New Music Friday - our picks of the top Korean tracks this week (Fri 02.28)
In the latest part of a series called “New Music Friday”, our writers will pick their favourite of all the recent singles coming out of the Korean indie music scene.
Plastickiz - Garden of Promise
Chosen By Mica (@mishckah)
Think of those iconic anime intro songs—the ones that instantly pump you up and get you invested before the episode begins. The Garden of Promise nails that vibe perfectly. I’m a sucker for a catchy pop-rock tune that can be a soundtrack of nostalgia and a space filled with echoes of past loves. Even without fully understanding the Korean nuance in their lyrics, they still evoke yearning and tender memories. It’s a bittersweet experience of music that I just adore. This song is undeniably infectious and primed for being on my repeat playlist.
Rapercussion(라퍼커션) - Com Você(너와 함께)
Chosen by Jess Howell
Rapercussion (a portmanteau of "raw" and "percussion”) is listed under "world music". This is because the world needs to listen to them. Their latest bout of elation is Com Você. Playing on the Portuguese phrase "with you", this song is a jaunt through the rose colored throes of romance. After just one listen, it's hard to argue that this song wasn't written atop a rainbow. Each "pa" and "ya" brings me an inch closer to absolute bliss. The rhythmic samba is an incubator of joy which, after the signal for the guitar solo, hatches into a large slice of happiness. Com Você is just the song we need to welcome the longer days of Spring.
The Volunteers 더 발룬티어스 - Rules
Chosen by Marie Joncquez (@mariejoncquez)
The Volunteers are back, and they deliver! As always, Baek Yerin demonstrates impressive vocal power. Her distinctive voice wraps and twirls above a pure rock guitar. We are treated to a superb guitar solo followed by a drum solo, which makes us imagine the energy such a song could bring to a live concert. That's why we love rock!
Daisy Gun - Work Sucks I know
Chosen by Mica (@mishckah)
Another hit from Daisy Gun shot me right in the heart this week. Serving up a potent cocktail of sunshine and angst with their latest single, Work Sucks I Know. Along with the clever wink to Blink-182, Daisy Gun takes the pop-punk DNA and carves it out with their own distinct, refreshingly beachy sound. As always, the guitar work is incredibly tight, intertwined with infectious melody and beats that immediately get your head nodding.
Under the breezy surface, the lyrics speak directly to the feeling of being trapped in a system of the soul-crushing grind of work—something that I think we all can relate to. What a perfect anthem to act as a timely reminder to carve out a space for yourself and remember what truly matters beyond that paycheck.
Sosil (소실) - Snow and Blood (눈과피)
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
It’s a cold, winter day, snow blankets the town, and you’re taking a stroll to clear your mind. The white-coated ground crunches solemnly with each step, and the scene around you inspires your achy soul. That’s exactly the feeling that Snow and Blood evokes from me as a listener. This acoustic, folky track is a bit of a lighter direction from Sosil’s previous work, but still has the essence of singer 김성빈’s soul. His gentle voice guides you along a bittersweet, snowy path.
UINONE - Apocalypse
Chosen by Charity Lynn (@_charitylynn_)
Buckle up and get your boots on. There’s no time to waste in this world from Apocolypse. The speedy pace of this track gives the listeners a sense of urgency. The reverberating vocals almost sound as if they are a message from the heavens, urging us to find meaning in our own existence and emotions in a society lacking humanity. It opens with a quick, spongy guitar sound that makes you feel like you’re on the run. Once the song hits its chaotic climax, it settles down and makes us wonder if there’s still hope after all.
KANG CHAN GU - Chat
Chosen by Sam Dougherty (@samtdougherty)
Hello, World! is a new project from singer/songwriter KANG CHAN GU. It’s 20 minutes long and features some incredible guitar work that brings to mind Pacific, or even Mac DeMarco at times. The second track, Chat, is an excellent showcase for the album. A tropical indie rock gem with an off-kilter rhythm. It’s melancholy but full of light and undeniably easy to listen to. There’s nothing not to like here.
송성미(Song Sungmi) - 몸(Body)
Chosen by Cam (@bigbabyclam)
Rhythmic background vocals harmonizing over straightforward acoustic guitar strumming pair perfectly with 송성미(Song Sungmi)’s intimate vocals, delivering a heartfelt narrative on the tensions between heart, mind and body. A filtered synth plucks us through to the end of the track. 송성미(Song Sungmi) has a gift for taking a simple musical or emotional concept and making it feel mature.
Pictoria Vark - Make Me A Sword
Another deliciously introspective indie gem from Pictoria Vark that has a warm jangly Teenage Fanclub sound. “This song is about betraying yourself to keep yourself safe,” she explains, “about being a court jester to defuse situations. and maybe now it’s time to stop doing that, you feel me?” More than I’d like to admit.
ASADAL - SHOW!
2025 is a great year to be a psychedelic rock band in Korea, and with the release of their debut EP, ASADAL have shown themselves to be one of the brightest. Opening track SHOW! steals the, well, show as they channel their inner DTSQ for a riff-driven psyche-rock belter.
Big Baby Driver - Spring Whistle
Veteran singer-songwriter and all-round delight Big Baby Driver has returned with a dreamy new song, Spring Whistle. This song is feather-light in the best possible way, with BBD’s warm hushed vocals sounding as fresh as ever. Bring on the spring!
Ahn Dayoung - Here I Go
Ahn Dayoung is an artist who can do no wrong for me. Recorded for the TV show Unmasked, Here I Go is pure Ahn Dayoung: a dreamy indie rock track with her trademark emotional delivery.
Bahng - Owl
Chosen by Connor Cass (@aminorcharacter)
Admittedly, I was already all in on this song the moment I saw the cover art. I friggin’ love owls. But the simply drawn owl that adorns the covers hides a secret - it’s jarring human eyes. This art feels like a perfect complement to Bahng’s Owl, a track that pauses the world yet hides more color and depth.
Everything in this track is applied with the lightest of touch. Bahng’s vocals float tenderly over lightly-patted drumbeats and the sleepy rings of guitar. Of course, guitar arpeggios and sluggish bpms are already an iconic pairing. But here, the chorus-soaked and delicately-plucked arpeggio resonates deeply. There’s also a backing vocal that sounds like a hooting owl, so extra points there.