Concert 'Mul Mit' at LG Arts Center Seoul from 28th to 30th
Performance featuring 11 tracks from the 2nd album... "A Hymn to the Birth of Life"
"Our goal is the most enjoyable music"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "My goal is to be active until I turn sixty."
The band Ilanji, which gained worldwide attention with "Beom Naeryeonda," is returning with a new story centered around water, following their previous work based on the tale of Sugungga. Ilanji will present their performance "Mul Mit" at the LG Arts Center Seoul in Gangseo-gu from the 28th to the 30th.
Before this performance, which features songs from their second album, Ilanji's Jang Younggyu, whom we met on the 19th at the LG Arts Center Seoul, explained, "Since pansori plays a significant role in Ilanji's music, we considered whether to incorporate pieces from the five pansori madangs (Chunhyangga, Simcheongga, Heungboga, Sugungga, Jeokbyeokga). However, we thought that creating new sounds and music based on stories we can tell now is the path we should take moving forward," describing the theme of the new album.
Bassist Park Jooncheol introduced the performance as "a story about an astronomer searching for the origin of life." Having recently showcased new songs like "Hihihaha" on stage, Ilanji plans to perform all 11 tracks from the album during this concert for the audience.
The seven members of the band Inalchi. From the left: Jang Young-gyu, An Yi-ho, Kwon Song-hee, Lee Na-rae, Park Jun-cheol, Shin Yoo-jin, Lee Cheol-hee. Photo by Kim Yoon-hee
Is the "Mul Mit" performance a play or a musical? Jang Younggyu clarifies, "It is not a play or a musical but conducted in a concert format." He added, "Compared to the first album 'Sugungga,' more instruments have been added, resulting in rougher, more rock-oriented, and psychedelic music." The album containing the tracks featured in this performance is scheduled for release next year.
Rooted in pansori and presenting new music, Ilanji defines their musical work not as "fusion gugak" but as alternative pop. Vocalist Ahn Yiho said, "Our goal is not to perform pansori or preserve tradition but to create the most enjoyable music we can make together," adding, "It is a process of finding the right voice that suits what sounds best musically."
Before the performance, Ilanji toured four countries last month: the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Hungary. Despite their rising popularity, difficulties in traveling abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic made this their first overseas tour since debut. Jang Younggyu shared, "After the UK performance, we met Brian Eno, a popular music producer known for working with David Bowie, U2, and Coldplay. He reviewed our music, saying that Ilanji's songs glide smoothly between notes without feeling awkward at all."
E날치 is performing a test show on August 19 at the LG Arts Center Seoul in Gangseo-gu. Photo by Kim Yoonhee
Vocalist Ahn Yiho said, "The local response exceeded our expectations, and our music was accepted by the audience as pop rather than folk or traditional music, naturally making them move along. I felt relieved that we are heading in the right direction and that the band's future direction has become clearer."
Although they achieved near-syndrome-level popularity and produced mega hits, the market's narrow-mindedness in defining the band's identity strictly within the framework of gugak (traditional Korean music) poses a risk. Jang Younggyu pointed out, "I think band music is excluded from the domestic popular music category. Band music is dismissed as indie, and there are almost no stages or spaces where bands can perform. Although 'Beom Naeryeonda' became a hot topic and interest grew, expanding our activities, where can band musicians exist once that interest fades? The situation remains the same now, which is why we keep looking to overseas markets where bands are included within the pop market."
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