opium reached the Korean peninsula and the usage increased more and more over the next half of the 20th century. This usage was even more increased with Korea’s independence in 1945 as most of the Korean-Chinese citizens brought their opium habit back home. And then the Americans came and with them, their famous and questionable war on drugs was introduced to Korea. This eventually led to the Narcotic Act in 1957 and from here on out a slippery slope started to develop. In 1970 the Act on Habit-Forming Medicine was introduced to tackle the surge in methadone and barbiturates use in the 60’s. Then, in 1970 Cannabis was found to be dangerous and again a new law was put into effect: the Cannabis Control Act. This Act was followed by the Toxic Chemicals Control Act and Psychotropic Substance Control Act in 1980. When finally, Korean citizens were allowed to travel freely around the world in 1989, drug smuggling became an apparent problem in South Korea and consequently, the comprehensive Narcotics Act was introduced in 2000. This act basically made any kind of substance associated with drugs (except for medicine such as Ritalin or Adderall) highly illegal. Furthermore, now just the use of Cannabis lead to severe sentences that ranged from probation to full 5 years in prison. Police now also have the power to test anyone for drugs even without a specific reason or suspicion.

Looking at the history of drugs in Korea, it is not surprising that drugs are still so frowned upon in South Korea. Due to the limited supply and outrageous prices the mainstream youth culture simply cannot find drugs “cool”. There is no “just try it” attitude like in Europe or America with drugs, peer pressure is mostly connected with cigarettes and alcohol here in South Korea. Moreover, the laws for drug usage and possession are so strict and harsh that it is simply just not worth it to try. However, I’ve talked to many Koreans about recreational drugs and the general impression I got was that the more they traveled around the world the more in contact they got with drugs and consequently, their view about drugs in general changed. It has also happened multiple times that a Korean would eagerly tell me about their mushroom experience in Amsterdam or how they tried Marihuana in Colorado. It seems as if the winds of change are slowly starting to blow in the younger generations and maybe someday in the future, Koreans won’t have to face probation or jail time for enjoying a harmless joint after work.

~Sam

Sources:

https://medium.com/@alexjanmaat2/recreational-drugs-in-korea-601116a32bd7

https://www.koreaexpose.com/drugs-south-korea-a-silent-crisis/e

Picture: https://bari.ilquotidianoitaliano.com/cronaca/2018/07/news/bari-ecstasy-e-cocaina-in-casa-arrestato-il-20enne-pregiudicato-angelo-ranieri-208552.html/

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Seoul Community Radio

Clubs are the driving hub of the underground electronic music scene. This is where people get together, and listen to or play music. But clubs are not the only place where the underground spreads its music, radios have been shaping the interest and selection of tracks. Radios have been driving the underground electronic music scene since the beginning. The Hot Mix 5, a radio DJ from Chicago influenced the whole underground house scene in the 1980s and is named alongside the club DJs as a main influence of the genre. An underground radio in West Berlin was playing techno back when the Berlin wall was separating Berlin. Citizens of East Berlin that lived close to the wall could tune in and listen to the sounds of underground techno music. This lead to the amazingly fast integration of East Berliners into the techno scene in West Berlin after the wall fell. Here in Seoul, an internet radio called “Seoul Community Radio” (SCR) is promoting international DJs as well as local artists. SCR streams a live video of the DJs and artists from its bunk studio in Itaewon. SCR is known for its green screen in the live video which gives every DJ a different background when he or she plays.  The crew of SCR is involved in multiple events in clubs and festivals. This summer they hosted a live-stream at the DMZ (demilitarised zone) Peace Train Music Festival showing their support for liberal and peaceful ideas. The crew in mainly Korean but there is a British guy involved who started SCR with a couple of his friends. SCR is, thus, a true example of international exchange even in its core: the staff. The posts usually include both English and Korean so that nobody feels left out when trying to follow SCR. SCR provides Seoul with underground music from different genre such as House, Techno, Disco, Ambient, and Hip-Hop. It is an audio-visual platform on which you can find music that you would never here on a normal radio frequency.

