AKMU Releases 1st Full Album in 7 Years

Sibling duo AKMU (Akdong Musician) released their fourth full-length album, 'Growth,' on the 7th. This is their first full-length album in seven years, following their third full-length album, 'Sailing,' released in 2019. This album is the first release after AKMU left YG Entertainment, with whom they had been for 12 years, and established their independent label, 'Fountain of Inspiration.'

In this album, which features a total of 11 songs, Lee Chan-hyuk showcased his capabilities as the overall producer, taking charge of writing, composing, and arranging all the tracks. The title track, 'Joy, Sadness, Beautiful Mind,' is characterized by its deeply resonant melody and explores the light and shadow encountered in daily life through AKMU's unique perspective. The album's quality was further enhanced by the participation of collaborators who have worked with AKMU for a long time.

AKMU also lived in Mongolia with their missionary parents and gained attention after winning SBS's 'K-Pop Star 2' in 2013. They then joined YG and achieved great success with their debut full-length album 'Play' in 2014, rising to stardom. They have released hit songs such as 'Last Goodbye,' 'Dinosaur,' 'Crescendo,' and 'NAKKA.'

Lee Chan-hyuk's songs, which he wrote and composed, gained immense popularity for their simple and warm melodies and pure lyrics, with Lee Su-hyun's clear vocals adding a sense of transparency. AKMU's original name was 'Akdong Musician,' but the team name was changed to 'AKMU' in 2019, marking the point when all members became adults. This decision was made because the word 'Akdong' (meaning mischievous children) was judged to be potentially limiting in their musical expression. Since then, AKMU has expanded the spectrum of K-pop by showcasing diverse musical colors.