[On Site, This Person] 39 Years in Music: DJ Song Minguen

Operated LP Bar 'Radio Star' for 11 Years
Experienced Music from School Days, Including Participation in Arts Festivals
Served as President of Gwangju DJ Association and Hosted Radio Programs
Need for Symbolic Cultural Spaces Such as Music Listening Rooms
"Each Shop in Old City Hall, Dong-gu Should Seek Its Own Unique Identity"

Mingeun Song DJ.

"Music is always present by your side like a breath, even if you don't want it. Sometimes it becomes comfort and courage, and purifies the heart. The job of a DJ is to deliver such beautiful music."

This is the story of DJ Song Mingun (58), who has been developing the music culture in the Gwangju area for 39 years since 1985.

Song, who has operated the LP music cafe 'Radio Star' for 11 years on Asia Food Culture Street, Old City Hall, Dong-gu, Gwangju, is actively working to develop music culture through knowledge sharing such as radio broadcasting, Gwangju-Jeonnam DJ Association, and music lectures.

His philosophy is to elevate the value of music by introducing and interpreting genres, backgrounds, and more, so that it can be enjoyed more meaningfully, rather than seeing music as a simple art or entertainment.

Song first encountered music during his school days. In middle school, he enjoyed singing in front of audiences and even represented his school at the 'Honam Arts Festival.'

In the late 1970s, he would record the University Song Festival on cassette tape and listen to it repeatedly every day, introducing and recommending songs to his friends. Song recalled, "Looking back, I think I had a talent for being a DJ since my school days."

In 1980, there were about 20 music cafes near Chonnam National University. At that time, not many households had audio equipment or LPs, so people gathered at music cafes or listening rooms to hear the music they liked.

Because of this, Song naturally came into contact with that culture, and in 1985, he started his career as a DJ at the recommendation of senior acquaintances.

Mingeun Song DJ.

During his long DJ career, he served as president of the Gwangju DJ Association, director of the Korea Broadcasting DJ Association Gwangju branch, and was a main host on KBS radio programs and Gwangju Traffic Broadcasting.

Currently, he is active as a DJ at cultural and artistic events such as the Gwangju Chungjang Festival every year, and last year he gave music lectures on the history of pop and popular songs at Gwangju Dong-gu Humanities School.

Song said, "Since I started as a DJ with only a little musical knowledge, I had to study hard to avoid falling behind. I built up my musical knowledge through books like the 'Encyclopedia of Pop Artists,' which was essential reading for DJs at the time, as well as monthly pop magazines and album liner notes."

He added, "At first, I studied by genre such as blues, folk, rock, and jazz, and then delved deeper by learning about individual artists, which made me fall even more in love with music. Now, after a lifetime of immersing myself in music since my school days, my joy is to share that knowledge with others through lectures and more."

The biggest concern for Song, who has continuously researched good music, is the stagnation of Asia Food Culture Street in Dong-gu, where he currently operates 'Radio Star.'

This street, also known as 'Old City Hall' and 'Street of Youth,' has recently begun attracting middle-aged visitors as well. Song analyzed that this is because of the unique music venues in the area.

Currently, there are venues on this street where you can enjoy jazz performances on weekends, listen to music played on LPs and large screens, and enjoy drinks like whiskey by the glass.

Nevertheless, businesses in this area continue to close down, with the thematic limitation of 'Asian food' and high rents cited as the main reasons.

Song emphasized, "Old City Hall has not only Asian food but also various music venues and other unique shops. To revitalize the street, we need to leverage the overall characteristics of all these shops to create a synergistic effect."

He continued, "As music venues decrease due to management difficulties, many people are quitting the DJ profession," and added, "To facilitate musical exchange with citizens, we need not only lectures but also symbolic cultural spaces. The Gwangju DJ Association is preparing a 'music listening room' that can become a symbolic cultural space for the region."