Tune In: 10 Female K-Indie Artists You Shouldn’t Miss20 min read

K-pop and the Hallyu wave have been gaining popularity since the early 2000s. While many mainstream artists and idols have dominated the global music industry with their innovative releases, they cannot compare to the unique creations of K-indie artists, who have developed their distinct sound and style.

At the forefront of the independent music scene lies Hongdae in Seoul, an area known for its urban indie and artsy culture. As the indie capital of Korea, many artists have risen above its vigorous streets and made their way to worldwide stages. There are also instances when even the biggest K-pop idols collaborate with these indie musicians. I believe it’s a way to cement the idols’ identities as true musicians, not just mere manufactured performers.

While the indie music scenes in other music-centric countries like Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand are currently trending towards dreampop and shoegaze, the South Korean indie music scene is characterized by its experimentation and incorporation of a wide range of genres. These include rock, soul, R&B, antifolk, traditional music, ethereal styles, and classical influences. This observation is based on the indie rock gigs I went to in the three countries over the past two years.

In this article, I will recommend ten female K-indie artists who are revolutionizing Korean music with their unique sounds, versatile voices, and lively auras. These artists are distinguished in the indie scene, and most have collaborated with some of the biggest idols in the industry. I won’t dive into the underground scene yet, so if you’re more into K-pop, you’ll still find many of these artists appealing. Their songs are catchy, soulful, and relaxing (chill vibe).

So!YoON!

Hwang Soyoon or So!YoON! is a prominent figure in the Korean indie music scene, as the frontwoman of indie-alternative band SE SO NEON. She’s also known as a guitar-wielding goddess, as she is pretty good at playing the instrument (you may check her guitar solos on YouTube).

SE SE NEON is an acclaimed band that has won several awards, including Rookie of the Year and Best Rock Song for The Wave at the 2018 Korean Music Awards. The band is globally recognized and has performed in music festivals in the USA, Canada, Germany, and Taiwan. They were also one of the 27 artists chosen for YouTube Music’s global artist development program, YouTube Music Foundry, in 2021, representing South Korea.

In 2019, Soyoon released her solo album, “So!YoON!” While SE SO NEON focused on alternative rock and indie rock, Soyoon ventured into soul music and synth pop while incorporating rock and psychedelic influences.

It was So!YoOn! that made me write about K-indie artists and compare the Korean indie music scene to its Asian counterparts. Like Korean cinema, Korean music has pushed boundaries by embracing bold experimentation, genre-bending, and innovative techniques, and So!YoON! is leading that revolution.

So!YoON’s music reminds me of: Her solo work is a pretty eclectic mix, and I hear some Tori Amos, Bjork, Sade, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and 90s blue-eyed soul influences.

Songs to check out:

For the radio-friendly babes: Smoke Sprite (ft. BTS’s RM), Bad, Wings (with Phum Viphurit), or her entire “So!YoON! album.

For the more adventurous ears: try CANADA, why don’t you take me out – skit, and IN (void).

sogumm

As the rule-breaking sound alchemist, sogumm or Kwon So-hee’s music doesn’t fit into a mold. One song may have a folksy and dreamy vibe, while another is a psychedelic dance track. But she is mainly known for her unique singing style: a dreamy, slurred, and enigmatic lush.

sogumm has recently been known as a prolific collaborator, working with other prominent indie artists like Chawool, Balming Tiger (she’s now a member of the collective), HYUKOH, and even K-idols Zico and Jay Park. However, her solo albums are as experimental as they can be, not just weaving different genres, but crafting every song in a different style that surprises the listener (at first, you’re listening to a serene, dreamlike experimentation, but suddenly, you’re jamming to a semi-hip-hop tune).

She’s another critically acclaimed artist, having won “Rookie of the Year” at the Korean Music Awards 2020. At the same time, her debut studio album, Sobrighttttttttt, earned a nomination for “Best Soul & R&B Album.”

sogumm’s music reminds me of: Nilüfer Yanya, FKA twigs, Arlo Parks, SAULT, a hint of King Krule and Kali Uchis, fellow Korean artists youra, SUMIN, and BIBI.

