In May 2010 Sky Real Book 1, the first in a series of electronic music releases, came out. It gathered 20 songs from Tama Rhodes, Aquibird's DJ Magik Cool J, First Aid, Cookey, and NYD. Fast forward seven months, and three more releases in the series are out.

- Sky Real Book 2 was released on December 16 and with as many tracks as the first edition also included a couple of songs from G.Fla keyboardist Geol.

- Sky Real Book 3 came out on December 20. Again 20 tracks strong, this time also introducing songs from Joshua.J, kimparkchella, SoulFish, and Nuol.

- Sky Real Book 4 has been out since December 22. Yet another 20 track release this was the first in the series to see a contribution from Gagsox.

More details here: #2 : #3 : #4

And here's the Bugs indie charts for the third week of 2011. Now that I'm up to speed updates should hopefully become more regular.

Bugs Indie TOP10 - January 22, 2011
1. Bye Bye Sea - 별 빛이 내린다 [MV
2. Broccoli, you too? - 사랑한다는 말로도 위로가 되지 않는 [@ Sketchbook]
3. 10cm - 아메리카노 [recandplay.net]
4. Yozoh - 우리는 선처럼 가만히 누워 (feat. Lee Sang Soon) [MV]
5. 10cm - 오늘밤은 어둠이 무서워요 [MV]
6. Autumn Vacation - 가끔 미치도록 네가 안고 싶어질 때가 있어 [@ KBS Changgo]
7. Broccoli, you too? - 졸업 [@ On Stage]
8. Broccoli, you too? - 앵콜요청금지 [@ MBC nanjang]
9. Broccoli, you too? - 유자차 [@ Music Travel Lalala]
10. Sweet Salt - 그게 사랑 [live version MV]

The new additions to the TOP100 list were the following:
36. Purple Haze - A Go Go
55. Guckkasten - 미로 [@ dgdb]
57. Siberian Husky - 중절모
78. Siberian Husky - Make-Up
79. Siberian Husky - 시간의 향기

See the full top 100 list here.

Fusion rock band Purple Haze debuted with an album called Outstanding on January 20. According to the album info the female fronted act has a sound that incorporates elements from blues, funk, rock, soul, and jazz.

I have no idea what has caused this recent interest in the funky Siberianhusky, but not only did 시간의 향기 from the band's second full length album released last year make it to the chart, but two songs from the band's first full length album, Water Ball, released back in 2006 made it too.

Continuing from the list of the artists I listened to the most during 2010 posted at the beginning of this month, here are the songs last.fm claim I listened to the most. The top two songs were included on my list last year and with only three all new songs in total I suppose this could serve as another example of my changed music listening habits. I'll be the first to admit that it seems a bit one-tracked, but I really do love Apollo 18's Red... Find my complete top 10 after the jump.

Anna's Most Listened to Korean Tracks 2010

1. Apollo 18 - Warm (5) [MySpace]
South Korean MAP song of January, 2010.
My favorite Apollo 18 track turned even better when the pace slowed down a bit. Nothing - and I do mean nothing - beats the sensation of being in place in some small venue when Apollo 18 play this song live. It should've gotten a 3D music video during 2010, but it was canceled as they couldn't make a short enough version of the song. Wishing the song would last even longer - how could I possibly blame them?

2. Sunkyeol - I'll Write When I'm There (1) [MySpace]
South Korean MAP song of August, 2009.
Albeit beaten by Warm for 2010, it remains the song I've listened to the most over the last few years. Lovely fuzziness in an amazing tune that was finally released on CD in 2010.

3. National Pigeon Unity - 환 [YT live]
South Korean MAP song of April, 2010.
After hearing this song the first time I ended up playing it for two hours straight. A little more on the post-rock side than the typical NPU track, but not without those emotional elements with a bit of screaming on top that while somewhat depressing make NPU's music so addictive to me.

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It may not be particularly pretty but I have found a workaround for my Hyang Music load problems. And so I can now present the second album sales chart of the year from what is arguably Korea's best indie music store.

