soompi forums > The Korean Underground

soompi forums > soompi entertainment > korean music > k-underground

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indieROK

Oct 4 2005, 06:59 PM

Anrui

Oct 4 2005, 07:28 PM

Thanks for re-posting it! I havent used it in a while, but when a friend said Soompi had been cleaned out I thought, "And I might have wanted to use that topic again someday!"

noodz

Oct 4 2005, 09:56 PM

Good save!

cypherpunk, right?

avajoi

Oct 4 2005, 11:08 PM

thanks !!

sherlee

Oct 4 2005, 11:59 PM

you smart indieROK. Google saves the day!

METAL FACE DOOM

Oct 5 2005, 12:15 AM

nice.

although it's sad to see this particular forum so empty since it was pretty dead to begin with.

Olivia*sSlave*

Oct 5 2005, 05:15 AM

can you find links to vitange blue?

Nudeviking

Oct 5 2005, 05:48 AM

indieROK you deserve a cookie for that save!

sphy

Oct 5 2005, 01:37 PM

Nice list - I'll have to check some of them out soon

(thanks noodz & indieROK)

May I suggest:
Daylight:
http://music.bugs.co.kr/Info/artist.asp?ca...=m&Artist=16081
http://www.annyoung.com/cdstore/merchant.m...y_Code=Movieost

Julia Hart
http://music.bugs.co.kr/Info/artist.asp?ca...u=m&Artist=8635

Roller Coaster (롤러코스터)
http://music.bugs.co.kr/Info/artist.asp?ca...nu=m&Artist=231
http://www.annyoung.com/cdstore/merchant.m...y_Code=Movieost
http://www.annyoung.com/cdstore/merchant.m...y_Code=Movieost
http://www.annyoung.com/cdstore/merchant.m...y_Code=Movieost
http://www.annyoung.com/cdstore/merchant.m...y_Code=Movieost

idyllic

Oct 5 2005, 01:38 PM

Oh thank god it's saved.

RACETRAITOR

Oct 6 2005, 06:10 PM

indieROK

Oct 8 2005, 10:54 AM

^ Nice list... Thanks!

arkana

Oct 8 2005, 11:11 AM

Great list

Just wanted to add the following:

Virus (바이러스)
http://invirus.com (official site)
http://www.asiandb.com/store/detail.pfm?num=4360

jcraze

Oct 8 2005, 06:09 PM

That's awesome, much appreciated guys.

uiyoltan

Nov 25 2005, 08:01 AM

woah lots of punk rock bands listed. O_O

bellaangel012

Jan 30 2006, 03:14 PM

can someone please show me how i can listen to the full song without cutting off in the middle for bugsmusic?

RACETRAITOR

Feb 1 2006, 10:17 PM

If you're going to pirate Korean music, at least do it from a non-profit p2p program. I recommend Soulseek, which seems to be the Korean favourite.

indieROK

Feb 3 2006, 08:26 AM

QUOTE(RACETRAITOR @ Feb 1 2006, 10:17 PM) [snapback]1552573[/snapback]

If you're going to pirate Korean music, at least do it from a non-profit p2p program. I recommend Soulseek, which seems to be the Korean favourite.

I dunno, for me it's kind of the opposite. I use Bugs to find music that I want to buy. When I want to pirate I'll use p2p. You gotta remember, for people not in Korea (and often w/varying levels of Korean language ability) it's often very difficult to hear or get info about new bands. Bugs is a convenient way to get a better sense of a band you may have heard someone mention or seen listed somewhere. If there's a better option I'm all for it, but in general I base my CD orders on what I can sample somewhere like Bugs, so the often dubious statement about online music increasing CD sales is actually true in this (admittedly limited) case!

Maybe I'm not really using it like most people do. Is there a pay option where you can download full mp3s or something? See, I don't even know. I just listen to the samples. But I'm interested... what are the aspects that lead to your distaste for it?

