DUSTY FINGERS. Local DJ Seoul Brother Number 1 weaves eclectic selections of music ranging from funk to punk in his regular gigs at Beulahland and other venues around Portland. (AR Photo/Ian Blazina)

From The Asian Reporter, V18, #16 (April 15, 2008), page 17.

By Ian Blazina

Joong-hyun ‘Grover’ Kim, also known as Seoul Brother Number 1, lives in a musical library. Dividing the first floor of his house into a maze of isles, shelves of vinyl take up almost all the available space. And there are more in the basement. A formidable shelf of jazz records, alphabetized and chronological by artist, covers one wall. Nearby, similarly extensive collections of soul, funk, reggae, hip-hop, storybook records, and assorted electro and rock stand testament to more than 20 years of collecting.

"Collecting records is a passion, and it is the first step into the realm of DJing," said Kim.

A southern California transplant from Alaska whose parents are both from Seoul, South Korea, Kim cultivated his musical interest and talent as a disc jockey for the Irvine, California-based KUCI radio station in high school, then went on host a radio show at KCSB while attending the University of California, Santa Barbara.

After moving to Portland in 1997, Kim began performing live sets, a gig which has grown to include two monthly shows at Beulahland in northeast Portland and regular performances around town with the Devin Phillips Band, The Way Downs, Jujuba, the Goodfoot Allstars, and the Heavy Rotation collective.

"I don’t pander to the top-40 sounds unless, of course, it’s ironic in some way," Kim said. "I enjoy challenging the listener, playing a lot of rare and obscure vinyl that many haven’t heard."

"Every situation is different, but on any given day you can hear me playing soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, and dancehall," he continued. "But there have been occasions where I have even been known to play punk, metal, rock, garage, lounge, and ’80s."

Seoul Brother Number 1 plays theme nights with fellow spinster King Tim 33.3 every first Saturday at Beulahland. Previous themes have included Smooth Moods, Robot Dance Party, and 1992-1995 Hip-Hop. Regular sets at Beulahland on third Fridays are known to involve funk, soul, jazz, and hip-hop. Beulahland is located at 118 N.E. 28th Avenue in Portland.

Additionally, Seoul Brother Number 1 will open and play an intermission set for the Devin Phillips Band’s show at Goodfoot on May 24, and plays with his Sick Bay crew on <www.praradio.org> April 19. To learn more, visit <www.myspace.com/seoulbrother1>.