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.
Sinchon skate shop hosts Korean punk zine fair
Victor Ha shows off zines available for purchase at Spin and Grind in western Seoul's Sinchon area, Feb. 22. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
By Jon Dunbar
Spin and Grind, a skate shop newly opened in western Seoul's Sinchon area, is holding a zine fair this weekend.
"CUT & PASTE: A Korean Punk & Hardcore Zine Fair" celebrates the history and culture of zines documenting Korea's punk and hardcore scene.
A curated selection of zines dating back to the early 2000s will be on display, alongside newly released and reprinted titles available for purchase.
"I wanted to inspire more people to start making their own zines," Victor Ha, Spin and Grind's proprietor, told The Korea Times. "I also wanted to archive as many zines published in Korea as possible and create a snapshot of the Korean zine scene as it exists today."
The zine titles he's rounded up so far include "Army Life" (2005) by Geeks guitarist Kang Jun-sung, "Red Flag" by Rux frontman Won Jong-hee (2004-06) and "Faithful Youth" (2004-10) by Lee Geon-hee of Busan hardcore band All I Have. There are zines in Korean and English.
Some of the zines are closer to full-scale books, such as the photo books "Seoul Punx" (2017) by Jung You-jin and "The More I See" (2011-15) by Scumraid drummer Lee Ju-young. Some of the titles are just for show, while others are for sale, some of which are debuting for the event or being reprinted.
Ha was first exposed to zine culture in the early 2000s when he got involved in the punk and hardcore music scene of Toronto, Canada, while studying at a university there.
"At almost every show I attended, there were cool-looking cut-and-paste fanzines," he said. "I started collecting them and quickly became obsessed. Eventually, I realized there weren't many fanzines documenting the Korean punk and hardcore scene, so I decided to start my own."
After returning to Korea in 2004, he created Break the Shell, with the now-unfortunate acronym "BTS," which ran for three issues from 2004 to 2006. Ha, also the frontman of the hardcore band Things We Say, which also has the now-unfortunate acronym "TWS," later created one issue of a zine called In Walnut We Trust in 2011.
"It's not hard to make zines," Ha said. "Since it's a personal project, the hardest part is setting a deadline for myself. No one is pushing you to finish it. When inspiration strikes, you should just start working on it before the motivation fades and you get lazy."
The names of both zines reflect his life in Cheonan, North Chungcheong Province, a city known for its walnuts, or "hodu." Ha lived there for several years, running a skate shop called Look Beyond, before relocating earlier this year to Seoul, and rebranding his new shop as Spin and Grind.
Zine is short for magazine, the difference being that zines are usually made using cheap, DIY methods, and they are usually self-published.
"There’s no fixed format — you can express yourself in any way you like," Ha said. "That freedom is what makes zines special."
He says the Korean punk and hardcore scene doesn't have enough zines these days.
"I think a lot of people feel pressured to make something perfect, so they're afraid to start. They worry too much about what others will think before they've even made anything," he said.
"I'd love to see more zines in the Korean scene. I want to see more weird, stupid and even "useless" zines — ones that surprise people, inspire them and remind everyone that you don't have to be perfect to create something meaningful."
The zine fair will also include a panel talk in Korean featuring six zine creators, musicians and independent label founders. There will also be DJs spinning punk and hardcore records throughout the two-day event.
Later that night, Spin and Grind will host its second official Tiny AF Show. Serving as sort of an extreme mirror version of NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series, Tiny AF invites punk and hardcore bands to play short sets inside the small shop.
Saturday's show will feature Seoul band chchchNz, and Cheonan "hodu-core" bands After Party Club and Shirt in Jacket.
The first Tiny AF Show featured local bands Malintention and Tyrant on June 13. Earlier this year, during the shop's soft opening phase, the Canadian hardcore band Desecrate headlined an explosive show also featuring Palecistus, Second Damage and Cutt Deep.
A young Korean crowdsurfs while Canadian hardcore band Desecrate performs during a soft opening event for Spin and Grind in western Seoul's Sinchon area, Feb. 15. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
In its first half-year operating in Seoul, Spin and Grind has become an integral platform for local underground scenes centered around punk, hardcore and skateboarding.
"People stop by the shop before or after the shows, and because we're so close to the venues, touring bands can easily visit us as well," Ha said.
"They stop by, shop here, and spread the word, which helps make Spin and Grind a must-visit spot for people coming to Seoul. I believe what I'm doing is good for the Korean punk and hardcore scene, and if the scene continues to grow, my business will grow with it."
The zine fair runs this Saturday to Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Tiny AF Show starts at 7 p.m. Visit @spinandgrind on Instagram for more information.