To 1nfinity Club and Beyond
Written by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
Pictures by Christian Mata (@chris_isu_m)
In the midst of Sinchon's bustling scene, 1nfinity Club has become a staple live music venue for artists and performers across Korea's indie circuit. Every weekend, the club hosts a variety of events, from DJ sets to band performances and even flea markets. 1nfinity Club stands out as a venue that books beyond a handful of genres and strives to build closer connections between participating artists and audiences. The club's owner and resident DJ, Kishi, shared a little about the venue's beginnings.
"Actually, I never had plans to open 1nfinity Club at the start," he said. In 2010, Kishi started working at the location on and off when it operated under the name Nori Bar. "At that time, I also started a band. But I wasn't very skilled and didn't know many things about marketing, so I eventually ended it." Then, in 2023, he got a call from the owner of Nori Bar and was asked to be the manager. "It was actually quite stressful because it was right after Covid, and there had also been a flood that ruined the floor and some of the sound gear. But we cleaned it up and changed the name. Then, in 2024, I took over ownership."
The name "1nfinity Club" was inspired by Kishi's interest in both anime and science. "There is this idea that 'infinity' is the space between big and small. It's a boundless number," he explained. "I wanted the venue to be like infinity: unbounded by genre or popularity. We host bands no matter how big or small." It's obvious from both the name and the interior style that Kishi puts considerable thought and care into how the club is presented. The dark, moody lighting sprinkled with colour from a disco ball, the walls covered in gig posters and anime-inspired illustrations, a retro arcade game, caution tape hanging from the ceiling – all of these elements were handpicked by Kishi to enhance the space's interior. He noted: "I am very sensitive about choosing names. And when it comes to the decorations, I choose what I think looks cool."
When visiting the venue, you might see Kishi busy at the bar making drinks, helping bands set up their equipment and managing the door. "I usually run the place on my own," he said. "In addition to regular gig duties, like sound engineering and bartending, I also plan events, make marketing materials and recruit artists. At first, it was a bit overwhelming, especially because the venue was not initially made with live gigs in mind. So I moved the stage and the bar to make it easier for me to control everything from one spot. Now, I think managing the place is a lot more fun. I also get help every now and then from my friends, like my bandmates in Damdamgugu."
Things did not run so smoothly in the beginning. Kishi said: "After being open for one year and wrapping up the first anniversary show, I realised we had no bookings at all. I felt really terrible about the situation and was in a bad headspace." That was until one day he booked a show for a DJ named Tsumi. "I was a little worried at first," he mentioned, "because it was her first live show in Korea and there wasn't really much information about her. But when I saw the way she connected with the audience, everything clicked. To have a successful gig, it is important to find some way to connect the artist, venue and audience. Tsumi's performance was when I finally realised how to do that. You could say it was like the turning point of 1nfinity Club."
Since opening, 1nfinity Club has hosted hundreds of events and has seen support from a wide range of audiences. "One of the members from the band Chip Post Gang told me that 1nfinity Club is like the crossworlds of culture. Not only are there many genres of music played here, but the crowd itself is diverse as well," Kishi mentioned. "However, there is one connecting factor: the audience members are all people who proudly care about what they like, what they listen to and what they wear."
Of all the events held at the venue, there have been some shows that came with unexpected success. "One event that comes to mind is Cherry Bomb Bash," Kishi pointed out. "I knew it would be successful, but I never expected a sellout show. With birthday shows, there are always pros and cons. There were also a lot of other big gigs happening on the same day. But there were so many people who wanted to come out and support the host. The lineup was also successful in an unexpected way." Another show Kishi pointed out was named That Youth Hardcore Vibes, and included bands like OiSEUM!, April… and Palecistus. "The gig was set to start at midnight… on a Friday. And it was only promoted like three days before," he explained. "We only expected about 10 people to show up. But over 70 people came out!"
Many exciting things are happening at 1nfinity Club soon. Recently, it has been undergoing some interior changes and has just wrapped up a gig for the Japanese vocaloid shoegaze band Kinoue64. Kishi is especially excited for a show they have planned soon: "There is a future funk event happening in October hosted by SSC. Also Vantage is coming!" If you don't know what future funk is, Kishi urges you to check it out. "It's like reproduced city pop music from the 2010s era. I think many people would like it and have a lot of fun, they just don't know it yet." Additionally, he hopes to host more flea markets. "I hope one day I can plan a joint gig with a flea market. I think it would be a lot of fun."
1nfinity Club is a place for connection. "I want to see more crossovers within the indie scene. Here, DJs get to see the band scene, bands get to see the DJ scene, and so on," Kishi said. "Connecting them with the audience and promoters as well is something I want to work hard to do. 1nfinity Club, for me, is like my second chance at life. So I will humbly do my job."
You can stay up to date on all of 1nfinity Club's events by following their Instagram (@1nfntclb).