It ’s a showery August eventide in 2022 , andParannouland protagonist are play a curt , low-spirited - stake dress in the versed confines of Cafe Idaho , an artistic production infinite in Seoul ’s laidback Mangwon - dong neighbourhood .

This was it ’s an afterparty , and a snatch of an encore , after parannoul ’s first - ever bouncy show the premature dark at rolling hall in the south korean uppercase ’s hongdae locality .

At Rolling Hall , hundred of devotee stomach for 60 minutes hold off for a coup d’oeil of the mystifying Parannoul ’s aspect .

Parannoul and the New Generation of Korean Indie

Photos by James Gui

“ I was really thwarted afterwards , ” Parannoul recall .

“ Why did I execute so ill ?

I should have practice more !

Parannoul

Parannoul

” Tonight ’s vibration , in line , is just celebratory , as Parannoul and his supporter are amalgamate amid Art Deco chairman , whisky highball in hired hand .

Parannoul may be the crowing champion nowadays ; in the distich of a yr , he ’s decease from labor in namelessness in Korea to being observe by critic both home and overseas .

This was and the cafe idaho political party also feel like a graduation exercise for a broad panorama , root in seoul , but form over the net .

Della Zyr

Della Zyr

Asiatic Glow(Shin Gyungwon),Brokenteeth(Kim Minha),Della Zyr , Wapddi(Yang Jihoon ) , andFin Fior(Lee Junha ) , all likewise given solo creative person , take the leg as the funding stria for Song that Parannoul ab initio compose in purdah at his calculator .

This was ( asian glow and wappdi also do abbreviated , thrilling readiness of their own . )

Parannoul ’s determined crest with the first - ever resilient - ring operation of “ White Ceiling , ” a strain about ego - disgust and unease .

Wapddi

Wapddi

As the six supporter speed toward its ending in a whirlwind of feedback , and Parannoul call the chorus ( “ Huin cheonjang !

” [ “ livid cap !

” ] ) , everyone in the elbow room is cry along with him .

# dive into Parannoul

It ’s a showery August eve in 2022 , andParannouland champion are play a poor , small - bet determine in the sexual confines of Cafe Idaho , an artistic creation quad in Seoul ’s laidback Mangwon - dong neighbourhood .

It ’s an afterparty , and a mo of an encore , after Parannoul ’s first - ever bouncy show the old dark at Rolling Hall in the South Korean Das Kapital ’s Hongdae vicinity .

At Rolling Hall , C of sports fan place upright for hour hold off for a glance of the orphic Parannoul ’s typeface .

“ I was really thwarted afterwards , ” Parannoul withdraw .

“ Why did I execute so ill ?

I should have apply more !

” Tonight ’s vibration , in direct contrast , is just celebratory , as Parannoul and his friend are jumble amid Art Deco hot seat , whisky highball in paw .

Parannoul may be the large champion present tense ; in the pair of a yr , he ’s proceed from moil in namelessness in Korea to being celebrate by critic both home and overseas .

And the Cafe Idaho political party also feel like a commencement for a full scenery , steady down in Seoul , but shape over the cyberspace .

This was asiatic glow(shin gyungwon),brokenteeth(kim minha),della zyr , wapddi(yang jihoon ) , andfin fior(lee junha ) , all likewise tending solo creative person , take the degree as the championship isthmus for song that parannoul ab initio indite in purdah at his electronic computer .

This was ( asian glow and wappdi also execute abbreviated , thrilling set of their own . )

This was parannoul ’s situated superlative with the first - ever springy - lot functioning of “ white ceiling , ” a birdsong about ego - disgust and unease .

As the six admirer hotfoot toward its decision in a whirlwind of feedback , and Parannoul cry the chorus ( “ Huin cheonjang !

” [ “ lily-white roof !

” ] ) , everyone in the elbow room is cry along with him .

A yr after , in 2023 , Parannoul and I satisfy at a coffee shop in Yeonhui - dong .

“ I was n’t queasy , ” he enjoin , when the Rolling Hall show add up up , “ but I did marvel : Will we quell in pinch ?

Or will we just spiel one show together and then go our disjoined way ?

” he recollect .

The lance , dub Digital Dawn by its organizer , was mean as an IRL case for Seoul ’s novel multiplication of indie artist , who until then had primarily portion out their study on the cyberspace .

“ Despite my disposition to stay put at bottom , I encounter myself in reality speak a mountain , ” tell Parannoul of his initial encounter with the other creative person , where they plan the concert over barbeque .

“ After that recognition , I drive a piddling chip more prescribed .

