Prinz of Korea

Haha...that's Flying Buddah, repping Top 9 of Russia. After what seemed like a blur that was R-16, everbody upped sticks and left, onto their next leg, many of whom are heading straight to the UK for the Bboy Champs, or getting ready for Battle of the Year in Germany..

Me...well, since my flight was the next morning, I had no plans. Luckily the prospect of roaming around Seoul aimlessly til dawn was saved by the news that Circle Prinz was taking place the same night, hosted by none other than Jaz Ivy, who also presented R-16. So after a few hours of chilling out, we headed to the venue in Ivy's car.

 I'd heard that Incheon was unique in South Korea in terms of being a completely new city, though I didn't realise just how much until we drove Seoul.  It kinda reminded me of Taiwan, with the irregularities of old and new, with the foggy smog hovering over it. I guess staying in Tokyo for the past six months can really distort your expectation of other east asian cities.

 Ivy kindly provided real-time commentary as he drove Jort and I through the streets of Seoul, having lived in the states before settling in South Korea for the last seven years. Famed for its art courses, he told us the district where the Circle Prinz was taking place is called Hongdae, short for Hongik Daehakgyo. Not surprisingly, over the years this area has become synonymous with everything associated with the art crowd: cool boutiques, flea markets, clubs and cozy restaurants. Walking through the place, its kitsch charms resembles Shibuya x Shimokitazawa in Tokyo,  downtown Soho in New York, or the popular Brick Lane in East London. It is also an area that was instrumental in the development of the bboy scene in South Korea, being the place where the studio of Rivers crew, of which he is the sole MC, is based, amongst other practise studios of other crews.

 

 Jaz's CD on sale at one of the boutiques...top left...

 Being famished, we went to some local diner to get some food. Most of the eateries provide a small pen on the tables, and let you tag on their walls. This is Jort doing his thang thang.

Bless his cotton socks. Jaz went through every single dish, describing what they are, before pointing at a miniscule section consisting of only two dishes that didn't contain any meat, which was to be his vegetarian option.

 

Turned out I wasn't the only South Korea virgin. Jort, who represents the Funky Dope Maneouvres crew in Holland, was also here for the first time ever. So over the food Ivy pretty much updated us on life in Korea, music and blaxpoitation movies amongst other soulful topics...

  Finally, we are here. Ivy kinda went through a bit of panic mode earlier on when we got to the venue at 3pm and there were no one here, thinking maybe it was at a different venue and then checking the other possible places where it could be, which was made even more complicated by the fact that he did not have a mobile phone. But after some wandering around, we bumped into some of the poppers from the day before, who actually told us it was at the right place, except it was too early. Duh!

 I'm not sure why, but Seoul has an electricity about it, almost like NYC in the sense that it's such a highly strung city, you feel it without even having to know the people or the culture. Circle Prinz was like its microcosm, with adrenaline pumping through the various cyphers going on as soon as you enter the venue.

 With 86 pairs to whittle down to one, it was to be a long ass night.  Six whole hours, to be exact. Usually, you'd get bored half way through, y'know, maybe some crews were weaker than others. But no. It was a constant stream of talent one after the other, a mini-colloseum, battle of the fittest, and I do mean the fittest. Korean bboys are known to be high quality, having reigned various international competitions for a good few years. Their energy as carnivorous as their national diet of meat and spicy food. In a small venue like this, all the emotions are magnified 20 times: the hunger, the pain, the sweat, the strive. Many of those competing actually belong to the same crews, namely Gamblerz, T.I.P, Rivers and Last for One.

 

 I have to give it up to the judges Wicket, YNot and Katsu, three of the best bboys around repping the three top crews: Renegade Rockers, Rock Steady and All Areas Crew respectively. These guys sat through the marathon session after coming from R-16, with barely even a break long enough to go to the toilet before being summoned back into the hot seats tentatively. Things got really tough in the rounds where it was a tight round, and they had to make a snap decision to choose one, even if both pairs were equally good. Who said judging was a glamorous job?

 

 This was my highlight of the evening, besides the bboying. Between some of stages during the competition, there were performances by special guests. These guys are called BStar, a Korean flatland crew. Having lived near and walked past Playstation (now X-Box) many times since college (that's high school to you Yanks), a skate board park under a motorway near Ladbroke Grove, I've seen flatlanding but not like this. I spotted these guys practising outside of the venue, not knowing they were actually performing for the event. They were so dope, executing really difficult impressive tricks in such a small space.

 It was a face off between Hong 10 and Differ of Seven Commandos crew, against Blanka and Tino Rock of Floor Gangz. Seven Commandos won, although I think Floor Ganz would've had a chance if they weren't so tired, considering how hard they battled all the way through.

So that concludes my first South Korea trip. Definitely not your average, but eye opening in unconventional ways. Ivy keeps a really neat blog to do with everything hip hop in Korea if you're interested, also check out both Ivy and Jort's pages Myspace.