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(Photo: Balming Tiger)

K-pop is often associated with the spectacle of dazzling costumes, intricate dancing and catchy fast-paced music. Everything is highly planned, choreographed and rehearsed to perfection. However, Balming Tiger is unlike the bands we often associate the genre with. Rather, their shows are more akin to something you’d see at an underground punk or hip hop concert. And it’s exactly why they’ve become known as disrupters in the K-music scene today.

With a name inspired by the centuries-old ointment Tiger Balm, Balming Tiger is a musical collective founded in 2018. The group is comprised of nearly a dozen singer-songwriters, DJs, rappers, producers and directors. But the band’s most recognizable members include Omega Sapien, sogumm, Mudd the Student, wnjn and SeoultheSoloist — all who recently stopped by Toronto’s The Axis Club as part of Balming Tiger’s North American tour to promote their debut album January Never Dies.

(Photo: Balming Tiger)

Balming Tiger prides themselves as a “multi-national alternative K-pop group” that refuse to be limited by specific genres.

On January Never Dies, the group’s opening track ‘BTB’ begins with the sound of jazz instruments out of sync with one another, then jumps into industrial hip hop. While songs like ‘Kamehameha’ (which is named after a Korean drinking game), takes listeners on a colourful sonic journey filled with synths, thrashing guitars and the unique vocal stylings of sogumm — whose relaxed tone often sounds like she’s in a haze.

All of this is to say that no Balming Tiger song ever sounds alike. They’re experimental and unpredictable. And while their alternative style may not be everyone’s cup of tea, listening to Balming Tiger is always an adventure.

As they kids say today, they are a *vibe*.

The moment Balming Tiger enters the stage in Toronto, there is an immediate cultish feel to the group’s appearance. All the members enter wearing gray hooded jackets, and the stage is lit in a way where you can only see them as shadowy figures moving around.

It’s almost a good thing you can’t really see what’s happening. The visual effect makes it more about the music. And throughout Balming Tiger’s 1.5 hour set, the group entertain the crowd with an eclectic setlist that jump from genres like hip hop, punk, rock and dance pop.

While Balming Tiger doesn’t necessarily do complicated dance moves, they DID come out on stage with a routine, coordinating simple choreo to go along with their songs.

During ‘BuriBuri’, the members turned around in an assembly line, raised their arms and shook their booties in unison. And the moment ‘Kamehameha’ starts playing, the group joined hands and jumped around in a circle, giving the feel of a cultish ritual.

Balming Tiger, who got a boost in popularity last fall by collaborating with BTS rapper RM, received some of the loudest cheers the moment their track ‘Sexy Nukim’ started playing. “Nukim” translates to “feelings” or “senses” in Korean, and the song itself is a reminder to listeners that sexiness does not come from money, material wealth or how others perceive you.

The groovy hip hop track is a sensual trip, and the smooth “oohs and “aahs” heard throughout the song draw you in as if you’re in a trance. Balming Tiger members Omega Sapien, wnjn and Mudd the Student also pull out their now iconic dance moves for the single, in which BTS’s RM went viral for doing at the Love Your W Campaign Afterparty last October.

While Balming Tiger’s music may be out-of-the-box when it comes to K-pop industry standards, the band’s themes are resonant to what many young people are going through today.

They channel the rebellious nature of youth in songs like ‘Pop that Tag’, a house-inspired hip hop track that talks of a lifestyle that goes against societal norms in pursuit of happiness and thrills.

It’s this reason why Omega Sapien probably took the time to address an audience member who skipped a midterm just to be at the concert in Toronto.

“As a Korean student, I know it’s very difficult to skip midterms,” Omega Sapien said. He then proceeded to give the student in the crowd a free T-shirt.

However, it’s the final song Balming Tiger plays that makes the most impact. ‘Trust Yourself’ is a rallying cry for people to follow their gut and vision, and not let outside pressures overwhelm you into giving up.

“Trust yourself. Breathe in breathe out,” raps Omega Sapien. “Trust yourself. Believe in your vision.”

I can’t help but think that this message is what allowed the members of Balming Tiger to carve out a path for themselves in a competitive music industry. And given the pressures of growing up in a world full of hardship, it’s exactly what young people need to hear today as well.

