No. 1 Korean

Korea Blog

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Oct 06

Tagged in: Music & Entertainment , 2010-10

One might think that naming a band No. 1 Korean is a cocky move, but the members of No. 1 Korea are anything but cocky.

They are seven easy-going guys playing the music they love with the goal of playing what they hope is the most exciting ska music in Korea. “We started by accident,” says lead singer Kwon Woo-yoo. “I was just looking for friends to play ska with. The people around me, my friends who were interested in ska, we formed the band in October of 2004.”

In a market as small as Korea, and the even smaller market of Hongdae, you would think that with five or more ska bands they would all start to sound alike after a while, however No. 1 Korean doesn’t fit into the classic ska genre, or the punk-ska genre. They sort of sit in a nook somewhere in between. When their horns are blowing they are undeniably a ska band, but when guitarist Kim Berry tears into a solo, tinges of Led Zeppelin blast their way into the room.

Just when you think they might be a rock band, enter Kwon Woo-yoo with his rough-and-tumble voice, a voice that sounds like a mix of Tom Waits and Dicky Barrett. Suddenly you realize this band doesn’t exactly take it’s cues from the harmonies of The Skatalites as much as they do from the likes of Catch 22 and the RX Bandits.

Whatever their genre may be, they know how to mix together their influences into a unique style that is all their own. With stints in Japan and China under its belt, No. 1 Korean hopes to continue touring abroad, with their ultimate goal being to play at the famous Glastonbury Festival, the largest open-air music festival in the world.

No. 1 Korean keeps a busy schedule, as do most bands in Hongdae, and their shows are always a bomb blast of energy, so visit their myspace page to see their schedule and sample some of their tunes at www. myspace.com/no1korean. Also, look for a new original album, the band’s third, coming out soon, along with a ska cover album.