We all know big K-pop names such as BTS, Blackpink, and Stray Kids, but there are countless other talented yet not widely known Korean musical artists. With the rapid spread of K-pop in western countries, people have become more open towards listening to music in another language. This is a great way to experience new cultures and to perhaps even learn a new language. What many people don’t know though, is that Korean music does not solely consist of the flashy outfits and dances of the K-pop world. There are rock musicians, indie artists, and even a rising hip-hop scene in Korean music. Today, we will be spotlighting some underrated yet amazingly talented Korean musical artists.
Seori
Seori is a 25 year old indie artist that made her solo debut in 2020. Although she is relatively new to the music scene, she has quickly gained popularity for her unique vocals. She also collaborated with the popular K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together on the song ‘0X1=LOVESONG’, as well as Jae Park of DAY6 on the song ‘Dive With You’. Her sound is very smooth and dreamy, and has a very relaxing feel to it. She is also very good at speaking English, and many of her songs have English lyrics in them. Some of my favourite songs of Seori’s are ‘Lovers In The Night’ and ‘Really High’.
Ash Island
After finishing in 4th place on Mnet’s season 2 of High School Rapper, Ash Island signed to a music level and released his debut album in 2019. Although he is only 22, Ash Island is quickly making a name for himself in the Korean hip-hop scene. While he does have the classic aggressive voice of many rappers, he is also able to rap very soft and melodically, which makes him stand out. Even though I am very picky when it comes to hip-hop music, I found myself instantly loving all of his songs. I recommend you check out the songs ‘Over’ and ‘Because’.
JUNNY
JUNNY was actually born and raised in Vancouver, but moved to Korea to pursue his music dreams. This is actually quite common, many foreign born Korean musical artists move to Korea because of the huge music scene there. JUNNY has a very chill, youthful vibe to his songs. He also has a crystal-clear voice, which complements his songs very well. Being Korean-Canadian, he also incorporates a lot of English into his songs. For those of you hesitant about trying out a song in a different language, maybe listen to some of JUNNY’s songs to get you started. My personal favourites are ‘Nostalgia’ and ‘By My Side’.
I hope you try some of these artists out and happy listening!