Hyang Chart - 2nd week of January, 2011
1. Guckkasten - Tagträume
2. Broccoli, you too? - 졸업
3. 10cm - The First EP
4. Bye Bye Badman - Bye Bye Badman
5. Jieun and The Wolves - 오지은과 늑대들
6. Autumn Vacation - 가을방학
7. Joyumn - 흐르른다
8. Michael Jackson - Michael
9. IU - Real
10. Vodka Rain - Faint

The new k-indie oriented additions to the TOP100 list were the following:
50. 9 and the Numbers - 9와 숫자들
65. Achime - Hunch
68. Thornapple - 난 자꾸 말을 더듬고 잠드는 법도 잊었네

See the full top 100 list here.

Indie rock band Bye Bye Badman debuted with a self-titled EP on January 7. Listen to brief samples of Between the Black & White and She Don't Know at Hyang Music or check out their sound on YouTube.

Thornapple released first album 난 자꾸 말을 더듬고 잠드는 법도 잊었네 in 2010 on August 6. The official MySpace offers several samples, and I must say both sound and vocals are very reminiscent of Achime.

Today Korea Gig Guide presents a bit of information on No.1 Korean's impending 3rd album showcase: No. 1 Korean Album Release Concert. Although I have yet to find any more details on the album from the "Exciting Rock'n Roll Ska Punk Band", I'm assuming it will be out soon enough. A music video for new album song ㄱ.ㄴ.ㄷ (Korean Alphabet) was released little over a week ago and is now available with English subtitles. The song in question features rapper Koonta as well as Kingston Rudieska's Lee Suk-yuel.


Also working with Kingston Rudieska is old timer Cho Deok Hwa of Deulgukhwa fame. On January 27 he released an album called Long Way Home featuring fellow former Deulgukhwa members Choi Seong Won and Joo Chan Kwon. Kingston Rudieska are featured on an updated version of 세계로 가는 기차 simply going by the name of 세계로 가는 기차 2010.

Catching up some more on the Bugs indie charts posting. Here's the second week of 2011.

Bugs Indie TOP10 - January 15, 2011
1. Sweet Salt - 그게 사랑 [live version MV]
2. Yozoh - 우리는 선처럼 가만히 누워 (feat. Lee Sang Soon) [MV]
3. Broccoli, you too? - 사랑한다는 말로도 위로가 되지 않는 [@ Sketchbook]
4. Sweet Salt - 오후에야 [@ Club Auteur]
5. Autumn Vacation - 가끔 미치도록 네가 안고 싶어질 때가 있어 [@ KBS Changgo]
6. 10cm - 아메리카노 [recandplay.net]
7. 10cm - 오늘밤은 어둠이 무서워요 [MV]
8. Broccoli, you too? - 졸업 [@ On Stage]
9. Guckkasten - 붉은 밭 [@ EBS Space]
10. Nora - Quizas (vocal by AshGray.H.K.)

The new additions to the TOP100 list were the following:
86. Sweet Salt - 다시 너의 [live]
94. Vodka Rain -보고싶어

See the full top 100 list here.

On November 9 soft rock band Vodka Rain returned with third full length album Faint. The album holds 11 tracks, including 그 어떤 말로도 where model/singer-songwriter Jang Yoon Ju has been featured. Two of the songs have gotten music videos: 지워지지 않을 것 같아 and Moment.

Today, January 28, Pastel Music released a compilation album called SAVe tHE AiR: Green Concert. Green Concert is a concert series started in November 2010 and so far the list of artists that have performed includes Yozoh, Han Hee Jung, and Fanny Fink and all have contributed new songs to the CD.

Other CD participants include Dalmoon, Joa Band, Monni, 10cm, Bard, Dear Cloud, Vodka Rain, and Huckleberry Finn. Zitten's new song Sunshine has been chosen to accompany concert clips promoting the CD. Full tracklist here.