~Daan

Seoul Community Radio:

http://www.seoulcommunityradio.com/

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd8W7pbxTsQ&list=PLC81BB7C470F01CE8&fbclid=IwAR3I6FjRwUqJE-l4oVwESQMa9BS-tiHOPgX2P6LP_MPJtrDx63BwPasaInw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzhd4WsuX6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv3a6G4ypoA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_music#Chicago_house

Photo Source:

https://www.facebook.com/seoulcommunityradio/photos/a.1694917144073505/1764419533789932/?type=1&theater

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Seoul and Its Vast Selection of Underground Clubs.

When I was 16, I remember going to my first “underground” club somewhere in the industrial part of Ludwigsburg (Germany). It was basically just a redesigned Garage with two rooms with music and I immediately fell in love with the dark, dirty, and ominous vibe of an underground club. Germany and many other European countries were famous for their underground clubs and scenes. However, in the last seven years more and more clubs have closed their doors to the public. Studies show (DJ Mag Germany) that many clubs have been shut down since the owners of the properties the clubs are situated on either want “calmer” tenants or simply have new plans for the property. Moreover, I talked to several club owners and party organizers in Germany and they said that not only the property owners are the problem, but the youth themselves. Less and less young people between the ages of 18-30 are willing to “travel” to clubs for a night out. Consequently, club owners have difficulties financing their club which, in many cases, leads to the closing of the club.

When I first came to South Korea in August 2018, I was amazed, shocked, and fascinated at the same time. I saw and experienced that Seoul stands in full contrast to western Europe’s “dying club” culture. Alone in Itaewon there are seven clubs pushing the underground sound: Trippy, Faust, Volnost, Ain, Contra, Livin’ and Beton Brut. Each club differs from the other and offers a unique experience. As someone with a lot of club experience, Seoul’s “underground” clubs feel fresh and vibrant. The dark atmosphere, the minimalistic lighting, and the constant presence of ominous smoke create an original underground feeling in each of the mentioned clubs. Seoul is fully embracing and pushing the underground sound as every week each club offers a unique line up with big headliners from all over world.  It seems as if Seoul looked at European underground club culture and made it their own and consequently, I can truthfully say: I will miss the Seoul underground nightlife when I am back in Europe.

~Sam.

https://www.djmag.de/einzelnews/clubsterben-das-steckt-hinter-dem-verschwinden-der-discos/

Links of mentioned clubs:

Ain: https://www.facebook.com/clubainseoul/?ref=br_rs

Trippy: https://www.facebook.com/TRIPPY.itaewon/

Faust: https://www.facebook.com/faustseoul/

Volnost: https://www.facebook.com/volnostseoul/

Contra: https://www.facebook.com/contraseoul/

Livin’: https://www.facebook.com/clubLIVIN/

Beton Brut: https://www.facebook.com/betonbrutinc/

Source:

Picture: https://www.instagram.com/dark_distortion/

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vurt. (Club Report)

Hongdae is famous for being one of Seoul’s most hip districts. From big clubs to small cozy bars, every s(e)oul can find its satisfaction here. However, what stands out for me personally is a small club located in an alleyway next to the Dongmak-ro street called “vurt” near to Seoul’s bustling Hapjeong station. Most clubs in Hongdae have big, flashy signs and showcase the music they play inside with big and loud speakers outside of the club giving the pedestrians a clear picture of what to expect inside. Vurt, however, is different. Located in a regular office building its appearance is somewhat anticlimactic but at the same time mysterious. The entrance of the club is merely a small desk (the ticket counter) and a small door. After having bought a ticket, the “bouncer” lets you go through the door and into the club. The moment you close the door behind you and walk down the small stairs and you see the big bunker door in front you, feelings of joy and excitement run down your whole body as you start to imagine what will await you behind the bunker’s door. Personally, I was struck away the first time I entered vurt. The concrete underground bunker exceeded all my expectations and fulfilled every criteria of my “dream” club. It is small (max capacity 200), the lighting is sparse and dark with mostly only two construction lights giving light on the dancefloor.  The dancefloor and the “relaxing” zone are merely separated by long metal poles (where you can also hang your clothes and bags). The fascinating thing about this is that the smoke machine is situated somewhere in the relaxing zone and thus, the smoke always makes its way through the metal poles to the dancefloor. This creates a very dark, ominous, and  mysterious feeling in the club. In combination with the two construction lights on the dancefloor you sometimes feel like you are dancing in an underground construction site. What makes the “vurt experience” even more special and unique to me is that photography of any kind is not allowed, including making videos. 

