Two expat magazines and an expat record label are getting together for a creative festival on April 26 to show off creative talent in the southeast of Korea.
Daegu’s (b)racket Magazine and I Like Many Records and Ulsan’s Angle Magazine are bringing together artists, musicians and other creative people for the Big Day South festival.
“With the Big Day South festival, we want to showcase the creativity, talent and beauty outside of Seoul, to challenge the notion that in Korea, if something cannot be found in the capital then it probably doesn’t exist anywhere in the country,” said I Like Many Records’ Ali Safavi in a press release.
Andrew Blad. (Stephen Elliott)
“Whilst it is true that for now, Seoul is the heart of many interesting cultural happenings in South Korea, the belief we are left barren in the southern cities is a false one.”
The festival will take place sequentially at Social Market, a shop for handmade crafts, and live music venue Club Urban.
The event will begin with live street art by Moke outside Social Market, followed by music and art performances, including live demonstrations by Leon Choi and William Joseph Leitzman.
“They are going to give a demonstration of what they do and (their) creative process, and maybe talk about what they are doing whilst they are doing it, talk about what they are thinking about and what drives their inspiration, what methods they use,” said Safavi.
A screen print by Jess Hinshaw
Jess Hinshaw of (b)racket magazine will be running printing demonstrations at Social Market. The first 70 people to buy a day ticket at the event will receive a screen-printed poster.
“They will be able to see their piece of art being made at the venue and be able to take it home with them when it’s ready,” said Safavi.
Participants at the festival will also be drawing an “exquisite corpse” ― a type of game in which artists draw sequential parts of a larger drawing without being able to see the parts drawn by other people. Anyone attending the fesitival can join in the drawing.
“Anyone who is at the venue will be free to pick up a pen and draw, so we’re hoping it will be something that will be truly collaborative for everybody who is there,” said Safavi.
Club Urban will play host to a variety of acts including music and spoken word from Ulsan; a DJ, a dancer and an indie band from Busan; and Daegu acts Dogstar, November on Earth, Colours, The Curses and Yamagata Tweakster. Solo musician Yukari will be adding the sole Seoul-based contribution.
Hinshaw, who is also the editor in chief of (b)racket magazine, said that it was good to have an event like this outside of Seoul.
“I hope for a big turnout, and I hope that it will get people excited about art and music and creative things that are happening here and make them feel proud to be down here in Daegu and the surrounding areas,” he said.
“There are a lot of creative pockets here, and I’m hoping all those people will develop.”
Although Big Day South is not a charity event, Daegu’s Time to Give and LINK will be running stalls in Club Urban to raise awareness and sell cakes.
Big Day South will run April 26 at Social Market from noon to 4 p.m. and at Club Urban from 5 p.m. until late. Day tickets cost 15,000 won. To find out more, visit the event's
Facebook page.By Paul Kerry (
paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)