WUMUJI Online Music Festival
From March 8 to 14, 2021, a week-long online music festival brought together 67 bands across five venues — Rolling Hall, Westbridge, Prism Hall, Radiogaga, and Dream Hall. While artists performed live on stage, audiences tuned in online. The festival aimed to support independent live music venues that were at risk of closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
The prolonged COVID-19 crisis forced many independent live music venues into existential jeopardy. Prominent venues such as V Hall, Queen Live Hall, Move Hall, and Evans Lounge had already closed their doors. These closures were driven not only by the loss of ticket revenue due to strict quarantine measures, but also by the ongoing burden of rent, staff wages, and other operational costs.
Independent live venues are essential to the vitality of popular and indie music scenes. They are where musicians grow, connect with fans, and build sustainable careers. Once shuttered, such venues face significant barriers to reopening — both financially and structurally.
Unfortunately, government support for independent music and small venues has been limited. The struggles they face are not solely a result of the pandemic. A combination of factors — a fragile indie ecosystem, low public awareness, lack of cultural diversity, and support policies that fail to reflect on-the-ground realities — all contribute to a challenging environment. These issues cannot be solved by a handful of slogans or idealistic proposals. Structural change is needed — in how culture is perceived by the public and how it is supported by policy.
The WUMUJI Project (an English rendering of the Korean phrase meaning "save our stages") is not a silver bullet. However, it represents a meaningful and collaborative effort by the indie music community to support one another and preserve the ecosystem. It was a festival created not only by venues and musicians, but also by fans, cultural workers, and organizations — all working together to keep indie music alive.
Overview
The WUMUJI Project unfolded as follows:
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Five struggling indie live venues were rented and activated for one week.
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Each venue hosted two acts per day, with a total of 67 musicians performing 40-minute sets across five locations throughout the week.
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Audiences purchased tickets and watched the shows via online streaming.
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Companies and organizations that shared the project’s vision joined as partners, contributing in various forms such as sponsorship and in-kind support.
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The festival was organized by the non-profit organization CODE (codekorea.cc), which advocates for open culture and cultural diversity. Planning and execution were supported by a volunteer staff of freely participating individuals.
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Revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships was used exclusively to:
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Compensate the musicians modestly,
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Pay essential production staff,
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Cover venue rental fees, and
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Seed a fund to support the broader indie music ecosystem.
No profits were distributed to the organizing body or partners.
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All planning, operations, and financials were transparently disclosed to the public.
Objectives
The WUMUJI Project was guided by the following objectives:
1.
Immediate Relief
Provide financial and moral support to struggling live music venues and facilitate meaningful artist–fan engagement through live performance.
2.
Discover & Expand
Showcase emerging talent and broaden the reach of indie music by offering high-quality online performance experiences.
3.
Raise Awareness & Drive Change
Capture the attention of the public, media, and policymakers to ignite long-term discussions and bring about improvements in cultural support systems.
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Achievements
The WUMUJI Project was planned and executed within a remarkably short period of approximately one month, yet it succeeded in generating strong public interest and anticipation.
One of the most notable outcomes was that the project surpassed its initial ticket sales goal of USD 40,000, an achievement that had not been expected at the outset.
Importantly, the decision to offer paid online performances—rather than free access—was a deliberate one. It reflected our belief that genuine support for artists and venues is best demonstrated through meaningful participation. More fundamentally, we sought to affirm a cultural value: that music has worth, and that artists deserve fair compensation for their work.
We believe that this principle is vital—not only for the sustainability of the indie music ecosystem, but also for nurturing and encouraging new talent. In this sense, the WUMUJI Project was not just an emergency response, but a step toward reshaping how we value and support independent music.
To ensure the credibility of the project and the transparency of its operations, all planning processes, event proceedings, and revenue distribution details were recorded on Luniverse Trace, a blockchain-based data storage platform. These records were made publicly accessible via the official website.
On March 14, the final day of the festival, a comprehensive settlement report was presented during the live-streamed closing event, reaffirming the project’s commitment to openness and accountability.
WUMUJI Studio Live vol. 1
Studio Live Album Vol. 1 Released
2021.09.24
Online Release: Friday, September 24
CD Sales Begin: Tuesday, September 28
As part of the #SaveOurStage campaign, the WUMUJI Studio Live Project was launched to produce high-quality live recordings and performance videos featuring participating artists. The project aimed not only to capture the raw energy and authenticity of live music, but also to reignite the joy of musical connection between artists and fans.
Through this initiative, we hoped to contribute to the revitalization of the live music scene, which has been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