While technically not ROK music, I have been known to take an interest in music from north of the border as well. As such I was very happy to find that today fellow MAP bloggers at The Guardian launched a series to look into the North Korean music scene: Pyongyang goes pop: Inside North Korea's music scene.

Nothing much just yet, but I'm really looking forward to see what they will make of it. For now I'll just keep listening to Radio Pyongyang - a most interesting album for which you can find a review at London Korean Links.

The much anticipated first full length album from 10cm has now gotten a release date: February 15, three days after the album release concert. The album title is simply 1.0 but the cover also reads "take off your covers and be naked with sound". Except for an album version of first EP song 죽겠네, the songs on the album are all new on record.

The acoustic duo that received a bit of hype following their recandplay session early last year have been frequently filmed while playing live, and so several of the album songs can be sampled via YouTube.

1. Kingstar @ Café Veloso
2. 우정, 그 씁쓸함에 대하여 @ Anthracite
5. 사랑은 은하수 다방에서 @ Café Veloso
7. 죽겠네 @ Sketchbook
8. 살 @ Café Veloso
11. 헤이 빌리 @ Café Veloso
12. Beautiful moon

I was gonna start this post by saying that although the nominees for this year's Korean Music Awards were announced January 25, as usual the KMA site has yet to be updated but as it turns out there has just been a change in address to spell out the full name... Anyhow, bo-da has compiled the full list of nominees in an easy to read format, and for those that prefer a little less hangul and translated titles Kamala-Chan offers most of the categories over at K-RoK Rocks: Korean Music Awards Nominations

In addition to translating all the genre category nominees, Kamala-Chan also put together posts gathering all nominated songs for most of the song categories:
- Korean Music Awards Best Rock Song Nominees
- Korean Music Awards Best Modern Rock Song Nominees
- Korean Music Awards Best "Pop" Song Nominees
- Korean Music Awards Best Dance & Electronic Song Nominees
- Korean Music Awards Best Hip-Hop Song Nominees
- Korean Music Awards Best R&B Song Nominees

A few news articles concerning the awards have turned up on allkpop:
- “2011 Korean Pop Music Awards” committee reveals why SNSD and KARA weren’t nominated
- Broccoli, You Too nominated the most times in 2011 Korean Music Awards


After the jump you'll find the nominees in all main categories.

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Today Mark Russell shared the news on Korea Gig Guide that after this Friday Club Day is no more: Annyeong, Club Day.

For the last 10 years Club Day has been a monthly happening in Hongdae - usually taking place on the last Friday of every month - and it has offered an opportunity to check out many different bands in different venues on one evening paying just one ticket. Kinda like an awesome mini festival every month. Though after merely dreaming of going for several years, when I did finally make it (as reported here; I also made it there a couple of months later but only for half an hour) I realized it was more along the lines of what was later put into words at Daejeon Access: Club Day in Hong-Dae: Kinda cool in theory, kinda stupid in practice (link currently down)

Still, should you happen to be in Seoul this Friday, January 28, and you have yet to experience a club day, do give it a go! Perhaps it'll be a fantastic night out, and if not it might at least provide some ideas on how to make something even better to follow in its footsteps.

The new year hasn't come that far just yet, so I figured I'd catch up on the the Bugs indie charts posting before getting to the most current one. Starting with the chart from the first week of 2011.

Bugs Indie TOP10 - January 8, 2011
1. Yozoh - 우리는 선처럼 가만히 누워 (feat. Lee Sang Soon) [MV]
2. Broccoli, you too? - 사랑한다는 말로도 위로가 되지 않는 [@ Sketchbook]
3. Sweet Salt - 그게 사랑 [live version MV]
4. Autumn Vacation - 가끔 미치도록 네가 안고 싶어질 때가 있어 [@ KBS Changgo]
5. Broccoli, you too? - 졸업 [@ On Stage]
6. Yozoh - 연애는 어떻게 하는 거였더라 [live]
7. 10cm - 아메리카노 [recandplay.net]
8. Sweet Salt - 오후에야 [@ Club Auteur]
9. 10cm - 오늘밤은 어둠이 무서워요 [recandplay.net]
10. Yozoh - 조금만 더 가까이

The new additions to the TOP100 list are the following:
44. T-Sound - 더블 플레이
45. Nora - Quizas (vocal by AshGray.H.K.)
64. JamTex - 마세라티
65. Canaria Salon - 러브바이 (LoveBy) [MV]
89. Sweet Salt - 고장난 시간 [live]
95. J Rabbit - 요즘 너 말야 [studio live]
98. Sweet Salt - 나 아직도 꿈꾸네 [live]

See the full top 100 list here.