     The music is mainly focused around Techno with their general focus around local talent. However, every now and then, vurt has big international bookings bringing DJ’s from Europe, the U.S. and more to Seoul.  All in all, I can say that compared to every club I have visited vurt is without a doubt in my top three. It executes their slogan from 2014 “Ancient Future” perfectly: nostalgic underground bunker vibes straight from 90’s with forward thinking owners supporting the local scene as well as innovative bookings from all over the world.

~Sam.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vurtkr/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vurt_seoul/

Source:

Picture: https://www.residentadvisor.net/club.aspx?id=101673

https://www.timeout.com/seoul/vurt

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Faust (Club Report)

The nightclub is located in a parallel street of the main street in Itaewon. Arriving at the entrance you can see people standing outsides smoking cigarettes and drinking beers and sojus from the convenience store around the corner - which is, obviously, substantially cheaper than buying drinks inside. People mingle with each other, talk to strangers or meet people they met last week in a different club.

After a small-talk session with some common friends and party acquaintances, we went to the third floor via the staircase on the right side of the building. A queue stopped us before reaching the third floor. After a short wait, we paid the entrance fee (which is usually 20,000 won but can be higher when a well-known DJ is on the line-up) and then passed the security guy. This whole procedure of going into the club is very easy-going compared to clubs in European countries. The notorious nightclub Berghain in Berlin is known for its strict door policy and many clubs started to employ a similar policy in order to seem more exclusive or simply because they do not have the capacities available for so many people to join the party. Here in Seoul, however, I did not have to show my ID neither did they search me for drugs or weapons. It is not only true for Faust but for many different clubs as well. I believe it is due to the fact that South Korea is a very safe country when it comes to violence and drug use. 

When walking inside you pass a small locker room on the left-hand side and then get to the first floor of the club: Tanzbar. It is a German word and means literally translated “Dance Bar”. It is a combination of a dance floor, a hang-out space, and a bar area. In this room, I usually hear only House and Disco music making the atmosphere relaxed while still making you move and motivated to dance. At the bar, every person that has been to Germany and has fallen in love with the iconic “Club Mate” soda will be astonished that also here in Seoul on the other side of a globe you can find this unique soda. It is an energizing soda made from the South American mate tea and widely appreciated among the underground dance scene in Germany. In the smoking area, which is more basically a hallway that you enter through a door and that leads to a dead end with a standing ashtray, you can find the timetable of the night showing you which DJs will play when on which floor. 

Now, the most exciting part: Faust. Again another German word: Faust = Fist. The main floor can be reached by going left after passing the locker room that I have mentioned earlier. Just before opening the door you can already hear the dull banging of the bass. When you open the door a void of black emerges that is constantly interrupted by bright streams of lights flashing on and off. The orientation becomes harder as you try to navigate through the crowd because it is harder to see and the music is loud. Once I found my spot and my friends I started dancing while facing the DJ just like everybody does. This culture of facing the DJ in techno clubs is very prominent and consistent across countries and different techno scenes. It shows that the music rather than the socializing aspect of partying is the center of attention. 

I have talked with many people in the smoking or bar area and realized that many people are foreigners or are Koreans that have been abroad where they fell in love with electronic underground music. The atmosphere feels familiar to me as a partygoer who has visited clubs throughout Europe (e.g. Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam) and makes me feel comfortable. It is a club that reminds me a lot of my hometown Berlin due to the selection of drinks, naming of the club and programming of the DJs. It is obvious that this club is the outcome of intense love for European party culture.

