While sharing my thoughts on the Korean alternative rock band The Rose a few weeks back, I mentioned that Korea is producing some fantastic bands. Thanks in part to BTS’s global popularity, folks in other countries are beginning to explore the wider world of Korean music. With that in mind, I want to start introducing some of my favorite Korean bands, beginning with ADOY.
ADOY is an indie band formed about a decade ago, with the bold ambition of reaching listeners across the globe by writing songs in English. Their name, ADOY, is simply ‘YODA’—the lead singer’s cat—spelled backwards. You have to admit, that alone makes them irresistible.
They even coined the phrase ‘commercial indie’ as their musical compass. What they mean by this is simple: they aim to create music that connects with a broad audience, while never losing the originality and creative spark that defines indie music.
I could say so much more about this band I’ve followed ever since falling in love with their song “Grace” back in 2017, but I’ll let their music speak for itself. Here are four of my favorite tracks (heads up: they are all absolute gems. Give them a listen, and if ADOY ever finds their way to your city, don’t miss the chance to see them live).