Riffs, Rain, and Rebellion: Celebrating 20 Years of the Let’s Rock Festival

By Lindsay Herron ||

The year 2007 was an amazing time for Korean rock music. On weekend nights, Hongdae venues such as DGBD, Skunk Hell, and Club Spot thrummed with energy, sweltering with the body heat of wall-to-wall people, the strains of punk or hardcore rock drifting into the streets every time someone slipped outside to seek relief in the cool night air. While K-pop regularly dominated the charts, punk bands such as Crying Nut and No Brain were leading the vanguard of Korean indie rock, with Crying Nut achieving national renown after performing at the 2002 World Cup and No Brain attracting widespread public attention after their appearance in the movie Radio Star (2006). In Gwangju, rock fans could sate their skanking thirst at Club Nevermind, which hosted bands such as Windycat, Huckleberryfinn, Hooligan, BettyAss, and more near the Daein Market nearly every weekend.

That year also marked the inaugural Let’s Rock Festival, which joined the Pentaport Rock Festival, Ssamzie Sound Festival, Busan International Rock Festival, and a scant handful of other rock festivals as a place to celebrate the genre, which had yet to achieve significant mainstream popularity in Korea. On the afternoon of September 8, 2007, thirty bands, including Nell, Rux, Pia, Sugar Donut, and more, performed at the Korea University amphitheater. The ticket price for the one-day event was just 10,000 won (in advance) or 15,000 won (at the door).

While I wasn’t able to attend in 2007, I did attend the second annual Let’s Rock Festival in September 2008. That year, the festival moved to Olympic Park in Seoul, and I vividly remember sitting on the grass, soaking in the sun and the sound as I watched enthusiastic crowds of youths jumping and dancing near the stage. I attended again the following year, 2009; a core memory from that event was the surreal experience of watching Psy, fresh from his military service, perform his hit “Champion” in front of the grey stone edifice of the Korean War Memorial, outdoor displays of tanks nearby. Over the years, I attended this festival and others whenever I could, often just for one day, though in 2011 the festival added a second day to its line-up.

In 2020, the festival was cancelled as the world shut down; in 2021, it shifted online and featured a dozen bands. By the time the festival returned in 2022 to Nanji Hangang Park, the same venue it had been using since 2010, I had lost the habit of attending live performances, as had many people. When an ad for the 2026 Let’s Rock festival surfaced in my social media feed, though, I noticed the dates coincided with a visit from the childhood friend who took me to my first-ever rock concert. The ad also announced it was the 20th anniversary of the festival. Taking all this as a sign, I checked the lineup and bought tickets for Sunday, October 4, when many of my long-time favorites and festival mainstays were prominently featured.

The day dawned bright and clear; the summer heat and humidity had finally cracked, and the sunshine beckoned. We arrived at the venue just as the first band started, and with no lines in the ticket area, we were able to quickly receive the necessary wristbands (one our Sunday-only pass, the other designating us as adults who could be served alcohol – though I’m not sure why; we were later shocked to discover the food area sold only nonalcoholic beer). I was unfamiliar with the opening band, the Green Flame Boys (초록불꽃소년단), but my friend and I enjoyed their performance as we laid our mat on the grass and snacked on distinctly Korean tacos from one of the food booths.

The highlight for me, though, came much later in the day, as some of my favorite bands took the stage. The heavy metal growl of Schizo (스키조) was followed by the more punk-inflected Galaxy Express (갤럭시 익스프레스), Crying Nut (크라잉넛), and No Brain (노브레인), with Guckkasten (국카스텐) and Jaurim (자우림) closing out the day. My friend was completely enamored with the skills and showmanship of Guckkasten’s lead singer/guitarist, while I was absolutely tickled when Crying Nut cheekily started playing No Brian’s signature song “You Have a Crush on Me” (“넌 내게 반했어”) before transitioning into one of their own pieces – with No Brain returning the favor later, launching into Crying Nut’s “Speed Up Losers” (“말달리자”) during their own set. Unfortunately, it started pouring just as Jaurim was about to take the stage, so we left the concert before the finale act; but overall, it was a delightful afternoon that reminded me why I adore live music.

I’ve been to countless rock festivals in Korea over the past two decades – some long extinct, such as the Soundholic Festival, some currently thriving, such as the Pentaport Rock Festival – but Let’s Rock is one that I keep coming back to. It has a special place in my heart. I know I can expect some of my favorite Korean bands, and it’s one of the most accessible festivals in Korea, both in terms of price (though it has increased from 10,000 won for a one-day pass in 2007 to 110,000 won for a one-day pass in 2026) and venue (Nanji Hangang Park, with a frequent shuttle bus from the Digital Media City subway station). If you’re interested in dipping your toe into the Korean rock scene, Let’s Rock is a superb place to start!

(Photographs courtesy of the author)

Cover Photo: The author and friend arrive at the 2026 Let’s Rock Festival.