Despite a brutal heat wave that has plunged the country and its people into a state of exhaustion the last few weeks, rock fans of all ages are in for a treat, as Korea’s two most famous rock festivals are ready to jolt them with spectacular performances.

Jisan Valley Rock Music & Arts Festival, one of Korea’s most notable annual music festivals that incorporates both music and art, is set to solidify its status again this year with eye-opening headliners and fun-filled activities. 


The three-day rock event, organized by Korean entertainment company CJ E&M, takes place at Jisan Valley Ski Resort in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, from Friday to Sunday. The star-studded event will feature six music stages and 100 acts, including headliners American electronic music trio Major Lazer, Icelandic postrock band Sigur Ros, Gorillaz, a virtual band from England and Lukas Graham, a quartet from Denmark.

Other artists to join the event include Icelandic singer-songwriter Asgeir, Grammy-nominated American singer Gallant, New Zealand musician Lorde, American musician Diplo and Korean artists such as Lee Juck, Zico, Oh Hyuk, Soran and Din. 
 
Catering to those who want to enjoy the festival to their fullest and dance through the night, there is also a late-night indoor club stage called “Club Cave” that will feature artists such as Garenz, Vandi and Shaun.

Now in its eighth year, this year’s rock festival will be held under the theme of “hide-and-seek,” which organizers explained will offer visitors a chance to find various art pieces “hiding” at the festival.

Next in line to keep up the rock frenzy through the end of the summer is the Pentaport Rock Festival, which will be held Aug. 11-13 at the Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon. The can’t-miss three-day festival, now in its 12th year, also boasts 60 big-name international and domestic acts, such as British indie pop band Bastille, Australia’s 5 Seconds of Summer, British band Circa Waves and Japanese metal band Her Name in Blood.

Other headliners at the event include Korean rock band Guckkasten, brother-sister acoustic duo Akdong Musician, female acoustic duo Bolbbalgan4 and hip-hop singer and producer Zion.T.

For more information, visit http://valleyrockfestival.mnet.com and http://pentaportrock.com.

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)