MTV K : (K)Pop, Rock, Metal & More @ SXSW ’15

Courtesy of SM Entertainment

South By Southwest 2015 is well under way! The music, film, and tech show, which kicked off opening exhibitions on March 13, annually draws the hottest international talent to Austin, Texas like a giant convention magnet. Naturally, we’ve got our eyes on the music acts repping Korea this year.

Lucky for attendees (and fan-cam watchers), most of these acts will appear together in two showcases this week: K-Pop Night Out on Thursday and Korea Night II: Seoulsonic on Friday. We couldn’t have planned it better ourselves.

Of course, you don’t have to be partying it up in Austin to get the best of Asian Chairshot, Epik High, The Solutions, Victim Mentality, and all the rest — check out these essential tracks and rock on wherever you are:

KPOP NIGHT OUT | MARCH 19 @ ELYSIUM

EASTERN SIDEKICK | 7:30PM

SXSW’s third annual K-pop Night Out will get a grunge rock kickoff with Eastern Sidekick, the five-piece band that swept rookie awards in Korea back in 2011 and specifically captured our attention with their 2012 single “Fight for Rainbow.” Why deny it – we’re waiting for their upcoming EP, Hammer Lane, with baited breath.



ASIAN CHAIRSHOT | 8:30PM

Asian Chairshot’s blend of psychedelic, garage rock, and alt-rock will hit you over the head much like the outlawed wrestling move they’re named for: hard, fast, and outta nowhere. Showcase attendees should brace themselves for our personal favorite of theirs, “Mask Dance,” which won them a “Best Rock Song” nomination at the 2014 Korean Music Awards.



THE BARBARETTES | 9:30PM

The Barbarettes will croon their way through through covers of golden oldies and nostalgia-inspired originals. The lovely “timeslip” trio have been stealing hearts in perfect harmony since mid-2014, when they released their debut album full of ’50s and ’60s inspired tunes.



More SXSW performances:
March 22 @ The Palm Door on Sixth | 9PM

EE | 10:30PM

Husband and wife duo EE take their “total art performance” tagline to a level so high, pretty soon we’re going to need binoculars to see them. Every genre-defying sight and sound is perfectly crafted to engage the audience, and we’re totally hooked. On top of impressive credits like being the first Korean band to play at Cochella (2011), the pair have been extra busy lately: Check them out on Drunken Tiger’s new album and definitely don’t miss their new digital EP, Dear Door.



More SXSW performances:
March 18 @ 405 Club | 11PM

HITCHHIKER | 11:30PM

K-pop hit production machine turned global EDM enigma HITCHHIKER is also on the list for K-Pop Night Out, and he’ll grace Elysium with the shiniest suit and the hypest beats. Check out the insane MV for his first single “11(Eleven)” below, and if you don’t feel confused enough after that, make a beeline for the remix and this hilarious profile piece. You are welcome.



More SXSW performances:
March 17 @ Highland | 11:45PM

CRAYON POP | 12:30AM

If we loved Crayon Pop any more, we’d probably need to be committed (click HERE to hear all about it). The five-member K-pop team is gearing up to drop new material later this month, and we’re excited to see if it lives up to viral expectations.



EPIK HIGH | 1:10AM

The one and only Epik High holds the final K-Pop Night Out showcase slot — get there early because we expect the venue will be PACKED by the time they hit the stage. It’s probably safe to expect tracks from their latest album, Shoebox, so familiarize yourself with “Spoiler” and “Happen Ending” below. You can also join us in hoping against hope for an abbreviated live version of “BORN HATER,” sans guest rappers.



KOREA NIGHT II : SEOULSONIC | MARCH 20 @ THE MAJESTIC

FROM THE AIRPORT | 8:00PM

The electro rock is strong in this one. The Seoulsonic 2015 showcase will satisfy all your digital cravings, starting with the guitar and synth-driven melodies of From the Airport. It wouldn’t be such a bad deal if we only hear tracks from the duo’s first full-length album You Could Imagine, but we have a good feeling that they’ll knock out fan favorites like “Colors” as well.



THE SOLUTIONS | 9:00PM

The Solutions call their brand of electronic rock “future pop” — we just call it gold. The duo’s 90s-Brit-pop-meets-American-alternative-meets-modern-J-pop sound is primed and ready to get the whole venue jamming to tracks off of their 2014 album, MOVEMENTS.



HEO | 10:00PM

How much does the crowd love it when HEO delivers their ambient indie rock with a dark edge? Enough to land the trio “Best Dance/Electronic Album of the Year” at the 2015 Korean Music Awards with their latest album, Structure, that’s how much. Check out “Luna” and “Word of Silence” for a taste:



BIG PHONY | 11:00PM

This Seoul-based singer-songwriter from NYC (woo!!) makes his return to SXSW this year wielding everything from acoustic folk sounds to electronic indie rock. On this year’s schedule: An acoustic solo set on Thursday, electronic set with a band for Seoulsonic on Friday, and party with No Brain at the Funny Or Die booth.



VICTIM MENTALITY | 12:00AM

Armed with 80′s glam metal inspiration, epic stage names like Tarantula and Krocodile, and (sometimes) a bullwhip, Victim Mentality is bringing metal to Seoulsonic 2015. On top of fan favorites “Magic Finger” and their latest single “Don’t Spit on Me”, Seoulsonic attendees should look forward to first listen privileges for tracks off of the band’s upcoming album.



More SXSW performances:
March 18 @ Club Metropolis (Heavy Metal Pool Party) | 4:30PM
March 18 @ Karma Lounge | 9PM

YB | 1:00AM

YB (aka Yoon Do Hyun Band aka Yoon Band) will close out the Seoulsonic showcase, a fitting spot for one of Korea’s top rock groups and a 4-time SXSW veteran. If you’re not into them yet, you’ve got nine albums of top-quality material to get started on. At a loss for where to begin? Why not their their newest English single, “Cigarette Girl?”



More SXSW performances:
March 21 @ Lucille | 11PM

By Corynn Smith

2015 KOCCA KPop Night Out Showcase (Planning/Production/Promotions) : DFSB Kollective x SL Communications
International Digital Distribution : DFSB Kollective (EE / Eastern Sidekick)
2K15 SXSW Seoulsonic Showcase (Planning/Production/Promotions) : DFSB Kollective x Mandoo Entertainment
International Agent : DFSB Kollective (From The Airport / Heo / Big Phony)
International Digital Distribution : DFSB Kollective (From The Airport / Heo / Big Phony / YB)