Jannabi (Korean: 잔나비; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean indie rock band formed in 2012 under the independent record label Peponi Music, whose core members consist of frontman Choi Jung-hoon and guitarist Kim Do-hyung. They officially debuted in April 2014, with the single "Rocket." Originally a quintet, the duo has expanded to include session musicians at present.[1] Themes commonly explored throughout their work include love, life, childhood, youth, and growth. Praised for their live performances and self-produced songs infused with Korean lyricism, they have grown as one of South Korea's most influential rock bands.[2][3]
Jannabi, an archaic Korean word for monkey, was formed by neighborhood friends in Bundang born in 1992, the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese zodiac. The team's name was suggested to them by a friend.[9] They introduce themselves as a group sound, which was used to refer to a band in the Korean music scene in the 1960s and 1970s, signifying the group's desire to restore the classics of band music and represent the era.[10]
History
2012-2015: Formation and early years
Choi Jung-hoon and Jang Kyung-joon were from the same schools—Bundang Elementary School and Seohyun Middle School—and formed a school band called "After-school Hobbies" in middle school, while Kim Do-hyung was in a different band called "Genesis." Choi and Kim met at a language school and hit it off, deciding to form a band together due to their mutual musical interests. The three of them started performing at Bundang Central Park.[11][12]
Kim, Choi, and Jang pursued different paths after graduating. While Kim and Jang joined Yanghwajin Band (양화진) at CAN Entertainment and disbanded the following year, Choi, a trainee at FNC Entertainment, left the agency due to creative differences with N.Flying.[13] Kim, through a friend's recommendation, met keyboardist Yoo Young-hyun and was introduced to Choi afterwards.[14]
In 2012, Choi, Kim, and Yoo formed Jannabi, a rock band, alongside Peponi Music, an independent record label led by Choi's brother. They honed their skills through over 70 club live performances and 100 busking trips on the streets of Hongdae and Insa-dong.[15]
In 2013, Jannabi auditioned for Superstar K5 to raise their profile, with Kim and Yoo being eliminated and Choi joining the new group Plan B (플랜비), advancing to the Top 7. Choi later returned to Jannabi with Superstar K5 mentor Shinsadong Tiger, who set their direction and managed the group for their first album without providing a song for them.[16][17]
In 2014, the release of their debut single album, Rocket, which was originally scheduled for April 18, was postponed due to the Sewol ferry disaster as their way to express condolences to the victims.[18] The song was officially released on April 28.[19] Originally titled Love and performed in the GOGOS 2 underground club in 2013, the song blended folk rock and reggae beats, with brass and piano playing in a jazz style, creating a unique feeling.[19] On July 24, Jannabi won the grand prize in Penta Super Rookie 2014, a contest that selects new bands to appear at the 2014 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. Their debut performance at the festival was held on August 3.[20] On August 28, Jannabi released their second single album, Pole Dance, which included two tracks, "Pole Dance" and "Baby I Need You."[21] On October 29, Jannabi released their third single album, November Rain, followed by their second mini-solo concert at Club Ta in Hongdae on November 7.[22][23] On November 8, Jannabi participated as one of the Top 10 finalists for the Hongdae Street Song Festival, an event that discovers amateur musicians in celebration of Joy News 24's 10th anniversary.[24] On December 16, Jannabi released their first extended play, See Your Eyes.[25]
In 2015, Jang and Yoon Kyul joined Jannabi, with Jang becoming an official member through a love call and Yoon through an audition.[26] In the same year, Jannabi started participating in composing and releasing original soundtracks for Korean dramas, including Let's Eat 2, Ex-Girlfriends' Club, and Second 20s.[27][28][29] Jannabi won the grand prize at Green Plugged Rookie Green Friends 2015, earning a spot at the 2015 Green Plugged Seoul Festival on May 23.[30][31] On July 4, Jannabi held their fourth mini-solo concert, "Fire," at Rolling Hall in Hongdae.[32] On November 25, Jannabi held their fifth mini-solo concert, "Change," at Hyundai Card Understage in Itaewon.[33]
