Akdong Musician: Final Thoughts

02/08/21 • 6 min

1 Listener

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

Today marks the end of our time with Akdong Musician and I’m sad to see them go. Final Thoughts are rarely scripted but there was no need to extend myself for what has clearly been an enjoyable collection of songs. You likely know what the overall discography ranking is by now. Albums Summer Episode, Sailing and Happening, right after the drop.

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Hey y’all, February is Black History Month and I’m participating in activities the remainder of this month with Black Into K-pop! Black Into K-pop (BKC) is a coalition, cohort, and community of Black K-pop podcasts coming together during the month of February, to collaborate with each other in a variety of ways. You can visit https://blackintokpop.tumblr.com/ to learn more about the members and view our calendar. One upcoming event that you can definitely participate in regardless of ethnicity is the Goodpods app takeover on February 10, 2021.

Goodpod’s mission is simple -- making it easy for people to find great podcasts by following their friends to see what they’re listening to and for podcasters to grow their audiences through word of mouth recommendations. It’s a social media platform exclusively for podcast content. How cool is that? Download the app, follow my profile, Multifacetedacg, and check out some of my favorite podcasts outside of the Hallyu Wave.

Last thing before we get started. BKC wanted to let you know about an awesome giveaway we're doing right now to uplift Black podcasters in the K-Pop fanbase. We're giving a one hundred dollar Amazon gift card to one lucky listener. All you have to do to enter to win is to head to Podchaser and leave a review for any BKC podcast (or an episode of their podcast) in the month of February. We've made it really easy for you with a list of all the BKC podcasts. Just go to podchaser.com/bkc and start leaving reviews to enter. Again that's podchaser.com/bkc and you could win!

Onto the music, onto the music!

In 2017, AKMU released two songs to add to your road trip playlist with their July 20th release, Summer Episode. The two songs, “Dinosaur” and “My Darling” are upbeat and feel like the energy of summer, but I remember “Dinosaur” promotions the most from that year. And for what it’s worth, it was lovely of them to have given their fans and general listeners three seasons of music to enjoy, as hiatus was inevitable. Lee Chan-hyuk after all had mandatory military enlistment that began that September. While he served the South Korean Marines, Lee Su-hyun had solo schedules in radio and television.

When it was time to come back together, the duo released the eclectic “Sailing” on September 25, 2019. This album sounds nothing like their past albums, all the while staying true to their unique sound and colors. The 35 minutes of playtime skips to-and-fro between pop, folk, Americana, and rock genres. By the time I reached the third track on the 10-track album, I found myself excited about what the next song could possibly sound like. It was hard to set an expectation, but the course could be trusted, much like the experience of sailing. You step onto your boat, feeling it adjust itself to the waves, and set sail into whatever may come.

And if November 16, 2020, was any clue, their latest release, “Happening,” is a sign of something to come along the lines of “Sailing.” The single album is edgy and a potential prelude to a dynamic comeback. I can only hope for another live album, too! If you have time today, listen to the Sailing Tour live album and sing along to what you’ve learned through their discography exploration with a smile. “This is reality! Reality - ality - oh!”

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for these albums and the complete discography for Akdong Musician is a 10. An absolute, unmatched 5 for the first time in A3Day history -- my usual rankings wouldn’t do. What they bring to the music scene is an understanding of each other’s musical strengths, their capabilities together, and longevity that will surely stand the test of time. They are a phenomenal group and my heart’s happy to have experienced their works with you, listeners!

One more thing! The A3Day giveaway is still rounding up entries. I’l...

You’re tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Onto the music, onto the music!

One more thing! The A3Day giveaway is still rounding up entries. I’l...

Previous Episode

AKMU "WINTER" (2017)

1 Recommendations

As seasons go, “WINTER” has come, coincidentally during the winter of 2021, no less. The final part to the two-part series Puberty, from sibling duo AKMU, right after the drop.

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Hey y’all, before we start with the details of today’s album, I’m excited to announce A3Day’s first giveaway! The Staff tiered patrons from my Patreon are spearheading a K-pop merchandise giveaway for listeners within the contingent 48 states that begins tonight, Friday, January 29, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. CT when the second episode of A3Day Sister Show releases. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter at “multifacetedacg” to see the details, terms, and conditions. Good luck in advance!

Today’s album, “Winter,” was released January 3, 2017, and is AKMU’s second studio album. With a listening time of 30 minutes, the duo takes you down a path of reflection with passionate, live instrumentation. Lee Su-hyun vocally performed her butt off on this album, traversing her soprano range up and down the music. This album was most relatable for me, in terms of its context and made the listening experience very personal.