Songs to check out:

For the radio-friendly babes: sogumm’s collab EP with Chawool, Salt Rain.

For the adventurous ears: sogumm’s entire albums, Sobrightttttttt and Precious.

SURAN

The first two artists we’ve featured were full-on experimentalists, so SURAN should be a breath of fresh air for more pop listeners. SURAN, born Shin Su-ran, is K-R&B’s secret weapon. While known as an indie artist on paper, her songs have run up the charts, as many are very radio-friendly. She’s also sung songs for Korean drama soundtracks.

Despite that, SURAN is still considered indie because she has carved her own path, writing and producing her own songs and collaborating with aligned artists. In 2021, she established her own indie record label, S-TASY, which marked a new chapter in her career and gave her more creative freedom.

SURAN is known for her lyrics and melodies of depth, diving into themes of love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and mental health, among other profound pieces that resonate with many audiences. As another acclaimed artist, she won several “Best R&B and Soul Award” accolades in the Melon Music Awards, Golden Disk Awards, and the Seoul Music Awards.

SURAN’s music reminds me of: Heize, Lee Hi, Hwasa of Mamamoo, Wendy of Red Velvet, Chungha, Stella Jang, SOYOU, and IU

Songs to check out: Love Story (ft. Crush), Winter Bird, Shining Love Song, Hide and Seek (ft. Heize), and her most popular track WINE (ft. Changmo) in case you haven’t heard it yet.

Meaningful Stone

Known as the musical voice for the “MZ generation,” due to her lyrics and themes, Kim Jimin, a.k.a. Meaningful Stone, blends indie rock, indie pop, and folk, with a distinct vocal style that’s quirky and expressive. As an indie artist, she’s acclaimed for not sticking to a single style (much like many artists in this listicle) and for her lyrics that capture the fears and dreams of her generation.

Meaningful Stone gained recognition in 2015 when she uploaded original songs and music videos on YouTube. In 2017, she officially debuted with the single Camera in a Dream. Four years later, she won the prestigious “Rookie of the Year” award at the Korean Music Awards.

Her music keeps evolving every year, as her 2021 EP Cobalt moved towards a fuller band sound that leaned more into 90s grunge. Her 2024 album Angel Interview explored more of a dreampop and shoegaze sound while surprising her fans with a rap metal track and a psychedelic dance track. She often shocks her fans with every release (like her track Trash with pop, blues, punk ska, and even trot sensibilities), so who knows what genre she’ll cook up next.

Meaningful Stone’s music reminds me of Frankie Cosmos, Fazerdaze, Snail Mail, the Singaporean band Sobs, the Japanese band Living Rita, the Philippines’ The Purest Blue, and the ’90s bands Hole, The Breeders, and Elastica.

Songs to check out: Dancing in the Rain, A Call from my Dream, Psychomania, Supernova, Mikael, Trash, her Cobalt EP, and Angel Interview album.

SAAY

Kwon So-hee, a.k.a. SAAY’s profile is intriguing as she transitioned from a K-pop idol to an indie artist. She was the leader of the now-defunct K-pop girl group EvoL. Interestingly, the breakup of EvoL might have been a blessing in disguise, as it allowed us to experience SAAY’s solo music career.

Unlike SURAN, SAAY, another R&B artist, has her music more rooted in contemporary R&B, often evoking the style of foreign artists rather than Korean ones. Notably, many—if not most—of her songs are performed in English. SAAY’s vocals are strong, rich, and raspy, which helps her stand out from her peers.

While many of her songs can be easily associated with R&B themes like dating or meeting up, her second album S:INEMA is more heartfelt, intense, and personal, as it reflects on life and death, following her beloved grandmother’s passing.

SAAY has gained global recognition, performing in the USA and collaborating with Snoop Dog. She has also written and produced songs for K-pop idols such as EXO’s Baekhyun, aespa, BoA, TWICE, and The Boyz.

SAAY’s music reminds me of: Janet Jackson, Tinashe, Kandi, Ciara, H.E.R., Victoria Monét, Baek Yerin, and SURAN.

Songs to check out: Interstellar, Summer in Love (ft. Colde), Mood, Talk 2 Me Nice, and Sin City (with Tiyon).