~Daan

https://www.facebook.com/faustseoul/

http://www.instagram.com/faustseoul

Photo Source:

https://www.facebook.com/faustseoul/

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

House Dance Community

Underground electronic dance music includes the genre “House”. House music is a genre that originated in the end 70ies and early 80ies in Chicago and developed further spreading to Detroit and NYC. In New York City’s underground clubs a dance style emerged that would become later known as “House dance”. In it are many elements of different dance styles originating from different cultures as the underground clubs were spaces of freedom of the suppressed minorities at that time. Latin, Afro-Caribbean, African, Hip-Hop, Tap dance, and many more styles merged together on the dance floor as people were dancing with each other. House music spread quickly and became mainstream at some point forming the genre EDM which is next to Hip-Hop one of the most listened mainstream music to date. House dance, however, did not spread quickly because only the music was exported from the United States while many did not know about the dance that evolved with it. Nowadays, a lot of people know how Hip-Hop dance looks like but a few know about House dance. The House scenes I have experienced in many cities is always very small, but loving and open. Here in Seoul, the underground house dance scene is vibrant. There are several dance battles held every month and a community has evolved around these battles and the dance studios that hold them. There are even international House dance battles held in Seoul, such as House City. Multiple dance schools offer House dance classes and there is even a dance studio, that dedicates all its classes to almost solely to House music. This is quite unique for an underground House dance scene to have. The people have become so much attached to this music that one very known dancer in the scene (Taesung) opened this dance space. The House dance studio crew posts mainly in English on their Instagram page wanting to reach out to a wider and international audience. The merchandise, the sign of the dance school (“Higgs”) and even a slogan inside the dance space are written in English. The interesting part about this is that the staff and the owner speak very little to no English. I visited the dance studio and everyone was very welcoming and tried to make a conversation with me despite the language barrier. The fact that this dance studio exists and that the scene creates the same atmosphere as in other Western city shows the impact of Western underground music on the city of Seoul. Not only did it bring the most obvious element of it – the nightclubs – but it also brought the lesser known element of dance to the city. 

~Daan

Higgs Dance Space: https://www.higgsstudio.com/

Taesung’s Dance Showcase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=166&v=zBaW_FsD8gI 

Photo Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BpO7Ig3A61W/

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

The Only Vinyl Store for Underground Electronic Music in Seoul

Looking through the eyes of a DJ it becomes apparent that Seoul’s DJs are mainly using CDJs (with which one can play using only a USB stick or CDs). In European party culture, especially in Germany, there is a big trend for playing with vinyl records. Every bigger city in Germany that has an electronic underground music scene will also have at least one record store where the local and touring DJs can stock up on tracks pressed into wax. In Berlin alone, there are more than 10 record stores focusing on different genres. In Seoul, however, there is only one record store selling electronic music, namely, Clique Records. It is tricky to find the shop which is situated close to the Euljiro 3 metro stop. The area surrounding the record store is rougher and older compared to areas in Gangnam or Hongdae. There is no obvious sign hanging outside on the five-story building in which the store is situated. Only small stickers on the mailbox and staircase inside assured you that you are on the right way. In this industrial building that seems pretty empty and dead otherwise, is the shop that gives life to the electronic music scene by providing carefully selected music. The genres range from Synth Pop over EBM to House and Techno. You can even find old and rare Japanese records with sounds you probably have never heard before if not coming from Eastern Asia. The shop owners are two French guys. One is half Korean, half French and the other one came to study abroad in Seoul and never left. This place is culturally very interesting because here, foreigners are actively shaping the culture of music. Record shops have been, are, and always will be influential to the electronic underground music scene because the records that the owners decide to sell indirectly determine which music is going to be played on vinyl. Unfortunately, only a small group of local Korean DJs is into playing with vinyl due to its practicality. Headphones and a pair of USB sticks prepare a modern DJ for the night but for vinyl-playing DJs, it means carrying a heavy bag of vinyl records and bringing their own needles for the turntables in the club. This reason and the fact that it is way easier to use electronic software for mixing seems to make vinyl records less attractive for upcoming DJs. This is true all around the globe in every DJ scene but vinyl records are getting more and more famous again these days because of the uniqueness of sound and the enjoyment of using a physical object rather than an electronically saved file on a USB stick. The reason why Korean DJs do not use vinyl records a lot lies in the fact, I believe, that Korea’s electronic underground scene has developed only recently and so they could use CDJs from the beginning compared to European countries and the US where DJs started using turntables and records. I hope that the interest in vinyl records becomes bigger in Seoul and that more record shops will open leading to a broader range of music that can be bought on vinyl records.                                                                                                 