RACETRAITOR

Feb 6 2006, 12:09 AM

QUOTE(indieROK @ Feb 4 2006, 01:26 AM) [snapback]1566017[/snapback]

The main reason I don't like it because my friends in bands don't like it. It is a convenient way to hear all the music you want to find out about, but the problem is that Bugs itself is making money off you listening, while the band gets nothing (except possibly a CD sale). I agree with you that online pirating does lead to more CD sales, particularly of underground and lesser-known musicians, but in this regard I don't see a difference between Bugs and, say, Soulseek, which all my Korean friends use.

uiyoltan

Feb 28 2006, 07:18 PM

omg dude just buy the CDs. Support these artists (they ARE underground), the CDs are cheap anyway.

indieROK

Mar 15 2006, 10:55 PM

QUOTE(uiyoltan @ Feb 28 2006, 07:18 PM) [snapback]1831610[/snapback]

omg dude just buy the CDs. Support these artists (they ARE underground), the CDs are cheap anyway.

Um, yeah... kinda simplistic maybe. But you kind of have to know which CDs to buy, don't you think?

And, uh... fact is there's a lot of CDs that just aren't available for sale outside of Korea as far as I can tell. There's plenty of stuff I'd buy if I could. So yeah... anyone want to head over to Hyang Music and buy me CDs by Earip, Minhong, or Slow June? Thanks!

alisajohnson

Mar 17 2006, 12:34 AM

oh ! can u post the song "a cold heart" for me ?

helikoppter

Mar 17 2006, 01:59 AM

QUOTE(indieROK @ Mar 16 2006, 07:55 AM) [snapback]1993363[/snapback]

And, uh... fact is there's a lot of CDs that just aren't available for sale outside of Korea as far as I can tell. There's plenty of stuff I'd buy if I could. So yeah... anyone want to head over to Hyang Music and buy me CDs by Earip, Minhong, or Slow June? Thanks!

You could always ask Mr.Kwang ^^ Lately, I've been getting so broke because of him

uiyoltan

Mar 20 2006, 02:06 PM

QUOTE(indieROK @ Mar 16 2006, 01:55 AM) [snapback]1993363[/snapback]

Um, yeah... kinda simplistic maybe. But you kind of have to know which CDs to buy, don't you think?

Yeah. I used bugs to sample what kind of artists I want to buy albums from. (Same as you).

I must confess... I tend to pirate mainstream stuff alot. I feel guilty for pirating underground stuff.

♬ J A N E T ;D

Apr 29 2006, 07:51 PM

Is there a thread for the group Noel (노을) ?
I couldn't find the link to it in the Korean Music section official thread
either..
-edit
wow no one really posts here do they?
my post's still the latest post ater 2 months..
anyways, I'm just checking if someone made an "All Black" thread?

semie-kun

Jul 3 2006, 11:35 PM

i need sad sonata story soundtrak...can u all tell me??

Anrui

Aug 8 2006, 08:31 AM

QUOTE(♬ J A N E T ;D @ Apr 29 2006, 10:51 PM) [snapback]2407782[/snapback]

Dude, this is the underground section.........move back a section

proslots01

Nov 17 2006, 03:57 PM

Thanks for putting up all this info - really useful for someone like me - hard to find details for music like this when I'm not proficient in Korean

ja1n

Feb 5 2007, 01:07 AM

Does anyone know of .. Sunday 2PM EP? I don't even know if that's his/their.. name? I just have a couple of songs but I know nothing about him.. or them

musicgurl627

Apr 23 2007, 04:07 AM

anyone know of the band The Breeze? I know they had a popular single 뭐라할까 that was in the movie Temptation of the Wolves. But that's all I know about them.

robot_victim

Jan 13 2008, 02:19 PM

Do you know, I wanted to thank you for your list. I tried some of them. In fact, where is OrienKorean? (Or something.) This person seems to know his/her stuff.

Regarding K-Rock, (Korean Rock) that is, I wanted to investigate it. I really want to try supporting this community but I need to know who it is, what they sound like, and maybe how popular they are. I find that Koreans don't really appreciate rock music and their sound tends to be pretty much generic, albeit an imitation.

Actually, ever since I came here, I thought it was tragic that the rock people were tucked away in "the Korean underground", and that what we actually have here is not only rock, but a mixed melee of all kinds of sounds that are just not considered in the popular mainstream. (Although why hiphop is here is beyond me, knowing the Korean obsession for that music genre.)

