"We have known each other for a long time": K-pop duo PLAY:MOON opens up on first meeting, inspiration, and more
SULCHANWOO (birth name Lee Chan-hee) and 4tossy (birth name Jeon Min-seok) made their debuts as the K-pop duo ABEL in January 2021 under #snow_ed. During their one year and 3 month long career, the duo has released three singles.
Bonding over their love for music, the K-pop artists began the journey together and have come miles since then. Their passion to create music that resonates with the world is painted all through their discography.
They have seamlessly blended indie and K-pop music with elements of storytelling to establish their own unique brand in the industry. With their recent release, IN THE CELESTIA, still vivid in our minds, the duo showed off their musical prowess once again.
In a candid and exclusive interview with SK POP’s Aashi Sengar, the duo opened up about their love for music, their journey in the industry so far, and most importantly, the future of the K-pop duo PLAY:MOON.
K-pop duo PLAY:MOON talks about songwriting, inspirations, and more
Q) For the fans who are not familiar with PLAY:MOON, can you please give an introduction?
Hello! We're the K-pop duo PLAY:MOON. We made our debut on January 11, 2021!
Q) I noticed both of you graduated from Korean National University of Welfare. Is that where you both met? Please tell us about your first meeting.
We have known each other for a long time. We got to know each other through a friend from school. We were both short, so felt a lot of affection for each other. I also remember that we connected very well, both musically and personally.
Q) Your ep IN THE CELESTIA was recently released. Would you like to shed some light on the album, what is it about and your inspirations behind it?
SULCHANWOO: IN THE CELESTIA was originally supposed to be released as our debut song. I wanted to release a song I really cherish and show it to the world with 4tossy.
4tossy: At first, this song was supposed to be our debut song. However, as we worked on it, it kept getting delayed. We’ve been working on it for quite a while.
Q) Can you briefly guide us through your songwriting process?
SULCHANWOO: I make a guide first, I just write anything in it casually. After that, I make a combination of new words to fit the next syllables.
4tossy: I write keywords in notes and combine the words, and then Chan-woo works with that to make the song better.
Q) You made your debut last year, in the middle of the pandemic. Has the pandemic affected your creative process in any way?
SULCHANWOO: Initially, we couldn't make our debut, and everything, including music videos and albums, fell apart. After that, we were able to take a leap forward with Secret Garden, but in the meantime, it was really hard.
4tossy: In an environment where I could not easily meet Chan-woo, I think our album-making process was affected, it became too slow. I felt frustrated and in the process, there were conflicts with Chan-woo.
Q) Whom do you draw your artistic inspiration from?
SULCHANWOO: I get a lot of inspiration from looking at the surroundings, cats, and 4tossy aka Satoshi.
4tossy: Actually, I don't think there's anything in particular. I think I draw most of my inspiration from Chan-woo.
Q) Are Fairytales: Adventure into a 'Dreamtime' and Brutal Tales: End of the 'Dreamtime' connected? Tell us about the use of storytelling in your songs.
The prequel of our first album, Adventure to Dreamtime, is connected with our second album, End of the Dreamtime. In other words, it is the album that describes Chanwoo's death before coming to the space called CELESTIA.
Q) Tell us about the meaning behind the group name. What made you change your name from ABEL to PLAY:MOON?
It used to be Cain and Abel before. However, when we did a web search, but we couldn’t find anything about us.
Q) Are there any upcoming projects that we should be keeping our eyes out for?
4tossy aka Satoshi has decided to leave the group this coming May. We're preparing a goodbye album, and the song is very good. I hope you look forward to it.
Q) Chanwoo, I noticed that you have a Twitch channel. What games do you enjoy the most?
I don't like games. Haha. I go on Twitch just to talk to my fans.
Q) As you wrote, composed, arranged and produced ‘IN THE CELESTIA,’ how did it feel being so involved in the song?
Our album IN THE CELESTIA's title track YOU&I is a track filled with excitement. It's a song that I worked on while watching "Koshi," a famous Korean streamer, and I remember being inspired a lot by his cuteness.
Q) With the songs that you have come out with, how do you think you have grown as an artist?
For our song Mayday, we worked with top engineers in Korea and outsiders for the very first time. We learned a lot in the process of making this song.
Q) Have you ever faced an artist’s block? If yes, how do you usually overcome it?
SULCHANWOO: I put everything down and go to a cat cafe. After taking a break for a while, I am able to regain my passion for music again.
4tossy: When that happens, I tend to rest comfortably and not think about music much. In the meantime, I take a rest while listening to various genres of music. This way, I am able to overcome it naturally.
Q) Before we wrap this up, is there anything you would like to say to your fans?
SULCHANWOO: Our fans! Thank you for always loving us even when we don't feel good enough. We'll be back with better performances!
4tossy: Thank you always, and I'm sorry that the projects we planned are always delayed, and despite that, thank you so much for waiting and cheering for us.
The duo recently released an official lyrical video for their K-pop single Planet. Planet marks their first ever collaboration with producer Ian Hanks. The single compares the importance of planets in a galaxy to that of fans in an artist’s life. This single also marks the duo's first venture in the genre of EDM music within K-pop.
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