On December 6 cutesy singer/songwriter Yozoh released a new EP. The five track strong release is called 우리는 선처럼 가만히 누워 and the EP main track held the first spot of Bugs' indie music chart for as many weeks. 조금만 더 가까이, from the movie starring Yozoh with the same name, is included in both an original and a cinema version.

On January 5, five member strong rock band T-Sound released an EP called T-Sound vol.2. As the name implies it followed a previous eponymous debut, dated March 2010.

Electronic pop project Nora debuted on January 7 with a single called Quizas. It holds two songs both with vocals and in instrumental versions, the title track featuring the vocalist of rock band AshGray and 소실점 where Lune sings.

Jam-Tex debuted with single 폭풍같은 연애가 진짜 연애의 시작이다 on January 6. Although I haven't been able to dig up any info on the duo it seems the three track release could be classified as indie rock and the songs upon it appear to be very concerned with the subject of love.

Canaria Salon, that debuted with digital single Blue Sky late September, returned with a six track release called LoveBy on December 31. It includes both the first single and 알잖아 from the November single with the same name.

Lovely girl duo J Rabbit has a pretty big presence on YouTube thanks friendz.net. They put out their first digital single, Take One, on November 27 and it holds two acoustic pop songs. In addition to the song that entered the chart during the first week of 2011 there is also a song called 내일을 묻는다 .

At the very beginning of November last year news came that "Moonlight Nymph in critical state with cerebral hemorrhage". A few days later it was followed by "Moonlight Nymph Deceased". Today Korea Gig Guide reports that more than 100 bands will play in his honor this Thursday: 23 Hongdae Clubs Unite to Remember Lee Jinwon.

As pointed out by Mark Russell in that post his death prompted an article in the Hankyoreh about the poor conditions under which most indie musicians sell their music: Indie musicians struggle financially as profits and distribution remain paltry. Mark Russell himself followed the article in question with his own comments: Something’s Off About Online Music.

This highly recommended December Yonhap article from Niels Footman too covers the same issue: (Yonhap Feature) Hardships of being an indie musician in Korea.

It's a new week and the unique artist chart for the Indieful ROK last.fm listener group has already been updated. Check out the playlist for an easy way to sample some recommended songs from them all.

Indieful ROK TOP10 - week 3, 2011

1. Han Hee Jung (new) [끈 live]
2. Jaurim (+2) [파애 live]
3. Loveholic (+5) [Sad Story YT audio]
4. Clazziquai Project (-3) [Take A Walk YT audio]
5. Broccoli, You Too? (new) [열두시 반 YT audio]
6. W & Whale (-) [High School Sensation MV]
7. Huckleberry Finn (new) [I Know MV]
8. Delispice (new) [고백 MV]
9. Chang Kiha & The Faces (new) [달이 차오른다 가자 live]
10. Phonebooth (new) [Got A Chance MV]

Don't feel like the chart reflects your taste in music well enough? Join Indieful ROK's last.fm group and maybe next week it'll look a little better!

