Balming Tiger is a South Korean arts and music collective with a penchant for the eclectic. Their sound is diverse, and hits like the Ritalin-deprived lovechild of Odd Future and meme-era Awkwafina. Their latest single “KOLO KOLO” released a few weeks ago is a zany, jungle-soul track that flips between English, and nonsensical gibberish lyrics. If you thought K-pop was big, get ready for alt K-pop to take over your playlists.
The self-proclaimed, first and only “alternative K-Pop” band is completely rethinking the genre of what we know as Korean popular music. Most recently with their RM-cosigned single, ‘SEXY NUKIM’, the experimental and vibey track—which translates to “sexy feel”—amassed over 11 million YouTube views since its music video released in September.
Balming Tiger pulled their name from the popular Tiger Balm, a centuries-old ointment that has become not only a pain-relieving staple in households across the globe but a symbol of Asia’s global influence. It’s this wide-spread, cross-cultural impact that Balming Tiger wanted to tap into when they formed the collective in 2018. The Seoul-based group currently consists of nine members: Omega Sapien, Sogumm, Unsinkable, wnjn, Mudd the Student, San Yawn, Abyss, Henson Hwang, and Jan’Qui. Charged raps blend with sultry vocals resulting in an eclectic mix of energy-raising and reflective beats.
In the past year, the group has grown an equally diverse fanbase, ranging from K-pop idols to teens across Europe and the States. According to the group, K-pop is more of a cultural phenomenon than a music genre; there are so many musical genres and various subcultures within the K-pop category. Many fusion and alternative groups are emerging in Korea, like those who want to merge BTS’s heart with Aphex Twin’s head.
One of the characteristics of Koreans and K-pop is that both quickly accept and digest new things. And it’s this sensitivity to trends that has led numerous young artists to incorporate the new into the old, hence bringing out different forms, concepts, music or art that never existed before.
The collective’s director, San Yawn, founded Balming Tiger in 2018, after a few years of working in an artist management in Seoul. His eye for spotting genuine talent coupled with a passion for originality is what fuels the ever-evolving team. The fluid group now consists of close to a dozen singer-songwriters, rappers, producers, and directors unlike traditional K-Pop bands whose members only consist of the main performers.
Balming Tiger counts visual artists and even writers as part of their team. In a larger sense, they’re more like a micro community, their own subculture representing Korea’s most talented and rising youth. They suggest an entirely new vision and sound, and challenge the dolled up, machinated image that is demanded of Korean artists. More than a music collective they are a platform of expression, with hopes to expand their representation to larger Asia.
