First record fair due in Seoul Saturday

Published on 2011/11/15 | Source

The first ever Record and CD Fair in Seoul will be held at Platoon Kunsthalle in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, Saturday, with a variety of vinyl records and compact discs available for sale and for viewing.

On the first and second floor of the venue, some 40 local labels will set up booths to sell vinyl records and CDs - from rare limited edition albums and imported ones to local indie band albums. Participating labels include Luova Factory, Beatball Records, Leaplay Music, Pastel Music and record shops such as Purple Record and LP Love will also participate in the fair. Some out-of-print records and limited editions will be available at the first Seoul Record Fair.

Khiov Music & Packaging, a company producing LP miniatures, will display their mini vinyl replica CDs along with the original vinyl records by artists such as Bob Dylan and Miles Davis.

A series of performances celebrating the event continues throughout the day. Singer-songwriter Lee Jung-sun will perform folk and blues with band Lowdown 30. A special exhibit will feature Lee's albums, both on vinyl and CD. Indie bands Goonamguayeoridingstella and DJ Soulscape as well as Jennifer Waesche, Mighty Coala and Essence will also perform.

Lee Bong-soo, president of Beatball Music, said the record fair will be a test for the potential of CDs and LPs, with CDs looking set to vanish in Korean mainstream music by being pushed out by digital music.

"It is meaningful that such an event is being held in Korea before CDs disappear here", Lee said.

The fair coincides with the mood to restore vinyl records in Korea. "I heard that a factory in Gyeonggi Province is preparing for a revival of vinyl manufacturing", he said. "Ironically, LP is rising as an alternative to CD, with its analog charm".

Lee said the Seoul Record Fair will awake music lover's interest in vinyl records. "People might have thought collecting LP is an upscale hobby of the elderly, but when they encounter LP, they will be fascinated".

Beatball Music will also release a collaboration work based on the animation of a creative studio Sticky Monster Lab titled "The Loner", Saturday.

The fair opens at 10 a.m. for early bird ticket holders and 12 p.m. for the general public. Admission costs 10,000 won at the door. For more, visit www.recordfair.kr (Korean) or call (02) 322-0804.

By Kwon Mee-yoo