KoSound 2011 opens to divided opinions
Published: ASIA
KOREA: KoSound and Stagetec 2011 opened on November 9th to what appeared to be a moderately improved attendance compared to 2010, though international attendees and members of the domestic Korean industry were divided over the exhibition’s first day performance.
The show, which is taking place at the Kintex exhibition centre approximately 30 minutes outside of Seoul, traditionally suffers from quiet aisles. Part of the reason is the location – Kintex is still under development and lacks hotel facilities. Meanwhile, visitors to the show often congregate within the live sound demonstration area, within which large-format line array systems compete in regular shoot-outs.
Among the companies participating in the demonstration hall this year are Outline Audio, L-Acoustics, Electro-Voice, QSC and TW Audio. However, several key manufacturers have removed themselves from the demonstration hall in recent years, as TW Audio’s Bernhard Wuestner noted: ‘I miss the big names, the big manufacturing companies. There are less and less of them here, it seems. It’s shrinking, from my perspective.’ He added: ‘tomorrow is a different day’.
Scott Sung of L-Acoustics distributor Dreamsound echoed the sentiment, commenting: ‘The show looks similar to last year but in the demo room there are two or three companies missing. The visitor numbers are similar. Maybe we can expect more tomorrow.’
Also taking place alongside KoSound is KOCAD, a church architectural exhibition. Hong Lee, CEO of Sound Solution, commented that he was hopeful of an improvement in KoSound’s performance as a result. ‘This year is a little unique because of the representation of the church market which we feel will have a positive effect,’ he explained.
Finally, a highlight of the opening day was the appearance of Meyer Sound’s John McMahon, hosting full demonstrations of the manufacturer’s Constellation system for the first time in Korea. Held on the Incova booth, the presentations drew an enthusiastic response from attendees. ‘It’s been spectacular,’ Mr McMahon reported. ‘We’ve had three or four demos already and every one of them has been standing room only. The last demo probably had 50 or 60 people in there.
‘We’ve been receiving tremendous interest in Constellation in Korea – we did the Great Mountains Music Festival and the interest has absolutely peaked. We felt it was the right thing to do to bring the system here as lots of people are hearing about it but it’s the kind of thing you have to hear to believe. Incova has really stepped up – this is their demo system, they’ve purchased it. It’s a significant investment on their behalf.’
KoSound and Stagetec 2011 is continuing at Kintex, Seoul, until Friday November 11th.