The radio program “GRAND MARQUEE,” in its segment “FIST BUMP,” features people living and enjoying Tokyo in a relay format.
On November 13th, Misato Uchibata, the organizer of the Japan-Korea connecting party “Mejakucha Night” and involved in event planning and production for Korean music, made an appearance. We talked about the reasons behind starting “Mejakucha Night” and her current interests in the Korean music scene.
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The Essence of “Mejakucha Night”: A Bridge Between Japan and Korea
Takano (MC): “Mechakucha Night” is a party that connects Japan and Korea, but what kind of event is it?
Uchihata: It is exactly as the title says. I originally started the party with the idea of gathering female DJs from Korea and Japan, but as I got into it, I came to think that I would like to gather DJs from Japan and Korea, not focusing exclusively on women, but keeping a gender balance in mind. It is a really diverse event in terms of genres: some play techno, some play disco, some play Japanese and Korean songs, some play K-POP, and it is really a mess.
Takano: It sounds like there will be many encounters with new music. What kind of artists did you welcome this year?
Uchihata: We held the event for the first time in August After the coronavirus pandemic, and we invited a Korean record digger called Tiger Disco, who we always invite. He digs a wide range of music, including Japanese songs, Korean songs, and jazz.
Celeina (MC): Is the audience mostly music lovers? Or are there people who like Korean culture, or both?
Uchihata: It’s not a party that specializes in K-pop, so we have people who like clubs and have been digging Korean records like Daehan Rock, and we also have people who just come to have fun as a club party.
Celeina：It’s a mess, in a good way.
Takano: You are Uchihata-san, and you are involved in the production of Korean music events such as “Mechakucha Night”. How did you come into contact with Korean music in the first place?
Uchihata: When I was in my 20s, I was working at LIQUIDROOM in Ebisu, and I happened to see a flyer that had a band called “Wedance” on it that said “from Korea. I was really interested in them, so I went to see them.
Takano: It all started when I happened to hear them at LIQUIDROOM.
Uchihata: I had no prior information about the band, I was just curious about the word “from Korea,” so I went to see them.
Takano: From there, your activities centered on Korean music culture began.
Uchihata: It was a personal thing, but I started doing it.
Takano: Did you have any special encounters during that time?
Uchihata: The biggest encounter I had was with Park Daham. He is a Korean man who runs a label called Helicopter Records, DJs, and organizes projects in Japan. He is such a key person that when you meet Korean artists, they all know Daham. He hasn’t been able to come to Japan very often since Corona, but he used to come to Japan a lot, so I think Japanese kids are familiar with the name Daham.
Celeina：I wonder if our listeners know him, too.
Uchihata: They might be there.
Takano: Have you done any events together?
Uchihata: The first “Mechakucha Night” was held in Seoul, and at that time I asked Daham, “I want to have a party with this kind of concept, so can you introduce me to a Korean DJ?”
Takano: That sounds wonderful.
Uchihata: Thanks to Daham.