2016–2018: Monkey Hotel
In 2016, Jannabi continued to release OSTs for K-dramas, such as "Wonderful" and "Beautiful" for Dear My Friends, and "Can I Laugh?" for Drinking Solo. Their unique approach to soundtrack creation earned them the title of "tvN civil servants."[34] On June 1, EXID lead single "L.I.E. (Jannabi Remix)" was released.[35] Jannabi celebrated their debut studio album Monkey Hotel release with a sixth solo concert on June 18, before its official release on August 4.[36][30] The album features ten songs, with the title track "Summer." Recording in the studio involved trial and error, leading to delays.[37] Jannabi gained attention by appearing on MBC's DMC Festival on October 11, ranking first on Naver's real-time search.[38] Their seventh solo concert, "Jannabi and the New World," sold out in five seconds and topped the indie section's reservation rate with a market share of 39.8%.[39]
In 2017, the collaboration between Yoon Jong-shin and Jannabi was broadcast on VLIVE Hidden Track No. V. Jannabi was chosen for their hard work in the Naver Musician League.[40] They held a mini concert titled "Live to Unlock Yoon Jong-shin X Jannabi" in January, engaging 300 audiences.[41] They made their first appearance on You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook in February, where they received praise from You Hee-yeol.[42] They also appeared on Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend for the first time, covering Yoon Jong-shin's "My Day" song.[43] Jannabi's eighth solo concert, "Stop, look and listen," at Ewha Womans University in June, sold out in two minutes and ranked first in the indie category of Interpark.[44] The concert featured 26 songs in 150 minutes with a concept of an "abandoned opera house" and drew in 1,400 attendees.[45] The band was labeled an "idol band" by the media.[46][44] Jannabi later released a digital single called "She" on September 9, with Choi expressing hope that it would resonate with fans.[47][48] Additionally, on December 30 and 31, Jannabi held their ninth solo concert, "Fantastic Old-fashioned End of the Year Party," which also sold out in the indie section with a market share of 38.2%.[49]
In 2018, Jannabi announced the release of Monkey Hotel Special Edition on April 16, which included unreleased demo songs and a special lyric book.[50] They also released the digital single "Good Boy Twist" on August 13, with Choi expressing a profound message about keeping up with trends in order to stay relevant.[51] The song was named one of the "2018 Songs of the Year" by IZM.[52] In the same year, the band collaborated with well-known artists such as Changmo, Lee Moon-sae, and Lee Su-hyun of AKMU. Their collaborations resulted in songs "Lilac" and "On the Path," with "Made in Christmas" entering the Melon Top 100.[53][54][55][56]
2019–2020: Breakthrough with Legend and line-up changes
Beginning of 2019, Jannabi released the "Like When We First Met" single, a remake of Yoon Jong-shin's song, and "Take My Hand" OST for Romance Is a Bonus Book.[57][58]
On March 13, Jannabi released their second studio album, Legend, which quickly became a sensation. The album's title represents the hardships of youth becoming legendary over time.[59] The lead single, "For Lovers Who Hesitate," gained massive popularity in South Korea, topping music charts dominated by K-pop idols with its retro sound.[60][61][62] The song's lyrics, written by Choi, focus on not letting love slip away and staying hopeful for the future.[63] This album led to a successful national concert tour titled "Together," where they performed for a sold-out crowd of 7,600 fans from March to April.[64] Additionally, the album's success caused their previous songs such as "November Rain" (2014), "Baby I Need You" (2014), "Summer" (2016), and "She" (2017) to climb music charts as well.[65]