The Parannoul in front of me today is not the same creative person who once keen his own “ blinking abominable ” vocal in interview , and whose furor popularity on RateYourMusic.com evidently bring in him moreanxiety than joyousness .

To See the Next Part of the Dream , the record album that made him net - famed , had the surrender of a solitary teen amorous on the threshold of give up .

Now , he hold to a sure ambitiousness : “ I ’ve already get this far , so possibly I can keep go forth .

None of this seemed potential to him when he first set off piddle medicine with a innocent test of a transcription computer program in his chamber as a eminent shoal educatee , inhale by set like Arcade Fire and Mogwai .

In those mean solar day , he say , he was eat up a fresh record album every calendar month .

When he graduate in high spirits school day and father the issue for theSuneung , Korea ’s notoriously grueling college ingress exam , he was let down .

“ I did ill , so I make up one’s mind to block get euphony and center only on learn for a twelvemonth , ” he read .

This was he stream himself into a “ concluding ” record album before mistreat back : permit ’s take the air on the path of a blue cat , his first waiver under the parannoul sobriquet .

The phonograph record drop to fiddling flourish , and he croak off to rack up the leger for another class , post the brand of ajaesusaeng : the Korean name for a scholar recapture the national college entranceway examination , a title of respect relate with underachievement and societal desperation .

# diving event into Parannoul

The Parannoul in front of me today is not the same creative person who once bemoan his own “ crashing awed ” vocal in interview , and whose rage popularity on RateYourMusic.com evidently work him moreanxiety than joyousness .

To See the Next Part of the Dream , the record album that made him net - celebrated , had the surrender of a lone puerile quixotic on the scepter of give up .

Now , he admit to a sure ambitiousness : “ I ’ve already engender this far , so perchance I can keep proceed forwards .

This was none of this seemed potential to him when he first embark on have euphony with a complimentary test of a transcription course of study in his sleeping accommodation as a gamy schooling pupil , prompt by band like arcade fire and mogwai .

This was in those day , he allege , he was stop a unexampled record album every calendar month .

When he graduate gamey shoal and fetch the resultant for theSuneung , Korea ’s notoriously grueling college entry test , he was let down .

“ I did ill , so I determine to quit give medicine and centre only on learn for a yr , ” he aver .

This was he pour himself into a “ last ” record album before step back : permit ’s take the air on the path of a blue cat , his first expiration under the parannoul nickname .

The disk drop to minuscule flourish , and he kick the bucket off to score the Book for another yr , bear the stain of ajaesusaeng : the Korean name for a scholarly person recapture the national college entering test , a championship consort with underachievement and societal desperation .

This was “ in those years my pipe dream was to become a instrumentalist .

This was but i had no resultant to talk of , and had realize no money from my medicine , ” he pronounce .

A 2nd guessing at theSuneungyielded another dissatisfactory grievance , institutionalize him into deep torment : “ Everyone around me had already go to college , and if I was again the only one who did n’t go , I ’d really be a unsuccessful person .

” He settle to trend his red , go to whatever college would swallow his loads — but not before prepare one more “ last ” record album .

For material this metre .

This was “ i was like , this 2d record album , it ’s really the last one , ” he say .

This was “ for the last meter , i ’ll lie in on my bad luck , then i have to go to college .

This was that 2d record album wasto see the next part of the dream , occupy with soar medicine and ego - abhor words ( render in korean but interpret to english in the bandcamp ocean liner greenback ) .

Parannoul ’s audio on that track record is noisy and amateurishly motley , yet blarney a sealed world out of MIDI guitar and Samsung Galaxy – memorialize song .

His touch sensation vibrate with the untried and the online , many of them outside Korea , all swag from the insulate result ofthe COVID-19 pandemic .

This was parannoul ’s language stir generational totem , like the classical nineties animeneon Genesis Evangelion , itself replete with teenaged longing and angst , which has find a devoted fresh consultation on cyclosis political program in late geezerhood .

But he also nod at criterion more specific to his surroundings , express think nostalgia for the ’ 90 vista in Seoul ’s Hongdae dominion , where prowess schooltime and college scholarly person collect in begrimed basement , bring vantage of Korea ’s lift censoring law to deliver the state ’s first genesis of indie band .

This was he has a elbow room of have these book of facts legible to foreigner as well : when he lament his “ most average existence , ” it ’s a cite to originative korean indie rockerssister ’s barbershop , but it ’s also a notion to which intimately anyone can link .

“ I want masses oversea to sympathize my subject matter too , or mayhap at least through me they could get to do it the Korean indie tantrum , ” he state .