Eunyong Sim and Bomi Kim of JAMBINAI

JAMBINAI is a groundbreaking band in South Korea known for their unique fusion of post-rock, experimental rock, and traditional Korean folk music. As a music adventurer, I was thrilled when I first heard about the band. Some people may find it hard to imagine how traditional instruments can blend with typical rock instruments, but JAMBINAI makes it work and excels in this integration. They incorporate ethereal elements, post-rock, death metal, and math-rock sounds while celebrating and preserving the musical roots of their homeland.

Eunyong (geomungo player) and Bomi (haegeum player) are both integral to JAMBINAI as they bring the traditional side of the band’s distinct sound. Apart from challenging the norms of rock n’roll music, they broke the barriers of traditional Korean music and proved that their instruments are flexible and can be applied to any musical genre. That’s the advocacy of the two female members, along with co-founder Lee Il-Woo  (JAMBINAI guitar, vocals, piri, and traditional wind instrument saenghwang).

JAMBINAI is considered one of the best bands that have sprung out of South Korea. They won the Best Rock album and Song (for Onda) at the Korean Music Awards 2020. The band has also performed at renowned festivals such as Glastonbury (UK), SXSW (USA), WOMEX (Europe), Cena Contemporanea (Brazil), and NPR Radio, among others. I wish they could visit Seattle and have their own KEXP live set soon.

As the geumungo player, Eunyong provides the textural backbone and haunting melody lines in JAMBINAI’s music. This contribution lays the band’s atmospheric and ethereal sound, as well as their progressive rock sensibility. Beyond JAMBINAI, Eunyong has ventured into her solo work with the geumungo, mostly leaning towards abstract and ambient sounds. In fact, her song Neoyong Nayeong is one of the musical pieces of the recently concluded When Life Gives You Tangerines Korean drama.

Meanwhile, Kim Bomi also lends her wide range of vocals to JAMBINAI’s tracks that complement Il-Woo’s. Her haegeum provides the melancholic and piercing melodies that balance out the heaviness of the band’s rock and metal aesthetics. She lays down the emotional depth of JAMBINAI and its representation of beauty and catharsis.

JAMBINAI’s music reminds me of the Korean bands Black String, Dongyang Gozupa, and HAEPAARY, the Russian band Huun-Huur-Tu, Japan’s Mono, and the Western bands Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mogwai, and Sigur Rós.

Songs to check out: JAMBINAI’s Sun. Tears. Red, whose vocals remind me of the French band Stereolab, the accompaniment’s experimentation is quite distinctive, with only a little left to compare to Western post rock bands. Listen to JAMBINAI’s whole depository if music and you’ll be hypnotized and perhaps confused (for the not-so adventurous ones).

Sim Eungyong’s Afterglow album is a genius experimentation that reminds me of the work that composers like Philip Glass or bands like Sigur Rós craft (not the same music entirely, but how they push music boundaries and the type of sensations they induce).

EJel

As a former idol trainee, EJel or Jang Eun-jeong has left her training and set out to join South Korean music survival TV shows, including Sing Again 3, where she placed third. She was consistently praised for her emotional depth as a singer and ability to captivate audiences.

EJel has received training in both the idol and mainstream music industries, which contributes to the diversity of her sound. She skillfully transitions between genres, but her overall style leans towards mellow and radio-friendly pop. Her vocal depth and flexibility have been showcased in various Korean drama OSTs, including “The Story of Us (Female Ver.)” for A Virtuous Business and “Now, Love” for the drama Cinderella at 2 AM, while composing dreamy indie pop tracks.

While EJel still has very few original songs to her name, I’m thinking about how her chameleon voice and dreamy beauty might make her a star one day.

EJel’s music reminds me of: a legion of artists, including Fromm, Seori, J Rabbit, IU, and OOHYO. Internationally, Cafuné comes to mind.

Songs to check out: Why So Lonely is an odd one out, as it sounds like an acoustic track written for 2NE1 or BLACKPINK, which shows how varied EJel’s voice and musical prowess are. However, my favorites are New Reels (Ft. pH-1), Anti-Spring, and her latest track with LEE SEOYEON entitled Loyal Girl.

