Korean Indie Rock: A Primer on K-Indie Music

The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince is my favorite Korean drama series and aside from the stellar acting and creative storyline, I love it even more because of its awesome soundtrack. It was through this OST that I discovered great K-indie acts like The Melody, Tearliner, Belle Epoque and Casker so I looked for more music from them. I also learned that they've all released albums under the Korean independent music label Pastel Music which was established in 2002 and described by The Korean Herald as a "prominent indie label". It was also awarded "Best Label" at the 2006 Korean Popular Music Awards.

Through Pastel Music's Myspace, I discovered other Korean indie bands Donawhale, Peppertones, Misty Blue, Humming Urban Stereo and many other K-indie acts.

Right now, Pastel Music is in the forefront of Korea's indie scene but according to Indieful ROK, there was a time when the top Korean indie label was Moonrise Records. I can't find any information about (seemingly defunct) Moonrise but it appears that the label was supportive to Pastel when it was just starting out. Several Moonrise artists signed with Pastel Music and even Moonrise Records founder K-indie act Sweetpea's latest album was released under Pastel.

This year, Pastel Music released a tribute album for Moonrise Records titled Homage to Moonrise, Pastel Music Presents. The compilation is available as a 3CD set and as a single CD. The single CD contains Moonrise covers by Pastel artists and the other two CDs in the set compile some of the finest Moonrise songs.

I am an avid alternative rock listener so if you ask me to compare K-indie with indie rock as we commonly know it, I would say that from what I've heard so far of Korean indie music, the songs have a happier, more sensitive and romantic vibe despite possessing the familiar low-fi sound of their Western counterparts. Even the melancholic songs sound more hopeful, a quality that must be an Asian sensibility.

Buy We Will Be Together: The Pastel Music 5th Anniversary 5-CD Limited Edition Compilation

Sometimes, the easiest way to discover a lot of great music is to buy a soundtrack or compilation CD. Dive straight into the K-indie scene with this 5-CD 5-year anniversary collection from Pastel Music, the label that houses most of Korea's indie musicians.

Founded in 2003, Pastel Music is Korea's leading indie recording label. Their music pushes for gentle, soothing melodies like the murmuring of the river or children's laughter resonating from a nearby playground.

Pastel Music 5th Anniversary - We Will Be Together celebrates the marching spirit and the musical accomplishment of the label over the last five years and brings together a collection of some of the best known Korean indie artists.

This compilation is comprised of five discs. The first CD comes under the theme of "We will be together: Pastel Season Edition" and contains 15 songs in total including a new track, Sweater (CD 1 - Track 2), which features the amazing vocal collaboration of Humming Urban Stereo and Taru. Known as the voice behind Naegen Sarang Hana... from the New Heart soundtrack, Taru is hailed by many as the next promising newcomer. Another new talent, Yozoh provides his debut solo in Harmonica Sori (CD 1 - Track 7). Other tracks to look out for are Regretto (CD 1 - Track 13) by Tearliner, the musical director of The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince soundtrack; Bogoshiperseo, Angoshiperseo, Manjigoshipersero (CD 1 - Track 5) by Low-end-Project, the enigmatic voice featured in The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince soundtrack; and Misty Blue's Hanjokbbameuro Wootneun Yeoja (CD 1 - Track 6).

Image and review from Yesasia