The Seoul punk band Beacon performs at Alleyway Taphouse in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, June 19, 2021. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

This is the fourth part in a series intended to raise awareness of Korea's elusive live music scene and help more people find it.

If you live outside the three major cities of Seoul, Busan and Daegu and just can't be bothered to visit them, there are still many other live music venues across the country that may be more accessible to you.

Members of an online community for live music lovers in Korea shared their favorite venues in cities and towns across the peninsula. If you're in, near or visiting these cities, here are the places you need to know. Many of these venues have shows less frequently than you'll find in the larger cities. A number of them also don't seem to have as strong a social media presence as might otherwise be expected. But all of them have mics, amps and drums.

Here they are, arranged in order of distance from Seoul.

1. Incheon

Incheon is Korea's third-biggest city, but on the other hand it borders the largest. Musicians and bands that start here tend to fall into Seoul's scene. On the other hand, it does have a couple of decent music venues. There's Rock Camp, founded in 1997, located right behind the Bupyeong District Office. A much newer alternative is Club Knock, located next to the former Incheon University campus, a little north of Jemulpo Station on Seoul Metro Line 1. Both have shows most weekends, but not every weekend. Follow @rockcamp_live and @club_knock on Instagram.

2. Suwon

Suwon, the capital of Gyeonggi Province located about 30 minutes by train south of Seoul, has one main music venue, and it's a good one. I'm not sure I could name any Suwon bands, but certainly, bands from other cities love playing at Alleyway Taphouse. This foreign-owned establishment is located in central Suwon's historic Paldal District, and the spacious venue is filled with plenty of seating. Plus, as the name implies, it's known for its beer selection. Follow @alleywaytaphouse on Instagram.

3. Cheongju

Cheongju is a small university town in North Chungcheong Province, but as far as music scenes go, it punches high above its weight class. Having given us great bands like 13 Steps, Sink to Rise and Attacking Forces, Cheongju has a healthier scene than bigger cities like nearby Daejeon (not sure if Cheongju residents would necessarily agree though). Cheongju always seems to have two music venues at any one time, with each of them going through management and name changes over the years. The current two are Jijik and Road King. Another name worth knowing is Golmok Dabang, a cafe owned by Lee Chang-ok, the lead singer of the hardcore band Sink to Rise. You probably won't see live bands there, but it's a great place to pick up information on the local scene. Follow @golvang and @jijik.kr on Instagram and visit fb.com/road.king.94402.

4. Jeonju

Jeonju has one well-known music venue, Radio Garden. But stay away from its Facebook page, which appears to have been taken over by hackers from India. There's also a newer venue called Club GP that looks promising. Follow @hardrockclub_gp and @radio_garden_jeonju on Instagram.

5. Gwangju

You probably shouldn't be surprised that this southwestern city, best known for a massacre initiated by a military dictator in 1980, has a punk scene. There are quite a lot of other bands active there, too. The city has gone through several music venues, but currently, the favorite among those surveyed is Boojik, which is a standard basement music venue, just like you'd find in Hongdae. Another newer alternative is FRIENDS, which opened just at the end of last year. Visit fb.com/Club.BooJik and follow @friends_gwangju on Instagram.

The Seoul punk band Sweet Gasoline performs at Boojik in Gwangju, Feb. 11, 2023. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

6. Ulsan

The well-known name connected to Ulsan is the Royal Anchor, a pub that sometimes offers live music. It currently advertises as a jazz venue but has been known to host various types of music. Follow @kim.anchor on Instagram.

7. Geoje Island

It may come as a surprise that Geoje Island, off the coast of Busan in southeasternmost South Gyeongsang Province, has a music venue, but the bands that have toured there seem ready to swear by it. Follow @und_space on Instagram.

What venues have I missed that are still active or newly opening? Feel free to send an email with your updates.