Shade Seoul grows and goes international

A Shade Seoul event features performance artists Grebnallaw at Cakeshop in Itaewon, April 15, 2017. / Courtesy of Chris Thunderhawk Tzitzis

By Celeste Kriel

For most countries celebrating Pride, June is officially known as international Pride month when the LGBTQ community and allies around the world come together to celebrate themselves and their communities, to increase visibility and just enjoy who they are.

While this year's Seoul Pride event takes place a month after most other countries, the LGBTQ collective Shade Seoul will be in Shanghai and Beijing next week to heat up the celebration, and will bring a Pride afterparty to Seoul in July.

Five years after the very first monthly event hosted by Shade Seoul, then known as V.O.G.U.E _ a party focused on voguing and ballroom culture _ the collective has grown consistently and its events have become known for providing an inclusive space for unabashed self-expression, fresh music, inclusiveness and a strong non-discriminatory policy. Racism, sexism, classism and homophobia are not tolerated at these events.

"We tried to create a nightlife space that was specifically for LGBTQIA community members and friends, with a strong non-discriminatory policy. If anybody feels like they are being harassed or discriminated against they can inform one of the organizers and we will make sure the situation gets handled appropriately," he said.

Discrimination at nightclubs in Korea is rife and Ligrye, creator of Shade Seoul, sought an antidote to that.

"We wanted a place where you can have the best time of your life and leave with so many memories… meeting people who are similar-minded, maybe finding someone you like there that you wouldn't normally meet, and maybe people with the same taste in good music," he said.

The boundary-breaking collective consists of Ligrye, a South African DJ and photographer, together with Korean DJs Julian "Netgala" and Seesea, plus drag performer Charlotte, "Janice" and Olivia Dope.

Shade parties set themselves apart from other LGBTQ-focused events, happening in Itaewon underground club Cakeshop with specifically curated music selections and DJ lineups. Early on there weren't many LGBTQIA parties happening outside "gay areas." The frustration was that gay clubs often only allow gay males and don't cater to underground music lovers.

"We chose Cakeshop as it has a strong music policy that was a match for what we try to do. The DJ lineup is curated for every event and we try to give preference to artists within the community, whether they are queer, non-binary, or any letter of the LGBTQIA alphabet."

Since its August 2016 launch, Shade has offered strong lineups with international acts including Tygapaw, Jay Boogie and Grebnellaw. Since then Shade has prided itself on bringing fresh DJs and artists such as Yaeji, Jayda-G and Saturn Rising.

In January this year Shade had the opportunity to travel abroad in collaboration with Beijing-based queer DJ and producer collective Most Girls Smell Good, the brainchild of Syd Sidwaba, and they are reuniting this Pride month for events in Shanghai and Beijing.

Next month, in true Shade style they will go back to basics for a Pride afterparty, keeping the lineup local.

"We will be organizing a Pride afterparty, working with Cakeshop and Contra Seoul," Ligrye said. "There will be a completely local lineup in both spaces. We want to go back to what Shade stands for and celebrate the night and celebrate Pride."

Visit fb.com/ShadeSeoul for more information.

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