8 songs to hear before the Busan rock festival — from Xdinary Heroes to CNBLUE
K-pop teams taking the stage as bands, plus indie bands: eight acts, one song each to hear before you go, with their show dates, stages and times.
The Busan International Rock Festival runs for three days from this Friday at Samnak Ecological Park in Busan. With five stages, it's easy to walk past a band you don't know a single song by while you're deciding whom to see. So from this lineup we picked eight acts — K-pop teams who take the stage as bands, plus indie bands — and paired each with one song to hear before you go. They're in order of show date and time.
Xdinary Heroes 'Happy Death Day'
Stage: Fri, Oct 2, 16:00, GREEN. Released on December 6, 2021, this is the song that announced the six members' debut as a band that plays its own instruments. If you're seeing them for the first time at the festival, start here. Apple Music
N.Flying 'Rooftop'
Stage: Fri, Oct 2, 18:40, RIVER. Released on January 2, 2019. It's an after-sunset slot, so it's worth learning this one first — it's an easy song for everyone to sing along to. Apple Music
WOODZ 'Drowning'
Stage: Sat, Oct 3, 15:20, SAMROCK. Released in spring 2023; we suggest starting with the live clip on WOODZ's official channel. It's the version closest to what you'll hear at the festival. Apple Music
ADOY 'Simply'
Stage: Sat, Oct 3, 16:00, GREEN. From the August 2021 EP 'her'. If you want to get to know ADOY's synth-pop through one song first, this is it. Apple Music
Say Sue Me 'Old Town'
Stage: Sat, Oct 3, 17:40, WAVE. From the full-length album 'Where We Were Together', released in February 2018. The band also has a song called 'Gwangalli at Night' (광안리의 밤). Hearing Say Sue Me in Busan should feel a little more special. Apple Music
LUCY 'Flowering'
Stage: Sun, Oct 4, 16:00, GREEN. Released in May 2020 as the single 'DEAR.'. It's the song that best shows a band with a violin up front. Apple Music
HANRORO 'Let Me Love My Youth'
Stage: Sun, Oct 4, 16:50, SAMROCK. A single released on March 14, 2022. A song titled after the first day of spring (입춘) — heard on the main stage on an autumn evening. Apple Music
CNBLUE 'Loner'
Stage: Sun, Oct 4, 17:40, GREEN. Released on January 14, 2010, as the title track of their first mini album 'Bluetory'. At the same time, Damons Year takes the WAVE stage. If you want to see both, watch one first and switch midway to split your time. Apple Music
부산국제록페스티벌부산록페엑스디너리 히어로즈엔플라잉우즈아도이세이수미루시한로로씨엔블루
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NONOL Editorial
The NONOL Magazine editorial team — we hear it first, then pass it on.
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