After rising to fame, Jannabi members faced controversies. Yoo voluntarily left the band in May after admitting to being a bully during his school years.[66] Choi was accused of involvement in his father's company's fraud investigation, denied by Peponi Music.[67] Choi apologized on Instagram for Yoo's controversy and clarified the false reports.[68][69] A netizen spreading false information was fined ₩5 million for defamation, with Peponi Music pursuing legal action against malicious commenters.[70][71]
In the same year, Jannabi had successful performances at the Seongnam Park Concert and their two-day concert at the Olympic Hall.[72][73] They won several awards in South Korea, such as Top 10 Artist at the Melon Music Awards and Best Band Performance at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.[74][75][76] At the Korean Music Awards, they were nominated for five categories and won Song of the Year and Best Modern Rock Song.[77][78] KMA wrote,
Jannabi's achievements were attributed to sophisticated music. The vivid melodies of each song, the lyrics that delicately convey the lyricism unique to the Korean language, and the vintage sound that determined the color of the group perfectly matched. The orchestration was also stunning. The expressive power of Choi Jung-hoon, a vocalist who can be said to be unrivaled, is a decisive factor in completing the music. This album revived the public's sensitivity to music, which had been temporarily forgotten by the pursuit of hip and sophistication. This is evidenced by the remarkable increase in retro ballads and long song titles in the music industry after the success of "For Lovers Who Hesitate." Legend changed the landscape of the music industry in 2019.[79]
In 2020, Jannabi's "Nonsense II" tour had to cancel some dates due to COVID-19 pandemic, but they performed at sold-out venues in February, including the Olympic Hall and Kim Daejung Convention Center.[80] Later, they donated to COVID-19 screening centers in Daegu.[81]
In June 2020, Peponi Music announced Jang's temporary departure due to backlash over wedding news and military enlistment preparation.[82] Choi and Kim continued as a duo, releasing Jannabi's second EP Jannabi's Small Pieces I in November with hit track "A Thought on an Autumn Night."[83][84]
2021–present: The Land of Fantasy, Reformation, and Pentaport headliner
In 2021, Kim announced military enlistment on January 21.[85] On March 14, Jannabi released "After a tumultuous night" as Drama Stage's Love Spoiler OST.[86] Jannabi's third studio album, The Land of Fantasy, was released on July 28 with the lead single "I Know Where the Rainbow has Fallen."[87] Choi wrote and composed all thirteen tracks as the album producer, while Kim participated as a composer before his military enlistment.[88] The album topped weekly album charts, entered the Top 10 bestselling albums of Circle Album Chart and received critical acclaim, including being named the Best Album and Best Rock Album of 2021 by Tonplein magazine. Additionally, it was nominated for Best Modern Rock Album at the 2022 Korean Music Awards.[89][90][91] Peponi Music announced the screening of Jannabi's film Jannabi Fantastic Old-Fashioned Returns! x Nonsense II at 50 CGV Cinemas from September 9. The movie showcases live performances and behind-the-scenes footage from the band's concerts. Their pre-orders topped CGV bookings, and they broke a record with 91 stage greetings.[92][93] Jannabi also paid tribute to No Brain by covering their song "Midnight Music," celebrating their 25th anniversary in the industry.[94] Drummer Yoon's contract ended abruptly due to assault allegations.[95] The band later won Best Band Performance award at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards.[96]
