NOW

The Seoul Metropolitan Archives describes dabang as everyday urban spaces where culture, art, politics, youth and social life overlapped. Branded matchboxes with phone numbers also worked like pocket-sized advertisements.

THE 1970s MUSIC DABANG

DJ-led coffeehouses taking song requests became an important youth-culture scene.

WHY PRINT A PHONE NUMBER ON A MATCHBOX?

Before mobile phones, a small branded object could double as an easy reminder of a meeting place and its contact number.

Sources & context

2026-09-18

archives.seoul.go.kr ↗