Thundering music venue lifts the bar

Musicians perform at Thunderhorse Tavern during last year’s HBC Fest in Haebangchon. / Courtesy of Alecia Janeiro

By John Redmond

Seoul’s inner suburb of Itaewon once had the reputation of being the center of the expat music scene, alongside the student neighborhood of Hongdae.

Live venues thrived, spearheaded by bars including Ol Stompers, Rocky Mountain Tavern, Tony’s Aussie Pub, Woodstock, All That Jazz, VFW and Thunderhorse.

With the shift of the indie scene to venues around Hongdae, coupled with rising rents, many venues closed their doors for good. But those that stood their ground not only survived, but prospered.

The sound desk at Thunderhorse - The Pit. / Photo by Kirk Kwon

While Woodstock on the main street of Itaewon can lay claim to being the original “sticky carpet” (a term related to a live bar with a carpet that sticks to your feet due to spilled beer) venue of Seoul and is still open to bands of all levels of experience, Thunderhorse - The Pit has a reputation for a live stage with recording studio-quality sound.

Thunderhorse is the brainchild of musician/audio engineer Kirk Kwon.

Canadian Kwon cut his teeth working with demanding international acts such as Motorhead, Slayer, The Tragically Hip, Peter Frampton and Nickelback, as well as producing sound for local bands Harry Big Button, Method and Dark Mirror ov Tragedy.

Thunderhorse, originally near the Itaewon main street, moved to Kyungridan in late 2013, making it the first bar dedicated solely to live music.

Kwon’s original inspiration was always to provide a true band/audience experience. Specifically focusing on the band, knowing that if the band feels comfortable and the sound system is up to scratch, the audience will reap the benefits.

Seoul City Suicides perform at Woodstock in September 2015. / Photo by John Redmond

“My inspiration for Thunderhorse has always been the bands and the music,” Kwon said in an interview with The Korea Times. “I've always enjoyed working with bands and I've mixed so many live shows here in Korea that I wanted to start my own venue where I could showcase bands and try to give them the experience of working with someone like myself who has been doing this for years.”

Thunderhorse boasts a state-of-the-art sound system that is tailored to the venue. And louder is not always better.

“Not to brag, but people have said it is the only place where you can actually hear a band,” Kwon said.

“As far as having a good PA (public address) system, it depends on the music or bands. A mentor and longtime teacher Monty Wilks, who worked with Nirvana, Prince and so many others, would say, ‘Know your gear and learn to have an ear.’ So in short, most PA systems when run properly can handle most things but it is essential to ensure it is the right PA for what you plan to do.”

Matt Randell warms up at Thunderhorse in 2015. / Photo by John Redmond

The live venue has seen many international acts from Seoul’s Zandari Festival opting to reach a more grounded audience.

While Woodstock represents a no-frills, questionable-equipment approach to giving a band a chance to gain a live following, the venue doesn’t disappoint in crowd sizes.

To book a gig at Woodstock, speak to Mr. Woo. He can be found sleeping on the couch near the pool table inside Woodstock. Woodstock does pay -- very rare in Korea.

To get there, leave Itaewon Station at exit 2 and walk straight. The sign is in front of you.

To book a gig at Thunderhorse, visit the Thunderhorse - The Pit Facebook page.

To get to Thunderhorse, leave Noksapyeong Station at exit 2. Walk to the main intersection and cross the street. Turn right. Thunderhorse is on your left in the basement level.