Cakeshop turns 14 with a 12-hour anniversary event in Itaewon
Director Samuel Swanson looks back on the club’s journey & what it takes to keep an independent space alive in the Seoul neighbourhood
Itaewon club Cakeshop marks its 14th anniversary on October 17 with a 12-hour event running from 6PM-6AM across two venues, Cakeshop and Pistil.
Bloodz Boi headlines with a live performance. The Beijing-born artist is a pioneer of China’s underground rap scene and has developed his own strain of cloud rap, pairing hazy production and melodic vocals with lyrics shaped by local and global culture.
The line-up also features 20+ DJs, crews and collectives from Seoul, including Sounds Supply Service, Fiction Seoul, Kimchi Factory Homies, Gwangheungchang, R&B, SOAR, Planet Turbo, More Breaks, Galactique, Darklight, Feverdream Damage Report, and more.
Ahead of the celebration, Mixmag Asia caught up with Cakeshop Director Samuel Swanson, who reflected on the venue’s 14-year journey.
He first spoke about how the club’s history in Itaewon has not been easy: “Cakeshop has seen every single club that was around us come and then go but still we remain. We were the only ones that made it through COVID-19 and the Halloween disaster. It’s been surreal.”
Describing the club’s position in the neighbourhood today, Swanson adds: “Itaewon has been traditionally a space of freedom but that’s not necessarily the case anymore. However, Cakeshop is still independent and we have a deep community and support. This allows us to keep things moving forward musically and be socially and politically active, maintaining an underground countercultural space. That is very important in these times beyond just our block.”
The anniversary also follows a busy year for the club.
“Notably within the last year we had a five-city Korea tour, nine-city Asia tour, with our label Carousel Seoul, to recorded sets in alternative spaces via AFTERHOURS and editorials in conversation with all our community via Notes from Cake,” Swanson shares.
On what the event, he says: “Anniversaries are always a huge celebration of how far we have come and the start of a new future. We have taken Cakeshop in so many new directions over the recent years and found new ways to create dialogues with our community.”
He closes with a message to those who have been part of the club’s 14 years: “Thank you to all the dancers, creatives, DJs, staff and crews that have brought us here. Cakeshop forever.”
Get tickets to the event this Saturday here.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
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