In 2022, Jannabi released their comeback EP Jannabi's Small Pieces II: Grippin'TheGreen on May 10, featuring songs created at home while looking out the window.[97] The lead single, "Grippin'TheGreen," topped the Bugs! chart and entered the Genie and Melon Top 100. All tracks from the EP also reached the top of the Bugs! chart.[98] The band performed at various university festivals and music events throughout the year, including headlining slots at music festivals like Beautiful Mint Life, KT&G Sangsang Realization Festival, Seongnam Park Concert, Someday Festival, and Joy Olpark Festival.[99][100] They also released an OST titled "Look At You!" for the variety show "With the Silk of Dohpo Flying" and participated in the "K-Indie Music Night" in New York following the military discharge of Kim.[101][102][103] Additionally, Choi appeared on Hidden Singer with the episode ranking first in the time slot, him on sixth place in entertainment performers' overall ranking, and representative songs from the broadcast re-entering various domestic charts.[104][105][106] Choi also released a successful collaboration song with Kang Min-kyung titled "Because We Loved" on September 26.[107] A promotional song "Drop the Beat" by Jannabi was released for the Buskers World Cup in Gwangju.[108]
Jannabi's third national concert tour, the Fantastic Old-fashioned End of the Year Party!, attracted 50,000 people over three months, from November 2022 to January 2023, leading to sold-out shows.[109] In January, they appeared on JTBC's Begin Again – Intermission.[110] In May, Choi hosted KBS late-night music talk show The Seasons, while Jannabi went on hiatus.[111] In June, they released "Pony" with a music video in collaboration with Hyundai Motor Company. The song achieved success on various music charts.[112][113] Jannabi performed in overseas concerts Immortal Songs Live Concert in US on October 26 and Korea on Stage in London on November 8.[114][115]
In May 2024, several festival line-ups in South Korea, including over 12 university festivals have included Jannabi. They headlined The Glow 2024, KT&G Sangsang Realization Festival, and Seoul Park Music Festival.[116] They achieved a feat of performing on the 2024 Pentaport Headliner stage as the first among bands formed since the 2000s.[117] They also performed in the Philippines for the first time at the 2024 Korea Festival in Manila.[118] Additionally, they made their debut performance at the Seoul Jazz Festival in June.[119] Jannabi had their sold-out solo concerts in Seoul and Busan, titled Fantastic Old Fashioned 2024: Movie Star Rising, from August to September.[120]
"Beautiful and lyrical melodies, lyrics touching somewhere in the memories, and a retro sound that evokes nostalgia by combining all these elements. Jannabi proved that good music goes beyond taste and has universality. The common phrase "across generations" is more of an illusion in reality. Opinions are also divided on restaurants, but what is it if it is not an illusion to say that you can match all tastes that vary according to gender, age, occupation, and personality. Jannabi graced the year by showing that such fantasies can be realized in reality."
Jannabi has typically been associated with variety of genres, including indie rock,[132]psychedelic rock,[133]folk,[134]pop rock,[135]chamber pop,[136] and art rock[137] with incisive lyrics and songwriting style suitable for easy listening.[138] They incorporated the nuances of the roots of Korean popular music originally called gayo and classical music elements in innovative ways.[139][140][141] In a 2017 interview with The Korea Herald, defining the band's music, the members said: “Sound that comes from your parents’ car.”[142] In a 2022 interview with Yonhap News Agency, Choi Jung-hoon shared that their music represents a lot of Korean sentiment, saying: "Our song seems to explain a lot and dig into our emotions too much to listen to, but on the contrary, it allowed us to protect our music."[143] Music journalist Son Hye-min wrote: "Jannabi's charm is the atmosphere of the song that seems to create nostalgia for the past, the lyrics that can be a poem if you spread it out on paper and the emotion that contains more than just saying it is tacky."[144]
Critics praised the universality the band pursues, which appeals to people of all ages. Jo Eun-byul of Sports Seoul said: "The lyrics engraved with each stitch reminded one of a literary work, and the classic melody spanned generations."[145] The Korean Cultural Center New York wrote: "There is something else which makes the band's music powerful: going beyond the compulsion to be dedicated to a single genre. Its free-spirited music was able to set such big milestones because Jannabi has made efforts to put their own stories in their music, their stories of growing up as a band act as a perspective to see the world."[146] Fellow musicians, including prominent figures in the South Korean music industry such as Lee Moon-sae, Kim Chang-wan, Yoon Jong-shin, and Yoo Hee-yeol, have acknowledged their musicality, propelling them to be dubbed "artist's artist" by the media.[147][148]
