Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Peace at the DMZ: Woodstock comes to Korea!

Artie Kornfeld, the man behind the original Woodstock Festival way back in 1969, is bringing his festival know-how to the peninsula. The Peace at the DMZ festival takes place August 6th, 7th and 8th this year and features UNKLE, 2 of the original Doors, Skid Row, Young Bloods, Safri Duo, Simple Plan, Keri Hilson, plus many Korean acts!


The 1969 music festival also took place in August, although on different dates, 15th, 16th and 17th, and was billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It's being said that the Korean peninsula is now living its most historic and dangerous moment since the end of the Korean War in 1953, which is pretty scary, well, if you live here like me, anyways.
So, how exactly can this interesting peace-driven festival affect this critical moment around here? I want to say that, hopefully, if anything, it could help both governments rethink about their behavior and maybe think about making more of an effort to just get along and respect each other. I believe this Korean version of the Woodstock - originally held during the Vietnam War - could also help promote a culture of tolerance and mutual respect among all kinds of people of various nationalities in the peninsula.

The truth is 3 Days of Peace and Music on the border between the two Koreas doesn't sound bad at all.

The 1969 Woodstock poster


Peace at the DMZ - Hot info:
Tickets: 3-day pass - 176,000 won / 2-day pass - 143,000 won / 1-day pass - 99,000 won. 
Order from this site.
A Korean will be able to help here!
Location: Pyeonghwa Nuri Park, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do.
Click on the festival's official site also for ticketing and much more info: www.woodstock.or.kr
-- Apparently there's no full English website, unfortunately.

I leave you with the fun movie trailer for Taking Woodstock, an incredible Ang Lee movie based on a true story. Hmm, could a movie be made about the DMZ Woodstock? I know I'd love to see that!


 

Peace out!