By Vina Zhang
SE SO NEON Members Profile (KProfiles)
I went to my first concert in September 2023 – and it just happened to be a Se So Neon concert! They were on their world tour, with this stop being at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA. The band’s dynamic was playful and the concert featured solos for each of the members.
It was refreshing to see the bass guitar be emphasized as much as the vocals, especially since it was paired with bouncy electric synthesizer sounds. The live energy was smooth and they interacted with the crowd often, with So-yoon even telling the background stories of some songs.
So-yoon’s vocals sounded raspier and more emotional, pairing well with Hyun-jin’s mellow, supporting vocals. Towards the end, they played an unreleased song which was kinda crazy to experience at my first concert.
Overall, I loved the balance of upbeat and slow songs and the atmosphere they created for the audience.
In recent years, the demand for diversification within the Korean music industry has resulted in the birth of several new metal, indie, alternative, and rock bands. For audiences looking for something beyond mainstream music, indie bands adopt a “do it yourself” ethos and often operate under independent labels.
Left to right: Hyun-jin, So-Yoon, Gyun (https://www.instagram.com/se_so_neon/)
Se So Neon is known for its catchy melodies, synthesized guitar-driven sounds, and sonically rich presence on stage. Se So Neon primarily falls into the indie rock and electronic music genre, with touches of rock in some of their songs. The name comes from the discontinued children’s magazine Sae So Nyeon, which translates to “new kids”. Similar artists you may know include Hyukoh, Jannabi, and SURL. Their top songs on Spotify are currently; Nan Chun 난, Winter 눈, and Go Back 집에.
As of 2024, the band consists of Hwang So-Yoon as the lead singer and guitarist, Gyun on the drums, and Park Hyun-jin on the bass guitar. Gyun is the latest member to join them on tour and was recruited by So-yoon through a self-audition tape.
Hwang So-Yoon, also known as So!YoON!
Before Gyun’s arrival, the band had difficulty in maintaining a consistent third member. Their former drumist Gangto, and bassist, Fancy Moon left the band for their mandatory military service. U-su, the drummer who replaced Gangto in 2018 also left the band to pursue a career as a solo drummer.
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