Their repertoire expanded to include a broad variety of music styles with their third full-length album, The Land of Fantasy (2021). Described as an album that revealed the "virtues that rock music of the past has sought after", it resembled a musical drama while embedding progressive rock's ambition to become more colorful and grander.[149] The album, with a storyline, showcased their "complete musical freedom" from the success of previous works and explored genres such as baroque pop and rock opera.[150][151]
Songwriting
Jannabi is a band that writes and performs their own music.[152] At their outset in 2014, while Choi Jung-hoon has since been the principal lyricist of the band, Jannabi's songs were the product of the members' collaborative songwriting.[153][154][155] Starting in 2020, with the release of Jannabi's Small Pieces I, Choi and Kim have established a songwriting partnership in which they share credits for compositions and arrangements.[156] In 2022, due to the military service of the members, Choi continued to release and produce music under the name of Jannabi.[157]
The band's lyrical content and composition tended to be classical, introspective, and poetically oriented, which unraveled the "complex emotions of youth" and "awakened empathy" among them.[158][159] Rather than having an impact on a specific single, many of their albums are conceptual.[160] Other themes of their music include romance, friendship, community, self-awareness, and fictional narratives.[161]
Performances
Jannabi was noted for their live performances, which frequently involved crowd participation. Their appearances at universities and festivals, furthered by Choi Jung-hoon's showmanship and stage presence, have led the group to be labeled the "god of festivals", "festival king", and "the number one festival attractor", among others in their home country.[162][163][164]
Kim Do-hyung (김도형) – lead and rhythm guitar, percussion, backing vocals (2012–present)
Former members
Yoo Young-hyun (유영현) – keyboards (2012-2019)
Yoon Kyul (윤결) – drums (2015-2021)
Jang Kyung-joon (장경준) – bass guitar, backing vocals (2015–2022)
Current session musicians
Moon Seok-min (문석민) – lead and rhythm guitar (2021–present)
Lee Jun-kyu (이준규) – bass guitar (2022–present)
Shin Isaac (신이삭) – drums (2017–present)
Jeong Ha Eun (정하은) – keyboards (2021–present)
Kwak Jin-Seok (곽진석)– percussion (2022–present)
RuRu, RaRa (루루, 라라) – chorus (2022–present)
Former session musicians
Park Cheon-wook (박천욱) – bass guitar (2020-2022)
Harmonize (하모나이즈) - choir (2019-2021)
Other ventures
Endorsements
In May 2019, Jannabi was chosen as the model for Lottee-commerce's digital video advertisements. The campaign is for customers in their 20s who enjoy sharing information and content.[165][166] In October 2019, Jannabi was selected as the first Korean artist to be the brand ambassador for sound equipment manufacturer Fender.[167][168]
From 2022 to 2023, the band's songs from their third studio album, The Land of Fantasy (2021), were featured in the advertisements of various brands.[169][170] In 2022, "Bluebird, Spread Your wings!" was used for Google Play, released in June, and "Summer II" was used for the iPhone 14 Pro by Apple Inc., released in October.[171][172] In 2023, "Oh Brave Morning Sun" was used for Korea's leading ginseng brand, Cheong Kwan Jang, released in January, and "I Know Where the Rainbow Has Fallen" was used for Spotify Korea, released in September, where Choi was the endorser.[173][174][175] Further, in June 2023, Hyundai Motor Company announced that they selected Jannabi as an ambassador for the global heritage project and released a collaborative song "Pony" and its music video to reinvigorate Hyundai Pony and leverage its legacy.[176][177]
Philanthropy
In November 2019, Jannabi donated their college festival fee to the development fund of Kyung Hee University, Choi's alma mater.[178][179]
