Delay Relay Shoegaze Festival brought together the loud music loving community

Written by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)

Recently, there has been an undeniable popularity surge in shoegaze here in South Korea. Last year, Slowdive – one of the most internationally recognized shoegaze bands – played a show in Seoul that sold out in seconds. So let’s dive into one of the scene’s latest events: Delay Relay Shoegaze Festival.

The Hongdae and Sinchon areas are no stranger to music festivals. But over the last four weeks, they hosted the city’s first-ever shoegaze festival. Delay Relay Fest brought together a total of thirty-two shoegaze and genre-adjacent artists to play in six renowned venues, such as Club Bbang, Senggi Studio, and Babydoll. Unlike most festivals, though, it was more like a series of gigs, with just one stage being opened on any specific day. This meant that you never had to worry about two of your favourite bands playing at the same time and having to make the difficult decision of choosing between the two. 

Skittles            Credit: Chris 이수 Mata (@chris_isu_m)

Fortunately, I had the privilege of attending almost all of the shows (being the poster designer has its perks, after all). And honestly, there wasn’t one performance that wasn’t enjoyable. The opening show took place on January 11th at Hongdae’s own Club Bbang, a venue with an already special connection to the shoegaze scene. With a lineup including Jeon Dain Band, Jane Coral, Wings of the Isang, and Zzzaam, it was no surprise that the venue started filling up quickly. In fact, there was a great turnout to the festival overall, with several venues hitting full capacity. There was something heartening about seeing so much support from the community.

One stand-out element of Delay Relay Fest was that there were so many hidden gems mixed in among more well-known bands. Skittles, .iRO, and Jane Coral were some of those gems. Skittles captured the attention of the crowd with their psychedelic vibe and unique vocal effects. There was even an opportunity to see them twice! Jane Coral’s hauntingly beautiful sound was so enchanting it left me in a daze. The singer’s hefty pedalboard particularly left a striking impression. Then there was .iRO, a Daejeon-based band that I’d love to see perform again. Their set was filled with textured instrumentals and soft vocals that were just so compelling.

Young Oh          Credit: Chris 이수 Mata (@chris_isu_m)

Among all of the artists, some performances that really stood out were Daydream, Hamster Powder Club, Landinggear, and Young Oh. Daydream was exactly how you’d expect shoegaze to sound: loud, distorted, and having the power to suck the audience into an ethereal trance. That same day, Hamster Powder Club’s long-awaited comeback also took place. Fans had been waiting close to two years to see their favourite songs performed live once again. As soon as that familiar first note of Hotdog Dance rang, the crowd erupted with elation. Landinggear’s stage presence is also something to be talked about. Once the singer put down her guitar and passionately sang on the stage, she captivated us all. Young Oh’s dreamy guitar and vocals made for the perfect conclusion to the festival. The accompanying piano in his performance of The Final Years was enough to move us to tears.

I, unfortunately, missed out on seeing the January 17th show, but from what I heard, it was one of the most memorable sets that drew in one of the biggest crowds. Jung Je, Syntapunk, Ghost Bookstore and Pale Blue Sound are definitely acts that shouldn’t be slept on. Super huge shout out to Chris 이수 for snapping some great moments from this day and other days as well! His edits really captured the dreamy way shoegaze feels.

Credit: Chris 이수 Mata (@chris_isu_m)

It’s hard not to give each and every artist who participated the love they deserve, but that would make this review five pages too long. I also want to acknowledge the venues that partook in this festival. For shoegaze, in particular, sound quality is incredibly important. There is a heavy focus on creating an immersive soundscape and utilizing elements such as layered guitar effects. Each venue played a huge role in ensuring the sound was just right for artists to convey their desired atmosphere.

The festival wouldn’t have been possible without organizer James Lee, who saw the potential in hosting this event, and believes “2025 is the year for shoegaze.” After seeing the turnout at the show, I think he may be right. It would be nice if Delay Relay could become an annual occurrence. Let’s see what next year has in store for us!