Lee Jin Ah

One of my favorite K-indie female artists is Lee Jin Ah. Her song “Stairs” suddenly played on my Spotify, and I fell in love at first listen. Her music is classified as jazz pop, but there’s also a hint of R&B in some of her songs (also a given since she frequently collaborates with R&B and hip-hop artists).

If you’re into J-Pop, particularly artists like Aiko or Ai Otsuka, you’ll definitely love Lee Jin Ah. Her whimsical and childlike vocals, along with the themes of her songs, have a distinctly Japanese feel. What sets Lee Jin Ah apart from these artists is her prodigious talent on the piano, which she showcases through unique experiments in her music. This is especially evident in her second album, Jinah Restaurant Full Course, and in the B-side of her third album, Hearts of the City.

In 2015, Lee Jin Ah won third place on K-Pop Star 4, and was immediately signed up with Antenna Music (owned by Yoo Hee-yeol, one of the program’s judges). She was also frequently praised by two other judges, Yang Hyun-suk (former YG CEO) and JYP’s Park Jin-young. Her EPs and albums have received critical acclaim, and critics believe she has created a new genre with her fusion of jazz and pop, offering a fresh and distinctive sound unlike anything Korean music has heard before.

Lee Jin Ah’s music reminds me of, as mentioned, J-Pop artists Aiko and Ai Otsuka, Jin Ah’s label mate Jung Jae Hyung, jazz-pop artists IU, Stella Jang, and Sunwoojunga, goth band Dresden Dolls, and jazz-pop worldwide favorites Esperanza Spalding, Regina Spektor, and Feist.

Songs to check out: Listen to her whole repertoire, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by most, if not all, of her songs.

Yerin Baek

Yerin Baek didn’t strike me as indie, especially because she is one, if not the most recognizable artist, in this list. However, as a respected singer, songwriter, and producer who founded her own label and has created songs that, while exceptional, don’t necessarily align with mainstream expectations, she truly embodies the spirit of an indie queen.

Yerin Baek has been known in the industry since she was 10 years old and has been coined “R&B genius” at that tender age. She was also a K-pop trainee at JYP and debuted as part of the vocal duo 15& in 2012. She then started going solo in 2015 with the track FRANK.

Yerin Baek has received multiple accolades, including the Best Pop Album and Album of the Year awards at the 2020 Korean Music Awards for her EP, Our Love is Great. She also won the award for Best Pop Song for her track Maybe It’s Not Our Fault. In 2021, she continued her success by winning Best Pop Album for her first studio album, Every Letter I Sent You. A song from that album, titled Square, became a massive hit and made history as the first indie track to reach the top of the Melon daily chart.

Yerin Baek is primarily known as an R&B artist, but she stepped away from that label when she formed the alternative rock band The Volunteers in 2018, taking on vocal and guitar responsibilities. In some of their tracks, particularly in the band’s self-titled album and their EP L, she altered her vocal style to fit the dreampop and grunge influences of the music, making her sound less recognizable.

Yerin Baek’s music reminds me of: Heize, SURAN, sogumm, Lee Hi, OOHYO, and Rachael Yamagata. Her band, The Volunteers, reminds me of SE SO NEON, a mix of Skunk Anansie, Letters to Cleo, PJ Harvey, Garbage, The Breeders, Elastica, and Smashing Pumpkins (for the accompanying instruments).

Yerin Baek Songs to check out: Square, 1-4-3, Popo (How deep is our love?), Bye Bye My Blue.

The Volunteers: Rules (single), Hypocreep (from New Plant EP), the entire L EP, and The Volunteers self-titled album.

Notes from the Author

It took me several hours to complete this article, as I haven’t really dug deep into each of these artists (except for So!YoON!, sogumm, and Lee Jin Ah). Hence, I needed time to research and listen to the songs on their Spotify profiles. Many more female K-indie artists deserve a mention, and I will add them here once I get the chance to listen to more of their music.

If you want me to feature your fave female K-indie artist here, email me at thepopblogph@gmail.com with the subject: Female K-indie artist add-on: _______ (name of artist).