INDEX
The Korean Indie Scene’s Evolution After the Pandemic
– From a Japanese perspective, it seems that there are many attractive singer-songwriters of the younger generation in Seoul today. Lee Ran and Kim Sa-Wol are well known in Japan, and Suda (Xeuda) and Haepa (Haepa), with whom you have also been in contact with Lam, have released some great works.
Ye Ram: I think having a place to perform is a big part of it, but there are fewer and fewer places like that. There are many musicians and singers who perform. I think Corona has taken a toll, but I don’t think it’s just that.
– Is it partly because of the gentrification that rents have skyrocketed?
Ye Ram: Of course, that’s part of it. I also feel that the indie scene itself has fewer customers than before. Before I started my music career, Hondae used to be more lively, but it has lost some of its vitality. Also, the Korean music scene is very polarized. There are many unique and attractive artists in the indie scene, but the general public tends to have the impression that they are just not popular unless they appear on TV programs.
– I see. That may be the same in Japan.
Ye Ram: In the midst of this, I think the connection among fans who support us and our friends is important. We say to each other, “Let’s keep making music together for a long time,” as if greeting each other. Also, the festival is back on track, and the atmosphere after Corona seems to be recovering a little bit.
– Where are the places in Seoul where singer-songwriters of your generation gather?
Ye Ram: Around Cafe Unplugged in Hongdae and Jagunmul in Ulchiro. It’s a haven for us, or a place where people who are doing music or art gather.
