Rushing through 1970 Seoul’s music scene
Korea….what an adventure! In some respects it feels like yesterday, yet in reality it was a lifetime ago. I feel uniquely blessed to have spent the formative years of my childhood in the Land of the Morning Calm. I met life-long friends there, I met my wife Betty there and I got to be a […]
Seoul Community Radio celebrates two years on air
Seoul Community Radio (SCR), an online radio station operating out of Itaewon dedicated to promoting underground electronic dance music in Korea, celebrates its second anniversary this month. “Any underground music scene needs a few key ingredients to really come together… you need good clubs, obviously, and DJs, but you also need record stores, labels, promoters, and […]
Improvisation extends possibilities of Korean music
At the Yeowoorak Festival, which celebrates unlimited possibilities of Korean music, there is something new and unique every year. This year, the festival set stages for reunions of legendary Korean music performers such as master pansori singer Ahn Sook-sun and her friends for “Ahn Sook-sun & Jieum” and the return of Korean music ensemble Baramgot […]
Ashram where the Beatles stayed, reopens in India
Arguably the greatest band in the history, The Beatles, spent their time in India in the 1960s. Their fans have been intrigued and interested in the details of their stay in an ‘ashram’ (a spiritual hermitage or a monastery where Hindu cultural activities such as yoga, music or religious studies are performed). Luckily, for the […]
North Korea’s biggest girl band performs in China
All girls’ group Moranbong, the biggest girl group in North Korea, are to perform three concerts in China. The band, which reportedly have a huge following among students since their debut in 2012, have diverse musical interests. They range from patriotic local songs to Western hits such as My Way or electric violin renditions of theme songs. The […]