Balming Tiger is a group that’s unafraid to be weird, quirky and a bit strange. Each member’s independence and individuality is exactly what makes them stand out and beloved by their fans.

With a goal to reunite as a group in 2025, the remaining members of BTS (RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook) have all begun the process of enlisting in the military.

“The artists are preparing to fulfill their military service duties,” said a statement released by BigHit Music.

“We ask you for your continued support for RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook until they complete their military service and safely return. Our company will spare no effort in providing support for our artists.”

Wishing for your safe return, boys!

Meanwhile, BTS will be releasing a behind-the-scenes docuseries on Disney+ on December 20 called BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star.

Hopefully the show — plus old content — will help many fans get by in the coming months.

And hey! Jin has less than a year left in his military service. ;)

Seunghan, member of the rising K-pop group RIIZE, is taking an indefinite hiatus from activities following rumours spreading online about his private life and time as a trainee.

"Riize will be a six-member group without Seunghan, starting today," SM Entertainment said in a press release.
 
According to SM Entertainment, videos and photos from Seunghan’s time as a trainee are being leaked on the internet, and have been “reproduced several times to cause misunderstandings through deliberate secondary editing such as taking screenshots of a video.”

“In addition, the individuals who are leaking and circulating these videos and photos are even using malicious means of creating groundless false information and messenger conversations that do not exist, continuing acts of severe defamation toward the artist by spreading fabricated and distorted information that is different from the truth,” SM Entertainment continued.

"Seunghan has been feeling responsible for disappointing the fans and is sincerely feeling regretful for his actions. He has told us that he would like to stop damaging the group, and we decided to respect his wishes."

Riize debuted as SM Entertainment's latest boy band on Sept. 4.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Blackpink looked like royalty at Buckingham Palace earlier this week, dressing to the nines to have dinner with King Charles.

On Tuesday evening, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted a dinner at the palace in honour of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee’s visit to the United Kingdom.

During his speech, King Charles praised Blackpink for their impact, especially when it comes to sustainability and environmental issues. In 2021, Blackpink delivered a speech at COP26, encouraging fans to take climate action.

“It is especially inspiring to see Korea’s younger generation embrace the cause,” King Charles said.

“I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé, better known collectively as Blackpink, for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience as Ambassadors for the U.K.’s Presidency of COP 26, and later as advocates for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.”

A day later, the King also presented Blackpink with medals, making them honourary Members of the Order of the British Empire.

"It's amazing you're still talking to each other after all these years," King Charles jokingly said to the band at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, contract talks between Blackpink and YG Entertainment continue, though reports say the two parties may come to a conclusion soon.

As per Variety, The Munhwa Ilbo (or Culture Daily) publication claimed an exclusive with the information that Blackpink will stay with YG as a group, but the four members will not renew their exclusive individual contracts with the agency.

K-pop group Seventeen were in Paris last week to attend the UNESCO Youth Forum, sharing the importance of supporting young people in pursuing their dreams.

The UNESCO Youth Forum was attended by more than 1,300 people from around the world including 194 Member States of UNESCO and 170 youth delegates. Seventeen is the first K-pop act to be invited in the event’s history.

“We want to make sure that no young people, no matter who they are or where they’re coming from, ever give up on their dreams or get discouraged,” Seventeen member Mingyu said during the group’s joint speech at the conference.

“We have already experienced what it’s like to make your dreams come true by coming together in solidarity for positive change. We hope that our actions through UNESCO will reach young people everywhere, who are fostering, reaffirming, and acting on their dreams, even as we speak,” Joshua added.

After Seventeen’s speech, the 13-piece act performed a short setlist of their hits, including ‘_WORLD,’ ‘Darl+ing,’ ‘Headliner,’ ‘God of Music’ and ‘Together.’

A free concert AND HI-TOUCH for wanting to help change the world? Absolutely love it.

Meanwhile, Seventeen member Dino will be releasing a mixtape on November 27 called Wait. The upcoming project will be Dino’s third mixtape, following 0 (ZERO) and The Real Thing — which were both released in 2017.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Accountability is important to me, so please address corrections and concerns by sending me an email at bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Continue the conversation by following Bunni Pop on Instagram and Twitter.

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