Sinchon Blues (Sinchon Blues official Instagram)

Korea's premier blues festival is set to take place in Seoul next month.

The 2024 Seoul International Blues Festival, which brings together top-tier blues musicians in Korea, will be held from Sept. 20 to 22 at CKL Stage in Jung-gu, Seoul. Now in its 7th year, the festival will feature blues musicians representing every generation, from the first wave of Korean blues to millennials and Gen Z.

The first day of the festival presents a special collaborative performance titled "All-Star Blues Session." The lineup includes legendary figures such as Lee Kyung-cheon, known as the history of Korean blues; Yoon Byung-joo of Lowdown30; Choi Hang-seok, leader of Choi Hang-seok and Boogie Monster; guitarist Ryu In-hyuk of Eastern Sidekick; Richiman and Groove Nice; and Yosuke Ishida.

On Sept. 21 and 22, a total of 27 acts will take to the stage, including legendary Korean blues bands such as Kim Mok-kyung Blues Band, Sinchon Blues, Han Sang-won Band, and Lee Kyung-cheon Band, along with other groups representing the current Korean blues scene.

Special related events will also be taking place in the lead up to the festival: the Seoul Blues Dance Party takes place Sept. 18, while a preliminary round for selecting the team to represent Korea at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, US, will be held on Sept. 19. The latter is open to the public for free.

The festival is jointly hosted by the Korea Blues Society and Hankyoreh, with venue support from the Korea Creative Content Agency. Tickets for the "2024 Seoul International Blues Festival" can be purchased through ticket platform Interpark.