16 active domestic and international bands representing each genre including punk, hardcore, and metal will perform.
A vivid and honest A to Z guide to band activities!

How do I start a band? Can I really start a band with just three chords?
Can I compose music? I've started, but how do I find a stage to perform it on?
What should the band aim for? Anyone can make an album and perform internationally?
What are some of the difficulties you face while being in a band?
And even though the band is fun, isn't it ultimately hungry?
Furthermore, what does it mean to do band music in Korea?

16 realistic answers and each band's bold know-how will answer all your questions and doubts!

Listening to their stories, even beginners in bands and copy bands that avoided writing their own songs,
Even readers who are not familiar with Korean band music will learn not only the know-how of the band's activities,
You will learn the joy of being in a band and the meaning of being in a band in Korea naturally, just like learning three codes.

And finally, the 16 bands speak out in unison.

“You too can walk the path we have walked!”
“Let’s hang out together at this playground!”

16 domestic and international bands worthy of being called masters are beckoning us to join them.
As you listen to their candid views on music, bands, and life, you will realize that bands are also valuable cultural assets of our society, and that everyone who listens to them and enjoys them is a proud member who enriches and diversifies our culture!

“After being in a band, there are so many fun things to do and memories to make, and there are also things to do right away, like performances next month and tours next year.
So this is what it's doing.
I'm not going back to the world as a part, I'm making something here.
“It feels like I’ve become my own generator.”
--- p.26

“We don’t have a code.
(Laughs) When you say 'three codes', you're talking in a somewhat easy way.
If someone were to interpret our songs, they might come up with chords or something, but we don't have chords anyway."
--- p.48

“At first, I was upset by the harsh feedback, but looking back, it actually helped me a lot.
I think I'm going to get cursed at a lot.
I think it all starts like that.
As each of those things accumulate, we move forward little by little.
At first, I was a bit scared of that kind of feedback and it felt like things were going slowly, but in the end, I think there is no such thing as meaningless time.
“Don’t be discouraged, you’ll get better slowly. There’s no such thing as a rock star from the beginning (laughs).”
--- p.144

“In my opinion, playing a band with three chords is much more difficult and impressive than playing someone else’s song while being really good at it.
When I actually went to Europe, I saw a lot of things like, 'Are these kids performing?'
There are a lot of kids in Korea who are better at this than me.
But the problem is that the Europeans are just talking about themselves, and we, with all our talent, are playing the same old Metallica, Megadeth, or Deep Purple every day.
I'm so sorry.
“I’m so sad”
--- p.185

“If you look at it one way, metal is also music that is made up of just one chord.
(Laughs) Because there are so many different things like changing the rhythm and tempo.
“No matter what you do, if something comes out of it, I think that is music.”
--- p.194

“As soon as you are born, you fly away, so now you end up hitting a wall because of the gap between reality and ideals.
(Omitted) One of the characteristics of children that I feel while teaching them at an academy is that they are very disconnected from reality.
The ideal is very high, so he says, 'Teacher, I want to make that.'
But that's a really high quality piece of work made by teachers and older students.
First, this friend tried it and got frustrated, saying, 'Wow, it didn't work out the same way.'
But you're saying that this can happen to adults too?"
--- p.245

“A boxer can’t beat an MMA fighter in MMA.
But if you fight in boxing, the boxer will get all the kicks.
I think each person has their own territory.
Both boxers and MMA fighters are skilled in their own fields.
Those two can't say to each other, 'You're not talented.'
Because each person has their own territory.
Skill is just something you have firmly in your possession, and if you can hit it better than anyone else, that's perfect."
--- p.289

“In the past, I thought performing overseas was just a vague dream.
But when I think about it, it's something that anyone can do if they have the time and money, even if they aren't called from overseas.
I think it's something that anyone in a band can try and challenge themselves with.
It's similar to spending money on a trip abroad.
It's as easy as that (laughs)”
--- p.316

“I play a song I wrote myself, but it’s a song that no one actually knows.
Even this song is so catchy that people wonder if it's a copy.
People don't react at all.
Then suddenly, I had a flash of dizziness.
“When I imitate Metallica, people cheer, but when I play my own songs, they just stare blankly. That’s when I think, ‘Wow, I’ve been living in such a big delusion all this time, surrounded by all these cheers I received while copying other people’s songs.’”
--- p.353

“In our country, people tend to think that music is difficult and that it’s somehow disconnected from reality, but everyone works hard, gets married, has children, and makes music.
People seem to think that if you do music, you're poor, but no, you're not poor at all.
Of course, I don't have an apartment in Seoul (laughs) but some people vaguely think that I should starve myself and stuff, but how can I gain so much weight while starving myself?
(Laughs) Please write this story.
So, you can write your own songs, make albums with a band, go on tour, and do all that while working at a company.
“There is no problem at all.”
--- p.398

Even I, like you, have been enjoying band activities for decades, releasing albums and performing overseas.
It wasn't anything great, but it took the band far and made their name known not only domestically but also internationally.
It is said that Goethe once said something like that.
"Talent, genius? It all comes from guts, and that's where the magic begins."
I don't think you need any special talent to be in a band.
If you have the guts and the voice you want to show, you are ready to create the magic of a band.
Oh, and some beer.
--- p.432

"If you're interested in being in a band, just give it a try! Don't be afraid of failure.
I hope you will move boldly.
I don't think it's wrong at all to not write your own songs.
Because everyone has their own way of enjoying things.
However, I think it would be really fun to create a song with the members, so I think it would be a good idea to give it a try.”
--- p.450

"no.
We found and created the stage ourselves from the beginning.
We did it in empty basements, we did illegal parties, we went into unlicensed spaces and performed.
So I moved directly like that.
When you first go on stage, everyone can feel a little bit of fear.
Then, at some point, you will start to feel more excitement than fear on stage, and once you reach that state, the stage will become yours.”
--- p.463

“I think that while talent and technique are important in composing, there are times when emotion is just as important.
Shouldn't we somehow capture the emotion? Some people find it difficult, others don't. Everyone is different.
“I put a lot of effort into making even simple songs!”
--- p.480

“Isn’t that cool! It’s much cooler than being a salaryman working for the boss!”

--- p.503