Searching for 15 minutes of fame

There has long been a tradition of open mics in Korea, with many coming and going as their founders or artists ― who are mostly expats ― move on to other cities or countries.

However, a few open mics have latched on to longevity across the country. Some have been going for many years, while other newer events hope to stick it out longer than their predecessors.

One of the longest-running open mics is in Busan at OL’55 in the Kyungsung University area. Mike Edmunds arrived in Korea in 2006 and began searching for an open mic to release his creative side. Discovering there was none at the time, he asked the owner of OL’55 if he could start one.

The event has been running every Wednesday since. The show starts around 10:30 p.m. and according to Edmunds, often runs until 4 or 5 in the morning. There is no sign-up. Edmunds hosts the event and said those interested in performing need only find him.

“I am the host and if you wanna play, you come talk to me,” he said. “I keep it all upstairs and that has never been a problem. I like to keep it informal like that, and it keeps me on my toes.”

He said the usual comings and goings in the expat community mean the crowds change every year and over time, but the show has always been busy with five to 15 performers on any given night. Some Wednesdays, the atmosphere is chilled out with a small audience, but others have the bar so packed, “you can’t even move in the bar without spilling your drink.”

The event has given birth to a lot of local acts, Edmunds said, including his own band, The Positions.

He said the key to longevity of the open mic is the steady group of musicians that have been there for more than five years.

“The music is always good, and so the crowds are always good,” he said.

The open mic at Traveler’s in Daegu might not be as old as the show at OL’55, but in the eight months since it started, it’s been bringing in consistent acts and audiences.

“I would say there are some who are consistent with coming to support the open mic, but generally business is good at Traveler’s so there is always a crowd unless it’s a holiday weekend,” said Ava Coleman, a regular performer at the show.

The event takes place every Sunday at 8 p.m. and brings in a variety of styles from R&B singers to popular music and rock. Coleman said that what helped make the open mic so good was the support and encouragement for anyone to get up on the stage.

“The man in charge of Open Mic, Greg, is an excellent guitar player, and if anyone wants to sing, he will look up the chords on his iPad and play to help out. He’s good!” Coleman said.

Letting anyone perform is what helps out the open mic events in Daejeon, according to Nicholas Anzivino, who has helped with a few of them. Currently there are two main ones ― one at Santa Claus on the first Saturday of the month at 9 p.m. in Gun-dong and the other at Brickhouse, usually on the first Thursday of the month.

“They (open mics) are good because they give a lot of people an opportunity to perform who wouldn’t necessarily have done so,” he said. “They are also bad because of this, but overall they help enrich a musical scene and get people to meet each other and share ideas.”

This same open atmosphere has made open mics successful in Seoul, with many taking place on any given night of the week. Most take place in Itaewon, with two of the most popular being Open Mic at Tony’s Aussie Bar on Mondays from 9-11 p.m. and Itaewon Open Mic at Woodstock on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m.

Both are open to any number of acts, from comedy and spoken word to bands and hip-hop, and have attracted steady and dedicated followers. Tony’s has been around for years, and also hosts a comedy open mic on Wednesdays, while Itaewon Open Mic is coming up on its 2nd anniversary over the summer.

The variety of open mics in Seoul create good opportunities for artists to perform as much as they need and want to, as well as gain exposure.

“I think it’s important to have these events because artists need a relaxed place where they can try out new music and make mistakes without worrying about the crowd booing them off stage,” said Jeremy Rondell, organizer of Itaewon Open Mic.

“Open Mics to me are the first stage before the big stage. You can make mistakes and try new things. ... They (the audience) will understand that by the time the artist reaches the big shows, he or she will be ready.”

By Emma Kalka (ekalka@heraldcorp.com)

Other open mics across Korea

Busan:

•Wordz Only at Caf Radio

Speaking/reading series

Contact: Wordz Only Facebook group

When: Check the page for upcoming events.

•Open Mic at The Basement in PNU

All performance types

When: Tuesday nights

•Open Mic at Crossroads in PNU

All performance types

When: Thursday nights

Suwon:

•Acoustic Garden Caf Session at The Big Chill

All performances ― comedy, music and others

Contact: edwardjorgensen@gmail.com

When: First Wednesday of each month

Seoul:

•Open Mic at FLOW in Itaewon

All performances

Contact: Kakao ID ― Jeremius1 or iDub79

When: Every Sunday, sign-up starts at 6:30 p.m., show at 7 p.m.

•Stand-Up Seoul at Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon

Stand-up comedy

Contact: Facebook group under Stand-up Seoul

When: First Thursday of every month, 9 p.m.

•Nori Open Mic at Nori Bar in Sinchon

All performances

Contact: Facebook group under Nori Bar

When: Every Wednesday

•Open Mic at Bar Carmen in Gyeongnidan

All peformances

Contact: Bar Carmen Facbook group

When: Last Sunday of the month