It’s time to switch gears from the mainstream scene down to the indie jungle. Last time, I promised to research more about my discovery of a band named Guckkasten. The band’s name is actually German and it stands for ‘Chinese kaleidoscope.’
Turns out they’re pretty famous in Korea and have been together roughly for 11 years – first under ‘The C.O.M’ and finally sticking to the name Guckkasten. First seen as the new kids on the indie block, they’ve since earned national recognition at the 2010 Korean Music Awards for ‘Best Rock Song’ for their single ‘Mirror.’ They don’t perform to the typical ‘basement’ crowd. In addition to performing large-scale concert venues and outdoor events, they’re one of the most well-known indie acts in Korea.
But I’m still surprised at the second award they’ve received: ‘Rookie of the Year.’ Wait, what? If these guys have been together for over a decade, why did the Korean Music Awards decide to give them that? (They also shared the award with another ‘post-hardcore’ indie band Apollo 18.) Read the full story