~Daan

Clique Records: https://www.facebook.com/cliquerecordstore/

Photo Source:   https://www.facebook.com/cliquerecordstore/photos/a.1614696232123099/2028088654117186/?type=3&theater

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

Women and the LGBTQ community

(Seoul Drag Queen Nana Kim)

Korean society has undergone profound changes, as the country grew economically and opened up to the world. However, it remains heavily influenced by traditions, and it is not always an easy place for women. Relationships between women and men in Seoul’s nightlife are usually well codified. Many men go out exclusively for seduction, creating an atmosphere that can be suffocating to some.

Things are quite different in electronic music clubs, where it is more rare to see people kissing. The venues themselves are smaller, more intimate, and one cannot purchase a table for the night, something that is usually an essential part of the courting process in other clubs. Flirting is much less common in techno clubs : people come there mostly for the music.

The other side of gender issues in the electronic music scene is that of female representation among artists. The imbalance in that regard is a global problem, but Korea fares relatively well : female DJs are on the rise. Two of the most successful Korean DJs abroad are women. Peggy Gou was born in Korea but is based in Berlin. Yaeji, born in the US, raised in Korea, is now based in Brooklyn. Both claim their Korean heritage proudly and represent a new generation of Korean female performers. The local Seoul scene is also full of burgeoning talents. Recently interviewed in i-D Magazine, DJ and Producer LEEVISA commented on this: “It’s especially wonderful that there are more and more women and LGBTQIA artists in Korea. The scale of this scene may seem small, but huge things are going on.”

(Cakeshop/Contra’s instagram)

In Europe and America, techno clubs are popular among sexual minorities. They are a place for freedom, where people who are marginalised can express themselves fully. This is especially important in a conservative country like South Korea : a poll ran by Pew Research Center found that in 2014, 57% of Koreans believed homosexuality to be unacceptable. Many gay clubs and bars have electro nights. It is also becoming true the other way around : big techno clubs are now hosting gay nights. Maybe the most daring to date is Sins, as series of nights at Cakeshop/Contra, one of the most avant-garde clubs in the city. The first of those nights was called Lust, with a fetish-themed dress code, and Drag Queens performing through the night. As previously mentioned in the article discussing fashion, the use of such strong codes shows the inherent political aspect of the electronic music scene in Seoul.

– Brian Marly

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Electronic Music and Fashion

(Korean DJ Peggy Gou is poised to launch her own fashion line next year)

Historically, the electronic music scene has been a place for experimentation, or outright extravagance, when it comes to fashion. The same goes for Seoul. Going out in Itaewon’s Faust or Hongdae’s vurt, you quickly notice that people there have a style of their own, distinct from the usual outfits that you can see in more mainstream clubs. Male party goers do not quite match the flower boy stereotype : rougher looks, heavy tattoos… Women stay away from the “girly“ looks typical of Gangnam clubs : no high heels, dark make up, black clothes... It is reminiscent of what you would see in European clubs, although most pieces are from Korean brands : the usual codes of techno fashion are adapted to Korea (less grungy, more streetwear...), in a process of indigenisation.

(Kimmy J’s 2018 Fall/Winter Collection at Seoul Fashion Week) 

There are sometimes elements of sexual provocations : it is not uncommon to see someone wearing chains or a harness. The inspiration seems to be the more liberated clubs of Berlin or Amsterdam. It is interesting to see such strong codes imported to a socially conservative country like Korea. It reinforces the feeling of transgression, the sense that people are attempting to create a place that breaks with the social norms of the country. In that light, it makes sense that the main electronic clubs of the city are in Itaewon. The almost political aspect of these parties reminds one the Schober’s analysis of Itaewon’s Suspense (2014), in which she explains how the clash between different sovereignties make Itaewon such a peculiar place in Seoul, and in South Korea in general.

