Community radio station launches in Busan to support local underground scene
Busan DJ Radio Revolution, left, founder of Radio Revolution's Reading Room, hosts an opening party for the community radio station in Busan, April 4. Courtesy of Jang Tae-hyun
Busan is a vibrant and energetic city, but compared to Seoul, it lacks the concentration of opportunities available to those involved in the underground music scene. In conversations with local promoters, club owners and dancers, many pointed to a similar issue: While there is growing interest in the underground scene, there is less infrastructure to support it.
To address that gap, Radio Revolution's Reading Room was launched on April 4 by Hwang Doogie, a Busan-born DJ who goes by the moniker Radio Revolution. His work dates back to the 1990s, including a residency at the former club Livin’ and a role as music director for Korean electronic festival The Air House.
A glowing sign shows that Radio Revolution's Reading Room is in use, during an opening party for the community radio station in Busan, April 4. The fish dangling from the sign resembles "aengmagi myeongtae,” which is a pollack used to ward off bad luck in Korean tradition. Courtesy of Jang Tae-hyun
The project is intended not only as a platform to broadcast music, but also as a networking space to circulate local talent and support new DJs through its academy program.
In conversation, Radio Revolution described the station as a noncommercial space “where conversations can happen” and where “people can connect and be present.”
The launch represents a significant addition to Busan’s cultural infrastructure, as the city functions very differently from Seoul’s underground scene. Radio Revolution described Busan as having a “more interconnected and supportive scene.”
“The community is tighter,” he said. “Evolution in the scene happens through close collaboration rather than the fragmentation often observed in Seoul.”
The opening event, held at the station’s new space in the Jeonpo-daero area, brought together a wide range of attendees. One in particular described the atmosphere as “chill,” a tone she added matched the city’s character. Local venues, including Roots Record Bar, contributed catering and drinks.
For its first broadcast, the station featured DJs Jinwook, Zoroman, Minwook and dasein_kimpro. Later that evening, a documentary by the station was screened at UTC Busan in Gwangalli.
People attend an opening party for Radio Revolution's Reading Room community radio station in Busan, April 4. Courtesy of Jang Tae-hyun
There was indeed a period in Busan where its local scene lived independently from Seoul and enjoyed a good 10 years of what he describes as “raw energy,” where every weekend felt like a festival, until a lack of jobs and opportunities slowly pushed people toward the capital. Governmental support and infrastructure remain lacking in the beachside city, making it difficult to revitalize the once energetic and wild scene.
“I believe the shortcomings stem from structural issues rather than individual capabilities,” Radio Revolution said. “There is a natural flow of people who enjoy underground culture moving to Seoul, and the reality is that interest in and support for Busan's nightlife and subculture at the city level are still insufficient.”
While Radio Revolution hopes the station can become a long-standing fixture in Busan’s underground scene, maintaining community projects remains a worldwide challenge.
Projects like this depend on continued support from local communities. On April 8, Oroko Radio, a community station based in Ghana known for its international broadcasts, announced via Instagram that it could no longer sustain its operations. Its closure highlights the challenges faced by community-led platforms, which rely heavily on the people around them to keep going.
Visit linktr.ee/RR.REDINGROOM for more information, or follow @radiorevolutionreadingroom on Instagram for more information.
Daniela P. Solano, @ldymacca on Instagram, is a cultural researcher and the founder of Korean Wave Lab, a platform dedicated to promoting Korean underground subcultures.