Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process

People read notes left at the scene of the Oct. 27 crowd disaster in central Seoul's Itaewon, Jan. 30. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

By Jamie Finn

How should we act when faced with tragedy? It's a question that has no right answer. For some, the only acceptable way to conduct oneself when dealing with loss is with a quiet, solemn demeanor. They believe this is the only way to show respect for those affected by the tragedy. Others, such as the organizers of the upcoming music festival named Let There Be Love, Itaewon, believe that music can also be part of our response to grief, and that now is the perfect time to come together and build a community around music.

Korea is still reeling from the devastating Halloween crowd disaster that happened last Oct. 27. The catastrophe that took the lives of at least 158 people will leave scars on this country for many, many years to come.

In the three months since, Itaewon and the surrounding neighborhoods have become a center for mourning, with a series of memorials and ceremonies taking place in the area. While an important and necessary part of the grieving process, this period of healing has had a significant impact on Itaewon, an area that relies on its lively atmosphere built on a strong sense of community. It has left local businesses, still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, in a precarious position.

An alley in central Seoul's Itaewon is deserted during lunch hour, Jan. 30. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Enter the organizers of Let There Be Love, Itaewon, a music festival featuring many of the country's top performers, who will perform in various venues around the area this weekend.

"Our hope is to set a new and fresh example of what remembrance and mourning can look like in Korea," says a local music promoter who goes by Yoon. She is one of the founders of Let There Be Love, Itaewon.

The inspiration for planning the event came from the response to an attack at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 at the AO Arena in Manchester, U.K. As people were leaving the stadium, an Islamic extremist detonated a homemade bomb, killing 23. In response, Grande, along with other key figures, organized the One Love Manchester campaign, a pop concert featuring a slew of internationally renowned acts.

"We took great inspiration and influence from the One Love Manchester campaign," Yoon says. "Big names came together to spread love and hope to the community during an extremely difficult time. We hope to do the same with Let There Be Love, Itaewon! We wholly believe that it is possible to show respect for and remember those who are no longer with us through music, art and community."

The Ariana Grande concert isn't Let There Be Love, Itaewon's only connection to Manchester; the name itself is lifted from a song by the English band Oasis. "We connected deeply with the lyrics," Yoon explains. "'Who kicked a hole in the sky / So the heavens would cry over me? / Who stole the soul in a world come undone at the seams? / Let there be love, let there be love.' This message of hope and love resonated with us, and served as a catalyst for putting this event together on such a small timeline."

The event itself will take place in bars, clubs, restaurants and even stores around Itaewon and will feature some surprising names as venues. For one night only, places like Thursday Party, Bistro Mexi, Day and Night, and many more will become live music spaces. The lineup boasts almost 100 of the biggest names in Korean music as well as some of the best emerging acts. They include Leenalchi, Kim Oki Fucking Madness, Galaxy Express, Say Sue Me and loads more.

Leenalchi / Courtesy of Leenalchi

One of the reasons the organizers were able to compile such a star-studded set of acts is thanks to the positive message the festival hopes to spread. "Many of the artists were empathetic and supportive of our goals for this event," Yoon says. "We are extremely lucky to host all 99 participating acts and infinitely grateful to them for agreeing to perform on such short notice."

The seven-member team behind the event call themselves Team Itaewon. They have built up connections through their work running music venues Club FF, Pet Sounds, and Boogie Woogie as well as a live music festival in venues around Hongik University. "We are a nonprofit organization formed solely for the purpose of this campaign, comprised of music community members, Itaewon residents, Itaewon store owners, Hongdae live music venue bookers and those who simply love the idea."

Walking After U / Courtesy of Walking After U

The team came together shortly after the Itaewon disaster while reflecting on the role that music and community can have in the grieving process. "After the tragic incident, many events were canceled or postponed," Yoon says. "Not long after, we thought about different forms that mourning could take and had the idea that music and art can actually hold immense power to spread hope and healing. That's where it all started, and it spread to a small group of similar-minded people that now make up Team Itaewon."

Because of the context the event is taking place in, safety is an absolute must and Team Itaewon is taking it seriously. "We have over 120 volunteers, over the two days. They'll be checking tickets, guiding people and making sure areas don't get too crowded," Yoon says. "We are also working closely with the Yongsan District Office and local police to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Similarly to Haebangchon's Block Party Festival and Hongdae's Live Club Day, this is a ticketed event, which means we're able to control the amount of people who have access to the venues. As well as our group of volunteers, we will be posting regular updates on safety information and venue capacity on our social media."

Say Sue Me / Courtesy of Say Sue Me

The future of the festival remains unclear, and Team Itaewon is not making any plans outside of the February event. "Currently, we have no future plans for Let There Be Love, Itaewon," Yoon explained. "Our ambitions are these. First, to set an example for the music and arts scene in Korea in times of national hardship. We want to show that, rather than being subject to implicit silence, the scene can provide immeasurable hope and healing through their work. Second, we want to bring love, hope and, importantly, people back to Itaewon."

Visit beacons.ai/ltblitaewon for any information about Let There Be Love, Itaewon, as well as to buy tickets.

Jamie Finn is chief editor of Platform Magazine.