- Festival brings in 150,000 people in just three days from August 4 to 6… 54 teams, including top stars as well as emerging new artists, bring the heat to Inchon -
- Incheon had heat shelters and medical staff on standby to prevent heat-related ailments and other accidents... City also arranged 12 “heat shelter buses” to keep visitors cool -
One of Korea's largest music festivals, the “2023 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival” brought the heat to Incheon’s midsummer night.
Hosted by Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok), the 2023 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, considered by many the best music festival in Korea, brought in 150,000 or so visitors for a chance to immerse themselves in some genuine rock music. This year's Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival got under way at the Songdo Moonlight Festival Park for three days, starting on August 4.
The Festival, which celebrated its 18th anniversary this year, featured a total of 54 teams, including top rock bands like The Strokes from all over the world. The Festival also had new artists that made the top-6 in the “Penta Super Rookie” competition.
On the first day of the Festival (August 4), Adios Audio, George, Green Flame Boys, cotoba, Romantic Punch, THE VOLUNTEERS, Kim Yuna, KIRINJI, Chang Kiha, and No Brain took the stage. Japanese punk rock band ELLEGARDEN, who returned with a new album, was the last to perform and received enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
On August 5, Bosudong Cooler feat. BXH, Silica Gel, Kim Neuk, Crackberry, Lee Seung Yoon, The Black Skirts, OTOBOKE BEAVER, Idiotape, 250, etc. took the stage. Headliner for the day was The Strokes, a world-famous rock band from New York, USA, who was at the forefront of the post-punk craze in the early 2000s. While it was the band’s first time back in Korea in 17 years, The Strokes pushed the weekend night to a whole new level.
On the last day, August 6, Nerd Connection, Kwon Jin Ah, Moskva Surfing Club, THE FIX, Home Slice, HITSUJIBUNGAKU, Leenalchi, WAVE TO EARTH, Cherry Filter, Car, the Garden, SE SO NEON, GINGER ROOT, among others, graced the stage. For the grand finale, The Kim Chang Wan Band, formed by Kim Chang Wan, a living witness of Korean pop music history, brought a splendid end to the three-day journey of the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival.
Previously, at the opening ceremony on August 4, a drone show at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park lit up the night sky creating a pentagon, the Pentaport icon, and other magnificent shapes. Several campaigns also got under way at various locations such as the picnic zone, camping zone, and free shelter zone. The Festival had various programs for families to enjoy together as well.
Incheon prepared measures to prevent heat-related ailments given the record-breaking heatwave. It installed shades, heat shelters, sprinklers, and medical booths to keep visitors safe, and it additionally deployed a total of 12 “heat shelter buses,” including six government vehicles (such as fire trucks) and six additional vehicles sourced using the City’s disaster relief fund. Every effort was made to ensure that the event is conducted safely.
In particular, the use of multi-use containers at food and beverage stores (F&B), the use of eco-friendly materials, and the use of official merchandise were all encouraged at this year’s Festival. Moreover, efforts to reduce waste, carbon, and greenhouse gas emissions generated were made throughout the Festival, showing what a mature performance culture could look like in terms of ensuring entertainment and the environment.
Kim Chung-jin, Director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau in Incheon, said, “I hope that the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival gave visitors a chance to blast away their stress and recharge their batteries.” He added, “We want Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will to become Korea's leading music festival and the largest and most recognizable music festival in the world.”
