Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
DJ Utility Vest offers 'audio pilgrimage' of Korean afterlife rituals
The cover of DJ Utility Vest's album "Preparing for the Afterlife" shows the artist sitting in a room where he recorded most of the album, surrounded by artwork depicting the Bodhidharma, a yangban mask, a Korean flag, a tricolor taegeuk hand fan and bottles of traditional Korean alcohol. Courtesy of Il Padrino Records
By Jon Dunbar
There's a lot of Korean heritage on display in DJ Utility Vest's latest album. Translated into English as "Preparing for the Afterlife," it offers 13 electronic music tracks, as well as five spoken-word pieces taken from interviews, sermons and conversations that dive into spirituality with a distinctly Korean setting.
DJ Utility Vest / Courtesy of Il Padrino Records
"Over the last few years, I’ve been diving deep into Korean burial traditions, reading up on them, researching, watching documentaries and trying to understand the cultural and spiritual layers," he told The Korea Times. "While exploring all of this, I kept up a longtime habit of hunting for obscure albums, digging through flea markets around Seoul, mostly Dongmyo and Myeong-dong. I collected old cassette tapes, vinyl and Buddhist CDs, and I'm always trying to find sounds that feel dusty, aged and slightly out of tune with the present."
DJ Utility Vest takes his privacy seriously, going so far as to not reveal what city he resides in or whether he's a Korean national or foreigner. He hides behind layers of alias and anonymity, the outermost two being his signature: He wears a paper yangban mask derived from dance traditions mocking the aristocratic elites, paired with a utility vest, which he said in a 2023 interview that he sees as a "badge of honor" among the older generations of Korean men.
"I prefer to keep a bit of distance from my personal identity for now," he said. "I prefer to let the music speak for itself, without the distractions of who I am behind the decks."
Utility Vest is part of Il Padrino Records, a music collective similarly shrouded in mystery. Over the past few years, Il Padrino Records has quietly carved out a presence within Seoul’s ever-evolving nightlife scene. Though intentionally low-profile, they've built a strong reputation through a string of unforgettable rooftop parties, off-the-grid DJ sets and collaborative events that blur the line between music, art and underground culture. Their sets move fluidly across genres, weaving together everything from techno to house, drill, hip-hop, breaks, jungle, DNB and experimental cuts.
"Operating under the radar has always been part of Il Padrino’s ethos — we don’t push for mainstream attention," one of its members said.
DJ Utility Vest said this latest album, which took about two years to complete, is "easily the most personal and fully-formed project I’ve made."
"I tried to build an audio pilgrimage," he said. "I wanted to explore the idea of spiritual movement, specifically through the lens of Korean tradition and sound."
The music accumulates various scavenged audio recordings, including Buddhist prayers, field recordings, voice clips, sermons and even folk songs from North Korea.
"One of the more emotional turns came after finding soundbites from a documentary about Korean Catholic funeral rites, which added another layer to how I was thinking about death, grief and cultural transition," he said.
DJ Utility Vest's samples also make heavy use of traditional Korean music instruments, including drums, wind instruments and Buddhist temple bells.
"I want something that feels alive, something with weight and presence," he said. "I never aim for something polished or historically accurate."
The album offers a journey through the afterlife and rituals surrounding it.
"The album begins by following the Korean Grim Reaper, who guides souls to the afterlife. That opening moment sets the path for everything that follows," the DJ said. "There are moments of fear, confusion, surrender and eventually a kind of strange peace. Maybe it’s peace. Maybe it’s longing. Either way, feels like the curtain slowly falling."
Track names include "Only the Blood of Serpents Will Cleanse You," "Your Lord Is Pissed Off" and "Ascension to Heaven."
DJ Utility Vest does his thing at Living Room in central Seoul's Haebangchon. Courtesy of Il Padrino Records
DJ Utility Vest confided that even he doesn't fully know what the album is.
"I didn’t have a clear plan when I started the album, but as it took shape, my aim became clearer," he said. "I believe it would make the listener stop and think about how they live, what they believe (and) what might come next, whether that’s death, change or something else entirely."
Visit ilpadrinorecords.bandcamp.com to listen or @ilpadrinorecords on Instagram for more information.