For the first time in four months the Hyang Music site finally loaded for me! It's running a bit slow, but at least I could find the most recent album sales chart:

Hyang Chart - 1st week of January, 2011
1. Jieun and The Wolves - 오지은과 늑대들
2. Broccoli, you too? - 졸업
3. IU - Real
4. Guckkasten - Tagträume
5. Michael Jackson - Michael
6. 10cm - The First EP
7. Autumn Vacation - 가을방학
8. GD & TOP - High High
9. Girl's Generation - The 1st Asia Tour - Into The New World
10. Bye Bye Sea - City Complex

The new k-indie oriented additions to the TOP100 list were the following:
12. Joyumn - 흐르른다
41. ∀xceed - Guns & Gypsophila
62. One Punch / Lazy Afternoon - 사람의 마음 / 어느 가을 밤
73. Song of Luna - 그댈 향해 노래하는 새
78. The Koxx - Enter
80. The Finnn - Beatles over Zeppelin
81. Crash - The Paragon of Animals
83. Epitone Project - 유실물 보관소
90. Hanumpa - 독감 (獨感)

See the full top 100 list here.

Oh Ji Eun and her wolves released their first self-titled album on December 16. It includes album versions of both songs from last summer's digital single 미리듣기. The official site offers a sample for album opening track 넌 나의 귀여운! and a couple of Daum videos

On December 7 Guckkasten returned with new EP Tagträume. 5 tracks strong, in addition to the title track includes both an original and an acoustic version of song 붉은 밭 and original and electronic version of song 매니큐어, that has got an MV. wassereis has translated all song descriptions.

Fluxus band ByeByeSea released its first full length album, City Complex, on November 16. It includes both 별 빛이 내린다, main track from the preceding mini album, and a "reprise" of 내 맘이 말을 해. There is now a music video for the latter.

Male singer/songwriter Joyumn debuted on Ruby Salon with his first full length album on the very first day of this year, January 1. He plays acoustic guitar and harmonica and from the sound of 그림자 he's got a bit of a Mot sound going.

Melodic death metal band Axceed self-released an album called Guns & Gypsophila on January 6. It has been mixed and mastered by Terrormight vocalist Lee Ju Hui. The official YouTube channel offers an album preview and plenty of samples more.

In October last year Beatball Records launched a digital singles series starting with a three track single from One Punch called 사람의 마음 on October 14. It was soon followed by a two track single called 어느 가을 밤 from Lazy Afternoon. On December 27 both singles were released on CD.

Female fronted ballad rock band Song of Luna debuted with an EP on December 28. My initial impression that their sound should appeal to fans of Dear Cloud was further strengthened coming across this song featuring Nine9. Much more Song of Luna on ravitworld's YouTube channel.

So I already posted links to a fair bunch of "best of 2010" collections, but I missed some then and more have come since so here's another roundup.



When the man behind must-read book Pop Goes Korea picked the best releases of 2010 he put forth DJ Seoulscape's intriguing mix of several decades old Korean grooves as number one. Also on his list were releases from Apollo 18, Glittering Blackness, Fall, Oriental Lucy, Sunkyeol, Lee Sang Eun, Jambinai, Swimmingdoll, and Lowdown 30: LKL Critics’ Choice 2010: Mark Russell


Following their staff live favorites, the staff of Korea Gig Guide have now also published a list of album favorites from 2010: KGG 2010 Album Faves. In addition to those picks the post also includes top 10 lists from Weiv and Scatterbrain that both have the self-titled debut album from 9 and the Numbers on top.


Moving from albums to songs, Soompi editor edward1849 found himself particularly enjoying songs from Running Sky, Hot Potato, Kim Yoon Ah, and Fluxus Voices during 2010:
- Staff Recommended Top 20 Songs Of 2010 (Part 1: 11-20)
- Staff Recommended Top 20 Songs Of 2010 (Part 2: 1-10)


And from songs to artists, when Mellowyel put together her list for 2010 Standing Egg took home the "Indie Music Award" category: Mellowyel's List of K-Pop Notables for 2010

That will be it from 2010 for now (we've got another couple of posts to go before we're completely done though) as we move on to the current year. Louder Than War has been looking at upcoming acts for 2011 and put Smacksoft on the list: top 50 new bands tips for 2011. Dave Candlers celebrated by dedicating a special episode of his podcast to the band: Korean Homesick Blues 27 (Salute to SmackSoft)