So I finally sampled some Korean Rock in the form of

NELL
PIA
SUCK STUFF
DELI SPICE
CLAZZIQUAI
ROCKET DIARY
MY AUNT MARY
SCHIZO
NO BRAIN
TRANSFIXION
EVE
CHERRY FILTER
HUCKLEBERRY FINN
TRAX
THE SEED
DEVA
PRANA
MARY STORY
CLOUD9
DEAR CLOUD
HUMMING URBAN STEREO
BAY
CLOUD CUCKOO LAND

and as such, I decided to categorize them, because rock has many genres. This is how I found them to be, from lightest to heaviest. Keep in mind these categories are very broad.

-POP-

Clazziquai - they are not rock.

Humming Urban Stereo

-FOLK/OLDIES/POP- (I nearly forgot about this one)

My Aunt Mary - I'm dying to say this is the taste of the old people. Too soft and pop.

-INDIE ROCK (My god, there has to be a better category for this section)

Cloud Cuckoo Land (mellow, alternative sound)

-POP ROCK-

Bay - very mellow (they are more pop than rock, actually)

Nell - mellow rock (I like "Stay")

Mary Story

Cherry Filter - pop rock (they're always on Inki gayo)

Transfixion - pop rock -appeal to youth/teenagers- (their video "my jina" copied aerosmith's "crying")

Rocket Diary - appeal to youth/teenagers ("district 13" is punkish though, like sum41 or something)

-ALTERNATIVE/POP ROCK-

Deli Spice - their music is used in dramas, right?

Huckleberry Finn

Dear cloud

PIA

-VISUAL? ROCK-

Eve - I tried to search about this band and I thought they cared more about their appearance than the music

TRAX - visual kei by yoshiki of all people

The Seed (goth?)

Deva

Prana (mellow)

- 80s (metal? more Van Halen) ROCK -

Cloud9 (but that might change)

-PUNK ROCK-

No Brain (Their sound is like old Blink-182, Sum41, New Found Glory, or something like that, a comic appeal to ansgt-ridden youth)

Suck Stuff - their music for me is punk, but not interesting

-METAL ROCK-

Schizo - one can go metal, but you should make it more interesting. I didn't think schizo made any interesting metal songs. If they continue to go that way, they will remain unpopular, or select taste.

I appeal to the fans of these bands to stand up for them, or give me a heads up about them. Or even tell me, hell recommend to me, what I should be listening to. Thanks in advance.

indieROK

Jan 17 2008, 09:22 PM

QUOTE (robot_victim @ Jan 13 2008, 03:19 PM)

Do you know, I wanted to thank you for your list. I tried some of them. In fact, where is OrienKorean? (Or something.) This person seems to know his/her stuff.

Yeah, orienkorean's YouTube channel is pretty crucial for exploration. Much more up to date and comprehensive than our list.

QUOTE (robot_victim @ Jan 13 2008, 03:19 PM)

I appeal to the fans of these bands to stand up for them, or give me a heads up about them. Or even tell me, hell recommend to me, what I should be listening to. Thanks in advance.

What type of music are you looking for?

robot_victim

Jan 18 2008, 09:08 AM

QUOTE (indieROK @ Jan 18 2008, 12:22 AM)

Yeah, orienkorean's YouTube channel is pretty crucial for exploration. Much more up to date and comprehensive than our list.
What type of music are you looking for?

Hey, thanks for replying. Actually, I was curious about the Korean rock music scene in general. Can you name me the top five Korean rock bands in the past 2 years, and their number 1 hit song (or what they're popular for)?

I think it's a pity too that everyone seems indie, underground, or relatively unknown. How can it be that from 1996-2008, the handful of 'rock' bands I'm being exposed to are all indie/underground? What kind of a system is this?

robot_victim

Jan 26 2008, 04:32 PM

By the way, I find there are pop acts here that should not be underground. For example, Clazziquai and Humming Urban Stereo (along with some 'indie-rock') are definitely poppers-appeal - is it because they are unknown or still new that they aren't out there? That cannot be a reason, because it would be a crying shame. You know pop when you hear it, and it's a sound that's easily acceptable. Underground stands for real underground, a subclass of people from a genre or sound that's not easily accepted. Primarily because it's difficult. In direct contrast to that, I find some of the people here are really easy to listen to. They actually are pop.