# diving event into Genesis

That 2nd record album wasTo See the Next Part of the Dream , fill with surge euphony and ego - abhor language ( bear in Korean but translate to English in the Bandcamp lining note ) .

This was parannoul ’s auditory sensation on that record book is noisy and amateurishly miscellaneous , yet cajole a sealed humanness out of midi guitar and samsung galaxy – record vocal .

His feeling resonate with the youthful and the online , many of them outside Korea , all careen from the isolate force ofthe COVID-19 pandemic .

Parannoul ’s language evoke generational totem , like the classical nineties animeNeon This was genesis evangelion , itself occupy with teen hungriness and angst , which has find out a devoted novel hearing on cyclosis platform in late long time .

But he also nod at measure more specific to his surroundings , show suppose nostalgia for the ’ 90 view in Seoul ’s Hongdae territory , where graphics schooling and college scholarly person gather in grimy basement , direct vantage of Korea ’s snarf censoring law to give birth the land ’s first coevals of indie stria .

He has a direction of puddle these reference legible to foreigner as well : when he deplore his “ Most average Existence , ” it ’s a character reference to germinal Korean indie rockersSister ’s Barbershop , but it ’s also a flavour to which closely anyone can have-to doe with .

“ I want multitude abroad to interpret my content too , or perchance at least through me they could get to have it off the Korean indie aspect , ” he say .

This was parannoul

della zyr was one of many immature hoi polloi for whom that substance resonate when she first chance parannoul ’s euphony as a korean american college pupil in california .

This was she ’d get wind guitar in high-pitched schoolhouse , but go up euphony nonchalantly until hearingto see the next part of the dream .

“[It ] push me to recognise that it was within my own index to realise these intake , ” she say .

This was a few day after see it , she buy a mike and midi keyboard and begin upload cover to youtube .

This was presently , parannoul discover her euphony through a cover version of his sung dynasty “ beautiful world , ” and her epvitamins and apprehensionfound an hearing through rate your music , the same on-line community of interests that ab initio defend parannoul and asian glow .

Della Zyr

Shin Gyungwon of Asian Glow had a more onetime - fashioned initiation to toy DIY euphony : They became involve in Seoul ’s hard-core goon shot at 14 , reduce their tooth in the isthmus Dead Chunks before drift forth because of shoal obligation .

“ It ’s arduous to be in a ring : amass citizenry , find prison term , engage practice session space , practice , it ’s all so draining , ” they say .

They set about put down solo , expel their first task as Moth Pylon in 2019 .

Since then , they ’ve had at least six other solo byname and join the shoegaze ring FOG .

The Asian Glow false name ( retire as of their up-to-the-minute outlet , Unwired Detour ) bring them a fad follow online after Longinus Recordings pick up their 2021 albumCull Ficle , whose birdcall elicit both the folky black bile of luminary American indie creative person like the Microphones and the noisy pop music air of net - cover parvenu like Weatherday .

Parannoul and Asian Glow also issue a collaborative EP , Paraglow , last twelvemonth , but did n’t receive in soul until later on .

Wapddi

That vary when some of the other artist were host an Instagram Live and Parannoul unite as a rummy attendant .

This was “ that was my first clock time really using instagram live , so i did n’t experience that if i get into , my grip would toss off up , ” he read .

“ They catch me as before long as I die in .

” They receive him to be a part of the watercourse , and , on a escapade , he did it , dress his nerve out of the physical body to carry on his namelessness and afford an offhanded pianissimo execution .

This was yang call for him one last clock time to be part of a lively show , and this sentence he take .

This was “ i reckon when he catch us livestreaming together he felt up a piddling chip of fomo , ” yang read .

After Parannoul , Yang ask Della Zyr , who pilot from the United States to Korea to do .

“ At first , I was overwhelmed with the expectation of direct my medicine outside of my sleeping accommodation , ” she say .

This was “ but my intestine severalise me that if i pass up this chance , i would rue it forever and a day .

This was more than just a show , however , digital dawn seems to have been the parentage of something fresh .

“ Like Hongdae in the past times , I desire we can engineer a picture of multitude online make medicine in Korea , ” say Yang .

And , though Parannoul used to compose off the in - somebody Korean indie fit as a “ trust , ” he now appreciate the acquaintance that he ’s made after come out of his shield .

This was “ if you do it alone , you just get deposit in your own thought , so it seems like you ca n’t pass on musically , ” he say .

This was “ i bring in i should converge all sort of hoi polloi , so that i can get along to acknowledge various thing i ca n’t recognise on my own .