This goes beyond the streets of Itaewon. Up and coming talents like Kimmy J - who’s designs have been worn by the likes of BTS or TWICE - are drawing inspiration from Seoul’s new generation of techno kids, showing the extent of the impact electronic music is having on Korea’s fashion in general.

— Brian Marly

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Gentrification and the Neo-Bohemia

(Faust Nacht at Faust, from Resident Advisor)

The electronic music scene in Seoul remains relatively underground : the most popular and selective clubs, whether they are in Itaewon, Hongdae or Gangnam, play more popular genres. But this may be changing. Talking to locals, we got the sense that we were witnessing a transition - we were even playing a part in causing it. New clubs are regularly opening and it seems like new parties are launched every other week. Although you can always see a few familiar faces, the crowds are getting bigger and bigger, as more party goers and tourists try their hand at something different from the usual Seoul nightlife. 

This is a good news for the finances of nightclubs, but some people we have talked to are saddened by this new popularity, and remember with nostalgia the feeling of being part of a close-knit community. The gentrification of the electronic music scene is a well studied phenomenon in Europe, especially in Berlin, which has become a major destination for techno-tourism from the Easyjetset (Tobias Rapp, Lost in Sound: Berlin, Techno, und der Easyjetset (2009)).

(A transgender woman in the street of Hooker Hill, in Itaewon)

One could consider this phenomenon as part of a wider dynamic in neighbourhoods like Itaewon or Hongdae, a transition from Bohemia to neo-Bohemia, where “once-devalued characteristics are converted into valuable, profit-making factors in a post-Fordist economy (e.g. entertainment, tourism, gentrification)“ (Luis-Manuel Garcia, 2016). This is an important driver of gentrification in these areas, and is cause for worry as to their future as centers for creativity in Seoul. In spite of government intervention, rents are rising rapidly and push out the original inhabitants of those regions.

We are unsure as to the real nature of this phenomenon. On the one hand, this could just be another fad in the ever changing Korean trends landscape. On the other, it could be part of a more global trend, in line with what is happening in European capitals. 

— Brian Marly

[electronicundergroundmusics-blog]

What is Underground Electronic Music?

(The Polish Radio Experimental Studio, established in 1957)

Electronic music is defined as “music involving electronic processing, such as recording and editing on tape“ by the Encyclopedia Britannica. Dating back to the 1920s, with instruments like the theremin, it has since blossomed and gained in prominence. It has generated a subculture of its own, as well as a great number of subgenres. Some of those, such as Electronic Dance Music (EDM) have gone into mainstream culture, carried by world-famous DJs and producers such as Avicii, Steve Aoki or David Guetta. But the great majority of the electronic music of today remains underground, with artists little known beyond the limits of the community, playing in a limited number of locations around the world. 

As it got globalised, local scenes started to develop in big cities around the world, each with its own artists, clubs and labels. Every local scene has its own characteristics, influenced by local culture, through a process of indigenisation.

(Korean-American DJ Yaeji recently made the cover of Dazed Korea and The Fader and was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Music list)

Seoul is a prime exemple of how this music genre has managed to globalise all the while remaining esoteric. The city holds one of the most dynamic electro scenes in Asia, driven by its own artists and nightclubs. It has remained relatively underground until now, in spite of its dynamism and a recent surge in popularity. It draws its influences from the more dynamic hubs of America and Europe (Detroit, Berlin, London…), but is also heavily inspired by Korean culture, from K-Pop to traditional Korean music. Korean artists such as Peggy Gou or DJ Bowlcut have become famous in electronic music communities around the world, playing in major clubs and festivals.

The heart of the Seoul electronic music scene is located in Itaewon, around nightclubs like Faust or Contra. It has become an important part of the neighbourhood’s identity as a center for alternative culture in the city. 

— Brian Marly