Fall is slowly arriving in South Korea, which means it is time for another Zandari Festa in Hongdae. As always, Seoulbeats will be attending Hongdae’s biggest party from September 26 to 29 to take in all the best music from both the South Korean and international indie scenes. Before the party kicks off next Thursday, we are here with a preview of what we are looking forward to from this year’s Festa.

Taking place over four days, the 2019 Festa boasts stages from 119 artists from 20 different countries. Zandari has consistently been a great opportunity not only for artists to share their music with an international audience, but the Festa also provides networking opportunities, conferences, and workshops for artists and industry professionals who attend.

Thanks to the Zandari Festa, we’ll get the opportunity to meet foreign delegates who in other circumstances would be difficult to meet and interact with. We’ll be able to learn about the foreign music market and get feedback on our music. All of this — along with the possibility of setting new goals for our group — makes us really excited to take part in this event every year!

DABDA

As in years previous, there will be special stages and showcases to celebrate music from all over the world. This year we can look forward to special showcases of artists from Hungary and Taiwan, as well as French and Canadian nights. Turning the attention to Korean Indie, there will also be a Busan showcase with potential indie gems Bosudong Cooler, JTONG, Platform Stereo, and the Magus.

Speaking of Indie Gems, some of our favorite artists from years previous will be taking the stage, including: Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, Dead Buttons, …Whatever that Means, Dabda, NINE9, Billy Carter, Burning Hepburn, and Laybricks. Of course, for a number of Korean artists, Zandari will also be their first opportunity to share their music with a global audience. We are looking forward to seeing some new artists, like Seoul-based Jackingcong.

The 2019 Zandari Festa is our first official performance since debut. We’re excited and nervous about it, and we think that this could be an opportunity for people who haven’t heard of us to get to know us and become interested in our music. Also, we’re looking forward to other artists’ performances and the opportunity to interact with them.

Jackingcong

Zandari will present a variety of contemporary Korean Indie, from the psychedelic punk rock group Ego Function, to the more traditional instrumentation of Gyepi Sisters. Regardless of whatever genre you may enjoy, you are guaranteed to make a few new discoveries. It will be an excellent opportunity to both catch some of your favorite acts live, and broaden your musical horizons. Or, if you are unable to attend, stay tuned for the Seoulbeats post-Festa coverage of all our favorite performances!

(YouTube [1][2][3], Images via Zandari Festa. Translations via Rose de Iudicibus.)