In March 2020, following the cancellation of their second concert tour, "Nonsense II", due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jannabi donated masks to the locals of Daegu. The fans were inspired and donated their concert refunds to the same beneficiaries and the locality's screening centers.[180][181]
In May 2022, Jannabi donated the entire amount of their college festival fee for the students of Kyung Hee University.[182][183] In September 2022, Jannabi, who appeared at the Chilpo Jazz Festival, donated ₩20 million to Pohang for relief and recovery efforts after the city was hit by Typhoon Hinnamnor.[184]
In July 2023, Jannabi donated ₩10 million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to help aid in the recovery of those affected by the damage caused by the torrential rain and flooding across South Korea.[185] In October 2023, Jannabi participated in Greenpeace's Honeybee Restaurant campaign video with actress Youn Yuh-jung by talent donation. Their song "Grippin'TheGreen" was used without a fee or royalty.[186]
In January 2024, Jannabi reportedly performed for free at the festival of Yatap High School, Choi's alma mater, and delivered goods worth ₩30 million to more than 500 students on December 28, 2023, as shared by the school officials in a phone call with The Daily Sports World. The school also shared that they built a small outdoor stage in 2023 to cater to students who want to do busking and named it "Jannabi Square".[187]
^Park Aram (January 4, 2020). "잔나비 "건강하고 좋은 음악 만들 것"(2020 골든디스크)" [Jannabi “Make healthy and good music” (2020 Golden Disc)] (in Korean). Asia Today. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
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^Jang Woo-young (December 24, 2022). "'인기상' 잔나비 "건강한 음악, 뜨거운 공연으로 찾아뵐 것" [2022 KBS 연예대상]" ['Popular Award' Jannabi "I will visit you with healthy music and hot performances" 2022 KBS Entertainment Awards] (in Korean). Osen. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via Naver.
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^Lee Ji-eun (January 22, 2020). "제17회 한국대중음악상, 성비 맞춘 후보자 발표…방탄소년단" [The 17th Korean Popular Music Awards, Announcement of suitable candidates... From BTS to Yerin Baek and Jannabi] (in Korean). NewsPim. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^Song Seung-jin (December 1, 2019). "IS포토 멜론뮤직어워드 올해의 TOP 10 '잔나비'" [IS Photo Melon Music Awards Top 10 of the year 'Jannabi'] (in Korean). IlyoSeoul. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jung Ga-eul (December 5, 2019). "'2019 mama' 잔나비, 올해 '대세 밴드' 입증..벅찬 수상소감" ['2019 mama' Jannabi proves this year's 'popular band'...a daunting acceptance speech] (in Korean). Starnews Korea. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park Dong-sun (December 11, 2021). "[2021 MAMA] 잔나비, 베스트 밴드 퍼포먼스 수상" [[2021 MAMA] Jannabi, Best Band Performance Award] (in Korean). RPM9. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kwon Na-yeon (January 30, 2020). "'2020 서울가요대상' 라인업 '화제'…방송채널·방송시간은?" ['2020 Seoul Music Awards' lineup 'topic'... What is the broadcasting channel and broadcasting time?] (in Korean). Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^"밴드상 잔나비 "상은 힘들 때나 좋을 때나 함께하는 팬들 것" [2023 서울가요대상]" [Band Award Jannabi “The award belongs to the fans who are with us in hard times and good times” [2023 Seoul Music Awards]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2023.
^"32nd Seoul Music Awards – 모바일 투표 현황" [32nd High1 Seoul Music Awards – Mobile Voting Status]. Seoul Music Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
^"잔나비 최정훈 "새 앨범 작업 중..남은 한 해도 잘 해보겠다!"" [Jannabi Choi Jung-hoon "Working on a new album... I'll do my best for the rest of the year!"]. Osen (in Korean). October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
^Lee Ha-na (November 16, 2019). "방탄소년단·몬스타엑스, 2관왕 영예‥ITZY→CIX 루키 도약(종합)[V하트비트]" [BTS · MONSTA X, honored with 2 crowns ‥ ITZY→CIX Rookie Leap (Comprehensive) [V Heartbeat]] (in Korean). Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^Yoo Yong-ju (October 31, 2024). "잔나비, 영광스런 문체부장관 표창 [포토엔HD]" [Jannabi, Honorable Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award [PhotoenHD]] (in Korean). Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newsen.