Busan Rock Festival
Every year South Korea hosts an incredible music festival with a peculiarity that will surely make all the bohemian rock lovers very happy: the admission is free of charge.
Inaugurated in 2000, Busan Rock Festival has become very popular amongst South Koreans. The music festival takes place every year in August in Busan. Impressive rock, metal and indie bands play near the beaches of this South Korean city.
This festival is not only unique because it is free, but also because it takes place right in the city. The event usually takes place at the spacious Samrak Park that borders Busan's west edge against Gimhae. There are two stages, the main stage and the smaller stage for up-and-coming acts.
This year was dominated by big names in Korean indie music. The Finnish band Stratovarius headlined the event this year. Another international band Soil & Pimp Sessions, a jazz/funk 6-piece out of Tokyo, also rocked the event.
A band from South Korea, Kingston Rudieska swept the audience off their feet. They are the original Korean ska band and - like wine - have improved since their foundation a decade ago.
Romantic Punch was also in the line-up. The band looks like they are out of the 80s and the frontman knows how to put on a good show. Other bands that played at the festival were Icy Cider - rock band with an entertaining frontman, #1 Korean - a grea ska-punk band who lay back into reggae sometimes -, Feverdogs - an up-and-coming band from Busan, who will soon become a big indie phenomenon-, Stoned - punksters from Busan -, and other rock bands.