Chinese Football to headline emo festival in Seoul

The members of Chinese Football / Courtesy of Chinese Football

After a mostly sold-out U.S. tour last year, Chinese Football are coming back to Korea. Ahead of their performance at Emotional Damage emo music festival, the quartet opened up to The Korea Times about failure, independence and the music that still moves them.

Building on a shared love of Midwest emo and pop-punk, the Wuhan-based indie rock band has enjoyed the unlikeliest of careers. Formed in 2011, the four-piece comprising guitarist and vocalist Xu Bo, guitarist Wang Bo, bassist Li Lixin and drummer Zheng Zili has released two full-length albums and two EPs that clearly show its influences, yet feel entirely its own.

Any conversation with Chinese Football always ends up turning to Wuhan. The city sits at the geographic heart of China, and the band members insist it has shaped them in ways that Beijing or Shanghai never could have.

“Wuhan has this unique atmosphere where relaxation and tension coexist,” Zheng said. “Our music isn’t overly polished. It’s a bit like photos taken on a film camera, quite grainy.”

Xu expanded further: “The cost of living is much lower, so there’s less pressure. That means we’re less driven by commercial motives when making music.”

Wang reached for a broader frame of reference. “There’s an old Chinese saying: 'The water and soil of a place nurture its people.' Wuhan developed from a dockside culture, so it has a certain complexity and diversity.”

Their most recent album, “Win&Lose,” takes success and failure as its central theme, a subject Chinese Football have contemplated since the start.

“Honestly, the theme of failure has been there since our very first song,” Wang said. “Our music grows alongside us, and growth inevitably comes with gains and losses.”

Xu spoke about how the idea of failure has become part of his life. “In many aspects of life, I’ve been a failure, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve gradually learned to accept that.”

For Zheng, the picture is more complicated. “I think success and failure coexist,” she said. “In many ways, I’ve met my expectations in life, but not necessarily my aspirations.”

Part of what has allowed Chinese Football to operate on their own terms is Wild Records, the label they founded and run themselves.

“Having our own label gives us much more freedom in creativity, ideas and decision-making,” Zheng said.

“It’s helped us understand the whole system behind music — distribution, production, merchandise, even live performance,” Li added. “On the surface, the things we do might seem a bit loose, but every step we’ve taken has been real and solid progress.”

The independence of having their own label has also freed them to look outside of China. Chinese Football are one of the very few independent artists from mainland China to have built a big international following.

But why are there so few?

Xu points to infrastructure. “China’s social media ecosystem is completely separate from that of Europe, America, Japan and Korea, so there exists a natural barrier.”

Zheng suspects the domestic market offers too much of a comfort zone. “Perhaps some bands become too successful at home and lose the ambition to go international,” he said.

Their own international reach was on display in last year’s mostly sold-out U.S. tour. “It completely exceeded our expectations, which was really encouraging,” Wang said. “Getting support from audiences across different cultures, languages and countries is a powerful form of recognition. That connection goes beyond the music itself.”

For Xu, the experience was a kind of reset. “The biggest impact for me was rediscovering my original motivation,” he said. “In every city, I looked up bands and musicians I love who came from there. It helped me reconnect with the music that once inspired me, and I realized it still moves me. I want to make that kind of simple, lasting music too.”

Chinese emo band Chinese Football / Courtesy of Chinese Football

Clearly, the band has always worn its musical inspirations openly. Asked for their emo and pop-punk Mount Rushmore, the members answer quickly and with conviction. Xu goes for Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring, Saves The Day and Brand New. Li picks Fugazi, blink-182, Green Day and, naturally, American Football. Wang’s list includes Weezer, The Get Up Kids, Asian Kung-Fu Generation and, again, American Football.

The band American Football holds an important place in Chinese Football’s story, as the members took inspiration for their name from the Illinois-based Midwest emo band. And although American Football had broken up by the time Chinese Football was born, they have since reunited.

When that happened, did the name situation become awkward?

“We didn’t think too much about it,” Xu said. “When we chose the name, we never imagined we’d still be going more than 10 years later. If there were a band called blink-183, I’d probably assume they were just a short-term project too.”

In a nice coincidence, American Football are also set to visit Korea this year.

Chinese emo band Chinese Football / Courtesy of Chinese Football

Chinese Football will be the headlining act for Emotional Damage, an emo music festival taking place in Seoul May 29-30.

The festival is organized by DJ Kim, who for the last five years has been at the heart of Korea’s rising emo scene thanks to his popular Emo Parties.

“I wanted to bring the energy of our Emo Parties to a bigger scale event,” Kim said when asked why he created Emotional Damage.

The tagline of the festival is “beautifully broken,” a label which Kim feels is apt.

“The festival will be an experience where you’ll feel moved, open and fully feel the raw, sincere energy of the music,” he said.

The festival lineup features some great names, such as Hollow Jan, Soumbalgwang, Green Flame Boys, Wapddi and, of course, Chinese Football.

“They were the perfect fit for what we’re trying to do with Emotional Damage,” Kim said. “Their music has the ability to make you feel less alone. I’m very happy and excited to experience their performance with Korea’s emo community.”

In addition to Seoul, Chinese Football will also perform in Busan as part of Ovantgarde’s 8th anniversary month. The band has been to both cities before, and the members shared their opinions.

“We played in Seoul and Busan, and the two cities felt very different,” Li said. “Seoul felt refined and restrained, like a big city such as Taipei or Shanghai. The venue in Busan felt like a small European club. We could get much closer to the audience, which made it easier to connect emotionally.”

The Seoul show has remained a strong memory for Xu. “Just the other day, I was thinking about Parasol and Cogason,” he said. “I really admire their music. I looked them up and saw that Parasol have stopped performing, which is a shame.”

Their enthusiasm for the Korean scene goes well beyond the bands they have shared stages with. Wang lists Mid-Air Thief, Vidulgi OoyoO and Apollo 18 among his favorite acts.

Xu’s list is longer: Say Sue Me, Apollo 18, Vidulgi OoyoO, Asian Glow, HYUKOH and ADOY, with an open invitation for more. “I’d love recommendations from Korean listeners.”

Zheng adds that she went to see The Black Skirts when the musician toured China.

This time around, the band has plans beyond its performances. Zheng is staying longer in Seoul to eat and explore.

Xu has a more specific mission in mind. “I want to visit some record shops. I didn’t get the chance last time.”

And the shows themselves? Xu keeps it tantalizingly brief. “You might hear some unreleased new songs.”

Visit linktr.ee/chinesefootball for more information.

Jamie Finn is chief editor of Debaser Magazine.