And since when is it even wrong to be typecasted as mainstream? I thought it was the artists' intention to get to the top anyhow, not stay at the bottom. I mean, that's not beneficial to the artist - only to the fan. Or maybe not even then. I mean I really don't get the system here.

indieROK

Feb 1 2008, 06:50 PM

IMO the context is kind of different... so it's not much use to get too worked up over who the top 5 rock acts are, or why mainstream sounding bands are considered underground. In fact, I don't think they're necessarily considered underground (k-underground forum on soompi is not the final word) , it's just they don't fit easily in the manufactured producer (entertainment company) driven world of weekly music TV shows either.

Sure, some bands aspire to mainstream success, others probably don't. Other folks, like Jaurim or Rollercoaster, don't necessarily aspire to an underground tag, and most people actually do know who they are, it's just they don't show up on TV as much. Dunno how you want to define success in that kind of music industry.

If you have a certain type of sound you're looking for, best just to go with that, and not worry too much about what's underground or mainstream in a music scene with relatively little history.

I'm not sure the system is much different from other places really... only in maybe the UK or every now and then somewhere else (I dunno, Sweden) do I see relatively credible rock artists crossing over to actual chart or commercial success.

I also think there's such a thing as mainstream pop and non-mainstream pop, or at least different degrees (for example, even though they both mine similar lounge/jazz influences, I see a qualitative difference between the kinda ironic pop of Lee Jeereen/Humming Urban Stereo/Instant Romantic Floor, vs. Clazziquai's smooth r&b flavored pop), so I'm not sure I buy your underground vs. pop dichotomy... also see for example all of the Pastel Music bands who are definitely pop, but just as definitely not mainstream... but, yeah. Sorry, I probably wasn't much help.

robot_victim

Feb 2 2008, 05:02 AM

IndieRok, I'm glad you know the type of society korea is when you say their TV shows are "manufactured producer (entertainment company) driven" and that their music scene has "relatively little history." But more key then these two points is their blatant opposition to (and obvious distaste for!) rock music. My whole point of questioning and explaining is that rock music in this particular country is discouraged, and when I check out what they do have to offer, the quality of the bands are reflected in this bottled-up attitude. I don't think a lot of them are talented, (or know how to play the guitar at all!), let alone experimental enough. And a lot of them are just copies of other bands. What's worse is their preferred sound of soft pop, so that they think punk or metal are the only other alternative. Well, there's a lot more to rock than that - alternative, hard, industrial, nu-metal, progressive, retro (and I don't mean oldies folk music retro-retro, I mean the new type of retro that's been churning since The Strokes), reggae, country... god there are so many.

Do you really think other countries are that shallow about rock? Just to name a few big commercial names: Ireland has U2, The Cranberries; Canada had Bryan Adams, Alanis Morisette, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, Arcade Fire; Wales has Bullet For My Valentine, (and Lostprophets); Germany had Rammstein; Colombia had Shakira and Juanes; Australia had Silverchair and Jet (and if you want to go even further back in time, there's ACDC). (I'm just talking about people who have crossed over here to the US, and there are a lot more I'm pretty sure.) So it's not only the English and Swedish! The Japanese have also had their Jrock bands fighting with their Jpop acts forever in the Oricon charts. And it is pure common sense to have rock bands competing with pop acts for commercial success in the music charts. You can't have an entire country being run by Justin Timberlakes, Christina Aguileras, Fergies, Miley Cyruses, and Kanye Wests alone. People are always seeking different flavors, and rock is actually one of the more popular (and longlasting careerwise!) genres in music history.

As for underground versus mainstream, this is where it all boils down to the attitude of the individual. From as far back as I can remember, all the rock bands I ever got into were interested in success, because they wanted to be heard. You don't ever want to stay indie forever (indie is actually an unfavorable label/term), you wanted to become major and to be number 1 in the chart. Because duh! You wanted to sell your records. (This is actually common sense!) [Hint: Even better in a country like Korea, I would imagine, with all the missing competition (or hidden ones), why not bend the rules and create something totally different and become famous for it? There's even more incentive in a country that's so ignorant - educate the people. Show them there's some "new" kind of music you can try and actually enjoy.]

But the problem here is the country and its intolerance. And no 2-year military service can even prevent a good band from developing. Being a rock band, creating good rock music, is all up to an individual's interest, (and persistence!) in making music, as well as talent. Traits I still find lacking in many of Korea's youth or even current "indie" bands. The catch-22 is they're only a reflection of their country's own biased agenda towards rock music.

