No.158 / Jun 13, 2022
As many experts expect a transition from pandemic to endemic, COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted across Korea. Facemasks can be taken off outside and singing along is allowed again. With the rules removed, music festivals and tours are back in full swing. The Ajou Globe (The AG) researched the music festivals returning off-line. From rock to Electronic Dance Music (EDM), here is your 2022 music festivals guide.
WaterBomb
Do you want to escape the summer heat? WaterBomb is coming back! WaterBomb is a festival that combines water gun fights and music performances. You can enjoy EDM, hip-hop, and K-pop at once while getting soaked by water cannons and guns. The significant part of WaterBomb is that it is a participatory festival wherein audiences choose their favorite team of artists, and even enjoy water fighting with them. Some of Korea’s biggest artists are set to perform, including Jay Park, Sunmi, Zico, and CL, as well as renowned dance crews La Chica and Holy Bang. WaterBomb will be held in various cities like Seoul, Suwon, Incheon, and Daegu. To kick off their 2022 run, WaterBomb will start in Seoul for 3 days from June 24 to 26 at Jamsil Sports Complex. Subsequently, it will be held in Daegu on July 23, Incheon in August, and Suwon on August 13. Tickets are available for purchase via WaterBomb’s official website.
S20 Korea Songkran Music Festival (S20 Korea)
The famous Songkran Music Festival will debut in Korea in July. Songkran is Thailand’s New Year’s Day. During this period, a water festival is held throughout Thailand for about 10 days. It is a representative festival in the world where tourists from all over the world gather to feel the heat. People can enjoy the stage set by world-class EDM musicians with special effects, using about 1 million liters of water. It will be held for the first time in Korea and is expected to be one of the must-attend EDM festivals this year. S20 Korea will take place at Seoul Land in Gwacheon from July 9 to 10. Ticket bookings, the line-up of performers, and the festival schedule will be announced through S20 Korea’s official website, social media, and YouTube channel.
Pentaport Rock Festival 2022
In summer, why not scream with “rock”? The Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will be held as an offline event this year. It was selected as one of the world’s top 10 rock festivals by the British magazine Time Out. The festival has been held for 17 years, including the period of COVID-19 quarantine. Incheon Pentaport used to form a lineup centered on top foreign artists and famous domestic artists every year. This year, they plan to form a lineup of about 50 teams and release them sequentially. In the first lineup, two of the three headliners were unveiled: Nell, a Korean band, and Vampire Weekend, an American band. The festival will be held for three days at Incheon Songdo Moonlight Festival Park from August 5 to 7.
Summer is nearly here and so are the music festivals. This year, music festival season has become a buffet of choice. Whatever genre you prefer, there is something for every taste. Just pick your favorite festival, pack, and enjoy!
By Kim Ji-yeon, AG Cub Reporter
jykim0502@ajou.ac.kr