Some news and a bit of weekend reading + viewing

It’s been a few weeks since I last had the time to share some links for recommended reading/viewing, but here we go gain – starting with perhaps the most surprising news of July:

나는 가수다
Turns out rock band Jaurim will be competing in hit TV show I Am A Singer (나는 가수다), the band’s first appearance recorded Monday this week for the episode slated to air this Sunday, July 31: Jaurim to be new contestant on “I Am A Singer”

Fuji Rock Festival '11
Apollo 18 is the only Korean band playing this weekend’s Fuji Rock Festival and have been getting a bit of attention. Time Out Tokyo picked them as one of the acts “you’ll actually have time to see”: Fuji Rock ’11: Who to watch. And Fuji Rock has its own feature on the band: Apollo 18 Bast Off!

In related news, Apollo 18 recently shared a list of other festivals they’ll be playing this summer: Summer Music Festivals. Along with that came the news that they’re getting ready to release their new EP, Gogol, either late summer or early fall on their own label Gogol Sound in Korea and on Zankyo Records in Japan.


Chang Kiha & The Faces have been getting quite a bit of attention recently, new album and all. Above is a recent interview with Arirang TV segment KPopulous: [KPopulous] Chang kiha & the faces- A twosome 장기하와 얼굴들 – 그렇고 그런 사이

Via Korean rock is real I came across this article in Joongang Daily: Jang Ki-ha and The Faces: Indie kings

And of course refresh_daemon, who was lucky enough to attend the band’s LA show earlier this month, has written a review of the event: Seen: 김창완 밴드, 장기하와 얼굴들, July 9, 2011 at the Wilshire Ebell Theater, Los Angeles

Another artists currently getting some well deserved spotlight following a new album releases is The Black Skirts. Here in Joongang Daily: Black Skirts sail ahead in an indie sea. Also the girl behind askakoreanteenager has come out as a fan: -: favorite artist – the black skirts

More fan write-ups have been discovered by Korean rock is real.
– There’s the one on The KOXX from Lonely Traveler: Quick Post: The Koxx
– And the one on Loveholic from anime/manga site Sekijitsu: Indiefest 02 (K-Rock~Loveholic)

Also via Korean rock is real I’ve came across this Korea Herald article on Serengeti: Serengeti’s session power shines with 3rd album

And for a last interview with a band that returned with a new release not too long ago, allkpop has translated 10Asia’s recent interview with W&Whale, among other things explaining why they decided to spell “circus” with no less than four ‘s’: Breaking it Down, an Interview with electronic music group W&Whale

Other current artists were named in this Yahoo News article translated by Koreaboo: Korean Hongdae rock scene coming back full force

And going outside of Seoul all the way to Busan, Busan Haps offers A Quick Guide to Busan Music. Soompi too have been looking into the music scene in Busan talking about Nachopupa, South Bay, also mentioning Defector Frequency: Songs in B Minor: Busan Beats With an Eclectic, Electric Music Scene. Can’t help but cringe a bit from the use of “indie music industry” though.


July has come a bit on the way and so Daum has published a new volume of the indie.go.chart 50: Vol.04 2011.07 (2011.6.26-2011.7.10)

For another chart, source unknown, YouTube user variouskpop has put together a video with samples from no less than twenty songs popular this month: Korean Indie Music Chart July Week.2


Last but not least, recandplay.net is back with a new video – this time featuring blues man Ha Heon Jin 18. 하헌진 (Ha Heon-Jin)

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