International DJ Fest, Seoul, May 2010

Anyang haseyo!

This was the weekend I had been waiting for. Great mates, great beats, great sun. The perfect way to welcome summer.

Here is the article I wrote and submitted to our local foreign magazine publication, the Gwangju News. I hope you enjoy ... ...

A Day at the Park

By Julian Raethel

Photos by Stefan Potgieter and Julian Raethel

The Nanji Han River Park in Seoul served up a real treat for music and festival junkies on the bright blue Saturday that was May the 8th. The 4th annual World DJ Festival dropped into full swing and there was no stopping the momentum.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Han River and the city behind it, this was the place to be. Over 60 local and international acts rocking four stages over 15 hours. Obligations be dammed, there was no holding back. Upon arrival in the mid-afternoon, it was certainly difficult to predict how many party-goers would show up. But as time progressed, and day turned to night, it was clear (or unclear for many) that there was a serious crowd to soak up the atmosphere. Facilities were excellent and all fears of missing out on a ticket were soon subsided with a warm smile from a friendly staff member.

As entry was swift it was irresistible for the body to start moving to the sway of the main stage. Korean artists, Soul Company hit us like a sharp slap in the face. What a welcome! Their ferocious and raw hip-hop energy made for one of the day’s highlights. Followed by an amazing performance by the powerful Brazilian drummers on the field, whose sound had the whole park mesmerised.

The acoustics were in top condition, given the circumstances of the park layout. Both the Main and Jager stages were right next to each other, separated only by stalls of food and liquor. Incredibly, no cross-feed of sound was evident. Very impressive.

The Fest Village added a nice cultural touch to the event. The area was riddled with traditional Korean music, makeup and other little surprises that provided a nice breather from the madness on the other side of the park.

As the day wore on DJs Limzi and Mackay are certainly worth a mention on the Jager stage. Ex-pat Irish DJ Mackay, who lives in Seoul now, created a very energetic vibe with his dirty hard house, weaved with funky electro rhythms. Definitely the recipe needed to get the day crowd jumping.

In the Black Zone, DJ Freekey was the pick of the bunch. His selection of smooth hip hop beats with some nice remixes brought the crowd to where it needed to be.

Headlining act The Freemasons played at the ridiculous time of 4.30am, just in time for the festival to reach its climax. Some roaring electronic grooves helped set the crowd on fire at the wee witching hours of the morning.

The 4th Annual World DJ Festival could hardly be denied as a roaring success. As one enthusiastic punter stated clearly, “great mates, great music and a wonderful way to welcome summer.” Let’s hope that the organisers roll with the track they’ve laid down and keep building on what was seen over the weekend.