About
The Korea Gig Guide was started to help people keep track of the concerts going on in Seoul and around Korea more easily. Yes, really, Korea does have some great acts, with live singing and instruments and everything.
The Gig Guide was founded by Mark Russell, who has been a fan of Korean music (old and new) since the 1990s. He spent several years as a freelance writer based in South Korea, scribbling about the entertainment industry, culture and the like for a variety of outlets. He has also written a book about the local entertainment industry, titled POP GOES KOREA: BEHIND THE REVOLUTION IN MEDIA, MUSIC AND INTERNET CULTURE (Stone Bridge Press). He now lives in Barcelona, but maintains his ties to the Korean music scene. You can contact Mark at: koreapopwars at gmail dat com.
Along with Mark, the Gig Guide is maintained by a few fantastic contributors.
Shawn Despres arrived in Seoul in December 2007 and quickly became enamored with the local music scene. He pens music-related content for The Japan Times, Charattack.com, Smashingmag.com, FujiRock Express, and Groove Korea. In his younger days, he worked at Canadian independent record label Sonic Unyon and spent four years hosting campus radio programs at university stations CFMU and CHRW. He can be contacted at shawndespres at hotmail dot com.
Jon Dunbar is a race traitor from Edmonton, Canada, who’s been closely involved in the Hongdae punk scene for over five years. His photography can be viewed at Daehanmindecline.com. If you have a question about Korean punk, hardcore, ska, or reggae, he’s your guy.