Outdoor music festivals to rule summer

As the mercury rises, outdoor festivals offer a way to cool down with music. This year’s festival list is long and broad, encompassing diverse genres of music.

The second edition of DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2019 takes place Friday to Sunday. The festival, promoting peace, features local and foreign musicians performing near the Demilitarized Zone. 

Pivoting around the border city of Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, stages will be set up at iconic locations such as the Goseokjeong Pavilion, a scenic spot near the river; Woljeong-ri Station, South Korea’s northernmost train station; and Soisan, a mountain that offers a panoramic view of Cheorwon.

John Cale, a founding member of the legendary American rock band the Velvet Underground, is among some 30 acts that also include Chinese singer-songwriter Cui Jian, who is recognized as a pioneer of Chinese rock music.

In Seoul, the 2019 Seoul Park Music Festival will introduce diverse genres of music from June 15-16 at Olympic Park.

 

The festival features singer-songwriter Jang Beom-june, rock band Guckkasten, hip-hop musician Zico, indie band Hyukoh, rapper Bewhy and singer-producer Zion.T.

Meanwhile, electronic dance music festivals have spread beyond Seoul and gravitated away from Seoul Olympic Stadium, which has hosted major music festivals over the years. The stadium is currently under renovation ahead of an athletic event in October.

Ultra Korea 2019, the Korean leg of the global Ultra Music Festival, will take place June 7-9 at Everland Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The event will feature 107 acts, including the recently united Swedish House Mafia, Jamie Jones, Knife Party, Martin Garrix, Skrillex, Underworld and Virtual Self.
 

The Holiday Land Festival kicks off July 27-28 at Paradise City, a resort complex on Yeongjong Island near Incheon International Airport. The lineup includes celebrated foreign pop musicians such as James Blake, H.E.R and Anne-Marie.

The following month, the 2019 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, which practically launched the large-scale music festival scene in Korea in 2006, takes place at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park from Aug. 9-11.

As of now, the revealed lineup includes rock and indie bands Two Door Cinema Club, YB, Romantic Punch and Broccoli, You Too.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)