We all have a little power to help out others; even if it’s simply doing something one does every week for fun, we can give it a good purpose too. The second ‘I Like Many Festival’, held on October 7th and 8th this year, hopes to do that. The two-day music festival will feature some of the best music makers in Seoul ranging from visceral hardcore to dadaist pop and at the same time aims to raise a ton of cash for two worthy causes in the city. There will also be cake.
The Charities
KUMFA
Some of you may already be familiar with KUMFA, the Korean Unwed Mothers Families Association, which advocates for the rights of unwed mothers in and their children in Korea. Currently, single mothers face a force of prejudice and social discrimination, often even from their own families that leads many to choose abortion or adoption over facing the difficulties of raising a child alone. KUMFA has long aimed to aid Korean women with sufficient resources and support to keep their children if they choose and thrive in Korean society. One can read more on their efforts and success in this NY Times article.
NKHR: Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights
It is incredibly easy to miss the struggles that ordinary North Koreans face in daily life and the vicious denial of even basic human rights that we understandably take for granted in our own. Between stories of nuclear armament, posturing political rhetoric, insult flinging, bouts of gout, uncle dog food, meth empires, and Seth Rogen, North Korea’s human rights abuses are easy to miss. The Citizen’s Alliance for North Korean Rights is a non-governmental organisation based in Seoul that strives hard to help those trying to escape North Korea for a better life. Working with the NKHR Rescue Fund they put on events and find volunteers to rescue refugees and raise awareness of this decidedly unamusing reality for North Korean people.
The Shows
Friday October 7th
Club Sharp has not been open long but has quickly become the go to place for punk and hardcore outside of Mullae-dong, situated in the back streets of Magwon (two stops from Hongdae) it is perfect place for the first night of the I Like Many Festival.
Friday’s show will feature the best and most brutal in punk, hardcore and noise from Seoul’s fantastic scene including one of the last Korea shows from the legendary Scumraid. They will be joined by hardcore punks The Kitsches, garage rockers Crawler, shoegazers Acid Party and the two-piece/bass and drums duo of Hybrid Drop Bomber amongst others. Loud? Sure, very. But definitely exciting.
Saturday October 8th
Saturday brings us in the middle of Hongdae and specifically to the long running DGBD for a less visceral but certainly not less interesting second day of great music. Headliners DTSQ have just finished a tour in Europe, recently won best band at House of Vans’ special Dongdaemun Design Plaza concert and have a ton of other accolades beyond which they are one of the most exciting and memorable bands in Seoul.
Henry Demos, one half of local legends Nice Legs will be playing a special full band set that will be many great things, mostly unexpected. UK’s Tirikilatops will burrow an earworm of neon splash deep in you, and you will like it. Not to mention great new indie acts such as Rough Cuts and Diet Darling it will be a great end to the festivities.
Join us on October 7th and 8th, watch great bands, hear beautiful new sounds, eat cake, and at the same time help out some truly worthy causes.
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1657528717894397/