Cultural Post #4

[Joseph Lee]

In Korea, busking (“버스킹”) is a popular form of artistic expression, where performers sing/dance on the streets of busy streets. This isn’t unfamiliar to us, since street performances happen all around the world, but in Korea, dance performances are more common, which is something that is less common around the world. In areas like Hongdae, the way the streets are designed allow for open performances, whether it be stairs surrounding an open area, or wide pedestrian walkways. It is important to keep in mind that like many metropolitan areas, many people in Korea walk around rather than drive, which is also because of the public transportation infrastructure and the size of Korea itself. If you go to certain areas of Seoul, you can see many vocal/instrumental performers, and in some instances there are dedicated youtube/streaming channels, where performers/strangers perform and people can view in real time. One youtube channel, for example, called “거리노래방” (Literal translation: street karaoke), features random/spontaneous performers/contestants singing to a song, an you can see both a real crowd and a bunch of real time comments. Many channels also host dance performances/competitions, where they either perform dances or invite people to dance. All this happens in the streets/walkways of busy cities, and it can be seen as a part of Korean culture.

[Peace Nyeche]

This was really interesting Joseph! I've always wanted to see busking, and Hongdae is one of my dream destinations. When I used to dance with Block Crew busking was something I tried to encourage and do as much as possible. We only ever got around to it once or twice to promote shows but it was so much fun and I bet the real deal would be even better.