Exclusive Interview with Bagagee Viphex13

Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Bagagee Viphex13, shortly before his performance at the “Wipe Out 4 Songkran Festival” at RCA Block A on 15th April.

You are one South Korea's most renowned DJs. How did you get in touch with electronic dance music in the first place?

Am I? If you think so, then thank you so much. Actually 20 years ago, I didn’t know anything about the DJ scene. All i knew was computer game music and movie soundtracks. One of my favorite games was Mortal Kombat - the soundtrack only includes Techno music, it was a shock for me. That sounded really futuristic. After then I collected similar style music and tried to learn about the electronic music world. The internet grew bigger and I tried to search for more. That’s my middle school life.

You devoted yourself to push the Techno genre in Eastern Asia, with great influence on South Korea’s and Japan’s underground scene. How would you describe your own music in just a few words?

My techno style is funky and driving. In my environment it’s a very unique and rare music style, that means at times it’s very lonely and un-commercial. But I have to survive and introduce my style music to masses. If I do serious music then hard to make and gather manias. So I think I have to do bridge between commercial music and techno music. My style is easy to dance and easy to listen. There is no serious. Just include energy and power.

What tracks, remixes or mix sets would you recommend to someone that is not yet familiar with your music?

I released lots of style music. Some track is very deep and dark. If someone don’t like techno music, he will ask “What difficult music is this?”, so I recommended easier and funky track for you. Please check the following tracks:

Padak Padak (Original mix): is funky driving track. Its not pure techno music. We called it like Tech-Funk.
The rhythm is techno but sounding like disco or house music. You feel really fun.

Fuel Injection: Pure old school driving techno. Good for dancing and festival.
This track make you full throttle engine.

Hydro Tek (Filterheadz Remix): remixed by Techno Hero Filterheadz.
Just… Huge. Amazing!!!!!!!!!

At last, please check my set “IAMT Booking Podcast 046 with Bagagee Viphex13”.
This set shows very well my club DJ style. I mixed 39 tracks in 1 hour.

What are you currently working and focusing on?

In recent days I fall in combining Wobble bass line. Actually Wobble bass started from Dubstep music long time ago. Some of head Tech-House artist express wobble bass on tech house music. That sounds great and is cool idea. I try to make new bass line like wobble bass combine minimal techno style bouncy bass. The result sound quite good I think. I expose this bassline to my techno track and tech house track. It help really fun and groovy rhythm.

You release a monthly mix tape called ‘Mixrush’. What can you tell us about the concept of the show and where can people listen to it?

Mixrush is my monthly Radio program. It is broadcasted on the world’s largest internet radio Digitally Imported (www.di.fm), every 3rd Monday of the month (at 1pm EST / 6pm UTC / 7pm CET). You can also listen to it on my Soundcloud.
The Mixset is run by Pure Techno. Include most played track last month at club + some of promo track from my friend or friendly label and introduce my unreleased track on the show. Style is various. Dark and deep sometimes funky and driving. I want to introduce all kind of techno.

What was the best and the worst gig you ever played and what was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?

I got horrible gig only 2~3 month ago. One day I played commercial club in Gangnam area. I know very well sometimes my original DJ style is not good match with commercial clubs. If the club want listen other style then I can play more housy and funky, coz I’m a DJ. That day also club owner want to change music style like electro - but I only just played the 2nd track of my set!! The club director said to me “Hurry up, change music! Hurry! - so I changed music. But they still don’t like it. Finally the club director put USB on the CDJ and selected a playlist and said to me: “Play only those tracks”. It is a terrible horrible memory in my life.

What can you tell us about clubbing and nightlife in your hometown Seoul? Do you have any nightlife related suggestions for first-time visitors?

Most of all, Seoul Clubs look very cool with world class Sound system and interior, and almost all club have high definition LED screen too. Funny thing is Korean club open really long. Some club open until afternoon!!! Crazy. If you want to see loud club then visit clubs in Gangnam area, or if you want to feel more underground and visit Itaewon road.

On 15th April you will perform live here in Bangkok at the “Wipe Out 4 Music Festival” at RCA Block A. Have you visited Thailand before? Will it be your Bangkok debut? What can Bangkok expect of your upcoming performance?

This time is the 15th visit for me. In 2006 I lived and worked at Khaosan road for almost 6 months. I really like traveling. Thailand is best place, so I visited it 14th times already. The 1st visiting is 2004? Maybe. At that time I want to go “Ankor Wat”, I just dropped by - but I fell in love with Thailand, and stayed long. I worked at a Ramen store and traveling agency in Khaosan road. When I finished my work then always visited RCA, Bed Supperclub and the "Tunnel" club. 2005 is maybe my first time to visit Flix. When I went into Flix I dreamed that if someday I would DJ here, then that would be great and that dream came true last year. It was a really really emotional moment for me. I know DJ Roxy June since 2010. She is a good friend and she help contact to lots of Thailand gig with good memory.

Your Bangkok visit is part of the “2014 World DJ Festival Pre-Party” Asia Tour. This year’s “Wold DJ Festival” - a 3-day music festival held on 4-6 May in Yangpyeong (South Korea) - is the 8th of its kind. What can you tell us about it?

World DJ Festival is Korean pride festival. It made by only Korean effort and start from Underground. They try to gather all kind of Korean cultural things. Of course DJ festival is 1st, but if you visit this festival then you can experience and see a lot of our culture. It’s really dynamic and fun! You can feel our energy.