The 6th annual Seoul Record Fair will take place during the weekend of June 18-19 at Seoul Innovation Park. Much like previous years, limited edition vinyl pressed especially for the event will be available. New for this year is the addition of limited edition cassette tapes.
Vinyls
The limited edition vinyl will often sell out during the Seoul Record Fair itself. With a bit of luck for those who cannot attend, however, some of the items that turn out to be less popular may show up in the regular Korean indie music shops in the months that follow.
New Releases
The highlights among the Seoul Record Fair vinyl are typically the releases that are brand new, or have never been issued on CD. This year there are two items that fit that criterium, both courtesy of JYP Entertainment.
Wonder Girls – 아름다운 그대에게
Idol girl group Wonder Girls continue the band concept from 2015 for their July comeback this year. New song “아름다운 그대에게” is written by Frants aka Acid Punk Dynamite, formerly of Telepathy fame, together with the Wonder Girls’ members and is supposed to have a 70’s band sound. It’ll be released on a pink 7″ vinyl, limited to 500 copies.
JYP – 살아있네 (Still Alive)
JYP released digital single Still Alive in April this year, gathering extra attention for the B side “Fire” which featured Conan O’Brien. In “Still Alive” JYP sings of how he’s still alive as an artist going from records to cassettes to CDs to downloads and streaming. Now it will be released on a black 12″ vinyl, limited to 300 copies.
Special Re-Issues
The majority of the limited edition vinyl pressed for the Seoul Record Fair are re-issues of critically acclaimed albums.
| Album | Type | Copies |
|---|---|---|
| Black Medicine – Irreversible (1st album) | red | 250 |
| Deepflow – Yanghwa (3rd album) | 2LP | 500 |
| Galaxy Express – Walking On Empty (4th album) | clear yellow, 180g | 500 |
| Gongjoong Doduk – 공중도덕 (1st album) | black | 500 |
| Goonam – Sun Power (3rd album) | clear yellow, 180g | 350 |
| Idiotape – 11111101 (1st album) | black, 180g | 350 |
| Kang Asol – 정직한 마음 (2nd album) | white, 180g | 500 |
| Koh Sangji – Maycgre 1.0 (1st album) + Road Bike (EP) | pink | 350 |
| Sister’s Barbershop – 꿈의 팝송 (3rd album) | black | 700 |
First Sale Items
In addition to the vinyl pressed especially for the Seoul Record Fair, there are those that are already scheduled for release through regular music outlets though will be available in advance to visitors.
| Album | Type | Copies | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 and the Numbers – 유예 (1st EP) | pink | 200 | Jambinai – A Hermitage (2nd album, UK release) | – | – | June 17 |
| Kim Oki – Cherubim’s Wrath (1st album; remastered) | 180g | 600 | June 20 |
| Lee Jaemin – Jeannie (remastered) | yellow/black 10″ | 400 | June 20 |
| sweetpea – neverendingstories (1st album) | – | – | |
| Thornapple – 난 자꾸 말을 더듬고 잠드는 법도 잊었네 (1st album) | – | 500 |
Cassettes
Three limited edition cassette releases will be available at the Seoul Record Fair, one of which has not yet been released either on CD or online.
bbdTRIO – We Were Trying Not To Disturb You
While singer-songwriter Big Baby Driver has been gaining fame both in Korean and internationally through popular contributions to various soundtracks, the more shoegaze oriented Big Baby Driver Trio, or bbdTRIO has led a more quiet existence. The trio’s first official demo was released in 2013 and now time has come for the band’s first official album, offering a total of 8 songs.
Bluestream – 야생의 밤
Taking over where The Freaks left off, Bluestream released debut single 시장속으로 in 2014. The band’s first full-length album was released on CD in March.
Cogason – Pop
Following debut EP 오늘부터 from 2015, guitar pop band Cogason put out first full-length album Pop on CD on May 17 this year.