And before I answer your mainstream pop vs. non-mainstream pop argument, can you please explain to me what you mean by "ironic pop"?

RACETRAITOR

Feb 4 2008, 07:32 PM

QUOTE (robot_victim @ Feb 2 2008, 10:02 PM)

Well, there's a lot more to rock than that - alternative, hard, industrial, nu-metal, progressive, retro (and I don't mean oldies folk music retro-retro, I mean the new type of retro that's been churning since The Strokes), reggae, country... god there are so many.

Reggae is not a type of rock music.

robot_victim

Feb 5 2008, 10:05 AM

QUOTE (RACETRAITOR @ Feb 4 2008, 10:32 PM)

Reggae is not a type of rock music.

I should have said ska. You honestly don't know rock bands that infuse raggae in their songs? Try some of the oldest, 311, Sublime, Authority Zero and then one of the latest matisyahu ("king without a crown"). There's also a Brazilian band, O Rappa a friend introduced to me, whose music I like. Come on people, wake up.

Why is it every time I come here I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.

Lebanese_Blonde

Mar 17 2008, 08:16 PM

can anyone tell me why jisun left loveholic??
i missed the memo ^^;

RACETRAITOR

Mar 18 2008, 02:36 AM

QUOTE (robot_victim @ Feb 6 2008, 03:05 AM)

Ska is not a type of rock music either. Reggae is a type of ska.

Hazuki86

Apr 8 2008, 09:53 PM

CD : Invisible Fish 1st. EP - Through the Glass Wall
Invisible Fish is solo project of 'Jung Sang Hoon', who was Leader of Bluedawn, Korean famous legendary Folk duo group. Inivisible Fish will release 3 EPs total, and this is 1st. of them. This EP has Noise / Lo-fi / Folk music inside.

I heard the sample of the musics and it sounds really good!

helikoppter

Apr 16 2008, 01:15 PM

QUOTE (Hazuki86 @ Apr 9 2008, 06:53 AM)

Yeah, it's great! I got the whole thing on CD last week and I love it. Check out the k-indie news link in my signature for a chance to get a free copy

rinkymoon

Apr 22 2008, 09:20 AM

I'd like to suggest Band Zoo

http://bandzoo.cyworld.com

indieROK

Apr 27 2008, 02:58 PM

QUOTE (helikoppter @ Apr 16 2008, 02:15 PM)

Check out the k-indie news link in my signature for a chance to get a free copy

You guys should pimp your site/blog more directly... as if you guys weren't already doing enough via youtube, lastfm, etc., the new site is becoming one of the most useful English-language sites for Korean indie info!

Hey y'all, if you didn't already, you should check out helikoppter and orienkorean's new site: Indieful ROK...

Lots of up to date news on Korean indie bands and releases!

Hazuki86

Apr 28 2008, 12:50 PM

QUOTE (helikoppter @ Apr 16 2008, 02:15 PM)

Yeah, it's great! I got the whole thing on CD last week and I love it. Check out the k-indie news link in my signature for a chance to get a free copy

Hey Thanks. I'll go check it out.

Edit: Love the site. I really enjoy reading it.

Lanhai

Jul 5 2008, 05:32 PM

Please someone tell me where i can find x-clan cd/music cause i looked evrywhere and i couldnt find.......................please, please

apwish

Jul 14 2008, 11:15 PM

WOW THANKS!
its damn great!

WanMinBin

Aug 3 2008, 05:11 AM

does anybody know anything about a band called "Monni" or 몽니?
i randomly watched one of their mvs on youtube and want to know more about them but their wiki page isn't of help and they don't have a thread here.
anybody know of them?

and here's the link to the mv i watched if anybody's curious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0K4j2pIlsk

lumiyooni

Aug 3 2008, 01:30 PM

^
members: 김신의(보컬), 이인경(베이스), 정훈태(드럼)

First album: 첫째 날, 빛
2005-12-01
title song was '소나기'

First single: Monni : and,
2008-06-19
title song is 눈물이 나 (rearranged) -> a song from their first album

NELL_____NELL
NELLNELLNELLNELL
NELLNELLNELLNELL
NELLNELLNELL
NELLNELL
NELL

suzic87

Sep 12 2008, 09:41 AM

Don't know if he is underground or just not well known, but I was wondering if anyone has any info about 이지형 (EZ Hyung)

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