South Korean bluegrass band Country GongBang heads to Caffe Lena
If you never thought the Republic of Korea was a hotbed of bluegrass music, you would be right. But that didn't stop five young musicians from South Korea with a mutual love of the quintessentially American art form from creating the bluegrass band Country GongBang.
Choosing a name that means "country atelier," based on a popular practice in South Korea of filming students studying or playing music, this quintet is bringing the country-folk-roots musical genre developed in 1940s Appalachia to the masses in their native country, and have now branched out to the United States.
If you go
What: Country GongBang
Where: Caffè Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $11-$22
Info: 518-583-0022; caffelena.org
In 2023, the group won an International Band Performance Grant from the International Bluegrass Music Association and made its American concert debut in Raleigh, N.C. They performed at the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville this past June and embarked on their first U.S. tour, which included stops in New York at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill and Bluegrass in Heaven in Silver Bay.
This Saturday, Country GongBang will take the stage at another musical landmark, Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs. They will perform songs from their two full-length albums and prior EP, as well as some iconic bluegrass and folk covers.
We reached out to the band's current lineup - Yebin Kim (lead vocals and mandolin), Hyunho "Banjo Boy" Jang (banjo), Sunjae Won (guitar), Jongsu Yoon (fiddle) and Keeha Song (bass) - to find out how they came to be and where they are hoping to go. Due to language and time zone differences, they suggested an interview via email; what follows are those exchanges. Portions have been edited for space and clarity.
How did you first get exposed to American bluegrass music? What was it about bluegrass that drew you to it?
Hyunho: When I started practicing the five-string banjo, I first heard Earl Scruggs and thought I should practice listening to his music. After that, I listened to Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Alison Krauss and Rhonda Vincent and fell in love with bluegrass. I think it's really attractive that you can feel all the joy and sadness with just an acoustic instrument in bluegrass music, and you can feel the great nature in the music.
How popular is it in Korea?
Jongsu: Country music is a very minor genre in Korea, and most Koreans don't even know the words "bluegrass music." Korea is the country of K-pop and it is a very difficult environment for acoustic bands to survive. But the challenge is always worth it, and we will continue our activities in Korea.
Did you meet any resistance from people back home? Anyone ask, "why in the world would you decide to play bluegrass music?"
Jongsu: People always ask us that question. I don't think there is a team that works as a full-time (bluegrass) musician in Korea except for us. So, people always wonder why (we) chose this strange genre of music. And there is no resistance, but it's not an easy road because (it is) not many people's interests.
You came here last year, but 2024 is your first time touring the United States, right? How has that been? Any highlights?
Sunjae: Last year we only stayed at Raleigh, but this year we had the chance to travel around various states in the U.S. to perform. It was really fun for us to have a variety of experiences, from beautiful rural to wonderful city scenery. Pretty much every moment was a highlight, but if we had to choose one, then the Grand Ole Opry can be the one.
You did play the Grand Ole Opry back in June. Was that a dream come true?
Sunjae: The Grand Ole Opry was a dream stage for us. It didn't feel real until we finished on the stage and went back to our accommodations. In Korea, the Grand Ole Opry's reputation is not as big as in the U.S. Nevertheless, there were big newspaper s in Korea saying that we debuted at the (venue). It was an unbelievable experience in many ways.
You've gone on record as saying you believe your music is more than just traditional bluegrass, but also incorporates elements of K-Pop, jazz, Celtic, classical and other musical genres. Do you hope to continue to evolve and expand your sound? Will Country GongBang keep adding in more types of music?
Hyunho: We plan to continue to integrate as many types of music as we can into our music in the future. We also plan to further refine the foundation of traditional bluegrass and become a team with solid roots.
Are there artists, American or otherwise, you would like to collaborate with? Or at least meet and see in concert?
Sunjae: There are so many, but to name just a few, there are Billy Strings, Molly Turtle and Rhonda Vincent.
You sing in both Korean and English. Do you want to increase the amount of English-language music you perform, or is it important to you to keep loyal to your native language?
Sunjae: We exchanged various opinions on this subject. Thankfully, many audience members said that although they did not understand the lyrics of the songs written in Korean, they understood them through the language of music and were moved by them. However, there were also people who were disappointed because they did not know the meaning of the lyrics and could not sympathize more deeply. We will continue to write songs in Korean, but we also plan to add songs with English lyrics little by little
Do you know anything about the history of Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs, how pivotal it was to the early career of Bob Dylan and several other folk and acoustic artists?
Jongsu: Actually, we didn't know much about Caffè Lena. We are sorry for that. But now we know that this cafe is the oldest historical performance cafe in the United States, and we also know the performance of the legendary Bob Dylan.
How did this particular gig come about?
Jongsu: Terry Baker of Bluegrass in Heaven (music festival in Silver Bay, where they played last weekend) helped us so much. He introduced a lot of nearby concert venues and gave them information, and I am very grateful to him that this performance was also conducted with his efforts.
Do you play any classic covers at your shows or is it all your own originals?
Jongsu: We play our original songs and classical bluegrass music, too.
When you get back home after this tour will you be heading into the studio to record a third album?
Keeha: Based on the experience of the past albums, it may take more time. We do a lot of corrections. That's why the result goes in a better direction, but it takes a lot of time. We also want to make the third album as soon as possible.
Beyond new music, what does the future hold for Country GongBang?
Yebin: We need to make our own Country GongBang colors and promote our music through more active activities at our country and abroad!
This story was originally published September 18, 2024, 8:36 PM.
