Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jkelly80]

Has anyone been to this in previous years? What's the verdict? I'm not familiar at all with jazz performers, so the acts are pretty tangential for me.

[oni]

I went a couple of years ago and had a great time!
The setting is really nice and there are different stages.
After main stage finished there was a kind of dj/dance area which was cool.
It's easy to get to and a nice break from the city

[jkelly80]

Thanks. Any ideas about accommodation?

[tob55]

I live a short distance from the Festival area.

The activities are great. I have been the last three years and enjoyed it every year for different reasons. The surroundings this year will be exemplary since they remodeled the whole area for the FICC International Camping Rally which took place this past July. I spent the whole week there for that.

The Performers at the Jazz festival are truly International. A lot of R & B to New Orleans Southern Style Jazz to the best of the mainline jazz performers in the world occasionally make their way to the festival.

The crowds are great. The festival averages between 25,000 - 50,000+ every day. The opening ceremony night, Thursday, October 2nd this year is probably the least attended portion of the festival, but is still worth a go if you want. There are tents galore and the whole island has numerous things going on.

With the newly remodeled island it is going to be a terrific time for anyone wanting to come.

I recommend finding a place a little distance from the festival area and commuting in, which would be better. I know there will be shuttle buses running from Cheongpyeong and other local communities around Gapyeong, but I am not sure on the schedule yet. If you want more information you can check out the Jarasum website at:

http://www.jarasumjazz.com/

Make plans, you won't want to miss it.

BTW, I don't work for the festival, but it is by far one of the best music festivals in all of Korea. I highly recommend it.

If anyone wants information about places to stay you can send me a PM and I can check out most any place in the area since my wife and I live around here.

[jkelly80]

Thanks Tob55 I'm going to get a head count this weekend and I'll definitely get back to you. Thanks for you help.

[SeoulMan6]

2 years ago was fantastic with really upbeat funky jazz on the main stage and the Korean bands on the "party" stage (or whatever it was called) were also surprisingly great.

But last year was disappointing as the main stage was more what I would call (possibly incorrectly) straight jazz. A bit slow for me... And the party stage was all Korean R&B / hip-hop stuff which I'm not into but seemed a hit with the young-uns.

So who knows what this year will be like?

Accommodation and transportion fill up (waited almost 2 hours at the bus station last year) so it might be best to book a train ticket now and try to get there early so you can find a yeogwan. You should be able to fnd something but you might have to walk a bit.

[mr_moula]

anyone know if there is a campground at the festival site?