February 2021
February 2021
The year 2020 was swallowed up by the coronavirus pandemic, and the popular music scene was no exception. Large-scale venues shut down after continued cancellations of festivals, concerts and theatrical performances. On the bright side, however, despite the constrained performance activities, the dynamic atmosphere of the music scene stayed afloat in many respects. In wide-ranging genres and forms including dance, ballads, hip-hop, retro, city-pop and even fusion gugak, music of all kinds retained a steady line of production and consumption.
Written by
Maeng Chul-young,
chief editor of former indie publication, Gwitgyul
Since the cessation of her contract with JYP Entertainment in Sept. 2019, Baek Yerin established an independent label ¡®Blue Vinyl.¡¯ In Dec. 2019, she released a first of regular album ¡°Every Letter I sent You¡± consisting mostly of English song lyrics. Compared to her prior music, her melodies were comprised of light, free melodies. One of its titles, ¡°Square¡± not only topped the charts to prove her mainstream prowess, but was also critically acclaimed amongst music critics. She is a case-in-point of an exemplary independence from corporate music labels.
Se So Neon visibly effaces stereotypes. © MSBSound
Baek¡¯s first studio album ¡°Every letter I sent you¡± was released through Blue Vinyl in Dec. 2019. © Blue Vinyl
Se So Neon is an indie rock band consisting of members Hwang So-yoon (vocalist and composer), U-su (drummer) and Hyunjin (bassist). The band¡¯s first EP ¡°Summer Plumage¡± released in 2017 and won the 2018 Korean Music Awards (KMA), heralding a fancy debut to say the least. Vocalist Hwang represents a very ¡®atypical¡¯ prototype as a female indie singer, in regards to the image(s) Korean indie singers are compared against. Her rough (verging on coarse) gender-neutral voice and masculine performance especially in ¡°The Wave¡± often feels overwhelming, even odd at times. Worth recollecting is that ever since Cherry Filter, female-oriented rock bands of mainstream or popular appeal had been scarce.
In 2020, Se So Neon released their next EP ¡°Nonadaptation¡± and single ¡°Nan Chun¡± in the said sequence. Both seem to have been toned down in relation to their previous album¡¯s eruptive sound quality. In addition, their signature vintage sound quality and lyrical message became further pronounced. It is as if their first album contained a spirit of an energetic teenager, and their second that of a fledgling young adult.
Park is active both as a composer and producer. © MSBSound
Most singers who made their comeback in riding with the hype for retro styles disappeared from public awareness. This was largely due to the fact that they had little merit to offer, other than their ¡®retro¡¯ charms. However, the survival or maintenance of ¡®newtro¡¯ styles is contingent on how the old-fashioned is reborn, especially in ways that simultaneously cater to hip, quirky trends. Achieving the vague middle ground, somewhat modern yet not quite, frequently achieves little more than insufficient impact.
Park Moon-chi is a representative case of achieving an ideal balance. Her standouts ¡°I¡¯m Liking You¡± and ¡°I Want to Hold Your Hand¡± trickle our sense of nostalgia while capitalizing on modern sensibilities and emotional density.
It remains to be proven how much of the ¡®newtro¡¯ fad Park can reap to her advantage. In other words, she has yet to prove whether she simply got a boost from the passing trend or if her popularity is here to stay. It is exciting to see what awaits Park¡¯s near and far future.
