The Hongdae neighborhood of Seoul is popular for its ¡°arts & fashion¡± vibe, renowned universities and young people everywhere. It has dozens of small live music clubs where I regularly go see indie bands perform. I had been following some of those bands ever since I was living in France, like Casker, Ironic Hue and Roller Coaster, just to name a few. Being able to see them play live, and the small crowds, was a particularly intimate experience and I never missed a chance to share a beer or small talk with the band members after the shows. Ticket prices are also fairly affordable, between USD 10 and 30, and some shows allowed us to see four or five bands at once, spanning four or so hours of live music. This way, I managed to discover talented small, up-and-coming bands to which I still listen on a regular basis. The Hongdae area is also known among music lovers for its ¡°Live Club Day¡± every year. More than 30 bands perform at around 10 or so different venues around the neighborhood, each of them being dedicated to a different music style. One single ticket of roughly USD 20 allows access to all the clubs, all night. It¡¯s the perfect occasion to enjoy various genres of music all at once and to make interesting discoveries.

Bigger, more international festivals Korea also holds great music festivals, like the Jarasum Jazz Festival, the Jisan Valley Rock Festival and the Ultra Music Festival, also called ¡°UMF,¡± an electronic music festival. They attract thousands of people every year as well as internationally famous bands and artists like Jamiroquai, Sigur Ros, Switchfoot, Coldplay, Metallica, Skrillex or Hardwell. It was a great surprise to find that such renown artists get to perform in Seoul, as I never even had the chance to see them live while I was living in France. I¡¯ve been attending UMF for five years in a row now, as the growing popularity of this festival in Korea has made it a major event for fans of electronic dance music. Being in the midst of a crowd of 8,000 people all jumping to the same beat and cheering at the DJs, ¡°Korea, are you ready?¡± is a very exhilarating feeling. I recall having met non-Koreans who came to Korea just for the festival. Before my first time there, I though the ticket price -- around USD 200 for two days -- might not be worth the experience, and that booking it could be a hassle, but I found that my prejudices were all wrong. Jumping around to electronic music breakdowns for several hours in a row all weekend long got my phone¡¯s pedometer to break its all-time record. Not to mention, booking tickets online was made even easier for people residing outside of Korea.

In a Nutshell

Korea is mostly known internationally for its pop music and TV shows. Not being a big fan of either, I was a little worried at first of what else I could find in Korea to satisfy my appetite. After years of living here, however, I was surprised to discover that the country¡¯s dynamism attracts small and big bands from abroad, and that there¡¯s a very active local live music and theater scene. Although this aspect of the country has still kind of failed to break through and across the peninsula¡¯s borders, it still attracts many young people looking for something different and exciting. I strongly believe that the small scale of such events offers a more personal experience overall, while, on the other hand, bigger festivals show a more versatile and multi-cultural side of Korea. It¡¯s a country that is more than ever turning itself international.