Dabang Band (다방 밴드) was one of the first indie rock bands in South Korea involving both foreigners and Koreans, and one of North Jeolla province’s best-known indie groups from 2002-2005.

The band was founded by Myoung Jae Yi (guitar & vocals) and Thai Iv (drums) in the winter of late 2001, formed from the remains of bands such as the Dwaeji Boys and the Hot Rodneys. Sunghwan Jung (bass) and Gord Sellar (saxophones) joined in early 2002, to complete the band. Based in Iksan/Jeonju for the first year of its existence, the band played numerous concerts in Iksan, Jeonju, and Seoul.

Only a few months after its formation, Dabang Band played at the Ssamzie Sori Festival 2002, and became well-known in the indie music scene. They released two full-length albums and an EP, playing at most of the indie rock venues and major film festivals in Korea, and developing relationships with many other bands across the country.

In the fall of 2004, Gord Sellar left the band, but Dabang continued to tour and recording, with Hyosang Kim joining the band for both tours and recording for the rest of their run. They released a final EP in 2005. Also in 2005, the song ” Taxi Blues” from their album Product was featured on the soundtrack of Choi-ha Dong-ha’s independent Korean documentary film Taxi Blues.  They held their final goodbye concert at The Deep In bar in Jeonju, when Thai Iv finally left South Korea sometime late in 2005.

In 2013, this website was set up by Gord Sellar as a memorial to the band, as well as a place to house extant photos and recordings of the group, and other ephemera. When he runs across files or material online or on his backup CDs and drives, he will continue to upload them here.