For those who don’t speak the Korean language, looking at the English titles of each song won’t really convey much. Whether they knew this or not, that plays into the wonder of winter, especially in places that experience snow. You don’t know what you’re waking up to from day to day -- it could be unseasonably warm or a genuine blizzard, regardless of what the weather forecast predicted. Titles such as “Play Ugly,” “CHOCOLADY,” and “Reality,” don’t necessarily tell you what you’re about to experience.

Speaking of an experience, if you have a moment, search for a live performance of “Reality” on YouTube and try to resist smiling. While the music is playful, the realities of the lyrics -- struggling to afford a taxi, low bank account balances, and awkward moments in coupledom -- are in juxtaposition. The reality of these universal experiences for so many people warmed my heart. I’m at an age at the time of this recording where I can look back at how difficult some of these things were for me and feel the bittersweet reaction from knowledge. Someone younger or less experienced than me might find a balm to calm the anxiety as they listen to this song.

The album elevated their folk-pop sound, and tap dances its way into jazz-pop, a subgenre I’m a huge fan of. On the reflective track, “Way Back Home,” a piano and shaker come together to accent AKMU’s rapping and singing over a mellow hip-hop beat pattern, but it’s actually jazz. It’s a great display of how music was never meant to be straight and narrow, but to cut lanes and spill into other areas. Music itself is as complex as the winter season. It’s also as simple as the still of winter nights.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album is a 5. This album reflects maturity both within the Puberty concept and in its composition. Lee Chan-hyuk wrote and produced beautiful pieces with the assistance of a wonderful team. Continue to check out the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify, as it features tracks from today’s albums and past episode’s artists, and I’ll catch you in the next episode, bye y’all.

There’s sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil’ entertainer could ever have.

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z a real thing. If you’re interested in supporting the growth of this content, please visit patreon.com/multifacetedacg and for as little as $1.00 a month, you can get in on the magic.

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Next Episode

Almeng "compoSING of Love" (2014)

Unexpected. It’s the first word that comes to mind when reflecting on today’s group, co-ed duo Almeng. The “little eggs” (the meaning of the group’s name in Korean) are K-pop Star 3 alumnus who combine hip-hop and R&B with an unexpected approach. Their short discography, right after the drop.

You’re tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey y’all, the Goodpods app takeover is tomorrow, February 10, 2021. I need your help in helping the Black into K-pop Coalition gain at least 25 group members on the app! Goodpod’s mission is simple -- making it easy for people to find great podcasts by following their friends to see what they’re listening to and for podcasters to grow their audiences through word of mouth recommendations. It’s a social media platform exclusively for podcast content. How cool is that? Download the app, follow my profile, Multifacetedacg, and check out some of my favorite podcasts outside of the Hallyu Wave.

Onto the music!

Almeng consists of two members -- miss Choi Rin and mister Lee Haeyong -- born in October in 1990. Unlike our most recent co-ed duo, these two are not siblings but met during their days in college. An Internet search of images of the group gives you no idea what type of music you’ll hear. Even more cleverly, stereotypical expectations will make you believe that once you hear the first few sounds of their music, you know who’s bringing what type of vocal experience to the table. Unless you were consumed with interest from K-pop Star 3 in 2013 and 2014, you’d have no idea that Choi Rin soars in rapping and Lee Haeyong’s grainy singing voice is wonderful. Although these lanes occasionally cross on their October 12, 2014 debut album, “compoSING of Love,” both members know where they excel.

“compoSING of Love” was released with YNB Entertainment and features six tracks, making it a lovely EP. Choi Rin can sing but the woman has range when rapping. Her tone is intriguing and her cadences are worth a rewind, language comprehension doesn’t even matter. Lee Haeyong takes the theme of the album, love, and convinces you that it’s essential to a life well-lived with his gorgeous vocals. And both members joined hands in writing, composing, and producing their debut album, making it a true reflection of their ages and style. They once joked about this, stating in an interview with Korean publication News 1 that because Lee Haeyong had already served in the military, his writing brings more to the music process than similar duos because of life experience, acknowledging their entertainment seniors AKMU in the process.

What I enjoyed most about this album is the fact that they sound mature. This is not a jab at other artists and I don’t want it to be mistaken as such. These artists were already in their early 20s when they made their debut and each single they’ve released since “compoSING of Love” reflects a progression of maturity that comes along with aging. Now in their early 30s, their music resonates most with my personal preferences and similar, more recent experiences. This might not be as enjoyable for a person just entering university or a passive listener to R&B, but it works for older fans.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album is 5. I’m a bit frustrated that they’ve only released singles since this album, but at least they are still active. Continue to check out the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify, as it features tracks from today’s albums and past episode’s artists, and I’ll catch you in the next episode, bye y’all.

There’s sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil’ entertainer could ever have.

Special shout out to my Patreo...