Interview Balming Tiger | Reports on the playful creative background and exciting live performances released by the Korean creator group Balming Tiger to the world.

What would you like to express in a single word about Balming Tiger's creation that transcends existing frameworks and expands boundaries in the music genre?

Play with bjwonjin.　

Mad the Stew Dent has a lot to express, but I think we need the energy to finally unite it. That's why it's a coincidence.

In addition to making Hong Chanhi music, we have a lot of really good discussions by creating videos, taking pictures, and styling. In a good sense, it's a dialogue.


ーーーYou've been collaborating with Tokyo's film director Pennacky in a number of music videos and short film Moving For Word, but what is Pennacky for Balming Tiger?

I think all the members feel Pennacky about the energy of our performance and the feeling that we couldn't express in that word in Mad's story just before. It seems that he successfully draws out the visual potential we want to express in music, and we are enhancing the musical potential in his video. I think it's compatible with each other in a good balance. After that, I'm a friend, so that's the best place. I met Pennacky when I was attending college in Japan before entering Balming Tiger. At that time, I was playing music alone, and the first time I watched a music video was about 800 to 1000. Pennacky found the video and thought it was cool, so he came to see the live performance. In other words, it's a long time ago. I don't know why the video came out to his algorithm, or what he felt, but we had something that we could understand.

Sogm's fate.

ーーーYou have been supervising the BGM of Shibuya PARCO since April 2024, but what kind of process did you select the song?

By creating our playlists for the four seasons of Sogm, we selected 25 songs per person, and four or five people were in charge of one season. I divided it into spring, summer, autumn and winter, but without having to talk so much, I wonder if it matched a good feeling without any major problems. For example, I think the members who were in charge of spring had a similar image of each season in spring.

I collected what everyone chose according to the Hong Chanhi season, removed any songs that didn't fit a little, and replaced them with songs that matched them more.

I don't really remember the details because it's just a while ago bj Wongjin, but I remember that we carefully checked each other.

ーーー Have you ever been conscious of the songs you meet in the Shibuya PARCO building?

Although Mad the Stew Dent PARCO is a department store with a long history, it still feels youthful. So when I chose songs, I chose songs that could be harmonized without separating old songs from recent songs.

Sogum I was in charge of spring, so I imagined it like an amusement park where flowers bloom. At PARCO, I wanted everyone to return to their childhood, play in flower fields, forget their time and have a happy time, but it was a very fun task.

ーーーPlease let us know if you have any impressions of PARCO.

Hon Chanhi My favorite graphic designer Tsuguya Inoue, was a person who worked on a lot of advertisements for PARCO from the 1980s and 1990s, but when I saw his advertisement visual, I thought it was very good, so when I heard PARCO, that advertisement came to mind.

Sogm is a place that interprets and pursues artistic things independently, adapts well to the times, and continues to be loved by many people. Last summer, when I went to Shibuya PARCO with my friend, I was wearing slippers and bought a pair of sneakers with a very cute pink VANS at COMME des GARONS GIRL on the first floor. I don't wear many colored shoes, but I'm impressed that I felt like I was awakening in myself as if I came to PARCO and attracted me somehow.

I think it's live performances that give the audience the most exciting experience in the activities of Yahari Balming Tiger. What is the joy of touring and performing live performances in the world?

At the Omegasapien stage, many people are watching what we are doing anyway. But I think it's the most true moment for me. I really like that moment when I'm playing live.

If you keep the bjwong Jin tour for a long time, you may get tired of it sometimes. But before we go to the stage, we have time to pray together. The feeling that everyone is in harmony at that time is always good.

Mad the Stew Dent used to appear in small live performances in the past, and in recent years I have also appeared in large live performances, but I think the attitude is almost the same even if the scale is different. When you stand on stage, it's fun to perform with the members. That enjoyment is the biggest driving force.

I feel happy to be able to go to a new place to breathe new air, wear new clothes, perform on new tracks, and experience such new experiences frequently.

There are two words I've always been talking about while going around the sogm tour for a couple of years. One is "step by step" and the other is "crisis as an opportunity." On the tour, something doesn't jump at once, but it's a situation where you always have to go step by step. In fact, there were countless dangers. There's no luggage, or members can't get on the plane before the live show. In such a situation, I learned a lot about how to turn the crisis into an opportunity. As we create concerts again through tours, I feel that everyone is getting stronger and united.

Balming Tiger, a South Korean musical collective, identifies as an alternative K-pop band and is gaining worldwide attention for its energetic performances and one-of-a-kind, addictive sound and vision. Since April 2024, the musical collective has been the background music selector at Shibuya Parco. In November, the collective attended the opening party for the fifth anniversary event celebrating the renewal of Shibuya Parco and gave a special one-night-only live performance. Among the eleven current members of the band, performers Omega Sapien, sogumm, bj wnjn, Mudd the student, and visual artist Chanhee Hong sat down for an interview. In addition to the interview, we are sharing footage from the live performance that electrified the venue.

- Balming Tiger’s visual expressions span videos, music videos, documentaries, artworks, styling, and more and are infused with a distinct, playful creativity. How do you create such unique productions?

Chanhee Hong: I believe this is largely because our team includes many members who can comfortably handle multiple genres. For example, our leader San Yawn is involved in directing, performing live, and styling, while the member Leesuho takes part in the production and creation of videos. I am also in charge of design and occasionally take the stage as well. In the beginning, people with an interest in multiple genres joined Balming Tiger, and their skills have naturally blended together.

- Your activities are rooted in a relaxed, open-minded, and somewhat silly sense of humor. That unique vibe has created an atmosphere that captivates and entertains the audience.

Omega Sapien: We truly enjoy laughing, joking, and goofing around together. We have so much fun hanging out with each other, so our playful nature and light-hearted vibes naturally come through in our performances, videos, and songs.

sogumm: I believe it’s because we have extra mental space. When I take part in a creative project as a member of Balming Tiger, I feel no pressure to be cool or showcase the most avant-garde parts of the work. Of course, I find it enjoyable, but I believe it’s because I have enough mental space that I can incorporate humor into the work.

Mudd the student: As Omega Sapien said, we joke around, but the main reason we came together as a group was our shared energy for performing. It's hard to describe, but we have our own code built on mutual trust, and our audience senses the strong mutual connection that we share.

- In one word, how would you describe Balming Tiger's creative works, which transcend conventional boundaries by redefining roles like performers and background staff as well as musical genres?

bj wnjn: "Playful."

Mudd the student: Each of us has many ideas that we want to express, and I believe it takes effort and energy to bring them together and shape them into the final work. So, I would say, "flow."

Chanhee Hong: We go through many meaningful discussions, not only while making music but also while creating videos, taking photos, and developing our style. So, I would say, "dialogue" in a good way.

- Balming Tiger and Pennacky, a Tokyo-based movie director, collaborated on numerous music videos and the short film, Moving For Word. To Balming Tiger, what presence does Pennacky have?

Omega Sapien: Mudd just mentioned the indescribable energy of our performance. All the members of Balming Tiger feel that same sense of energy from Pennacky. He is very good at bringing out the visual potential that we wanted to express in our music, and in turn, we can enhance the musical potential of his movies. We click very well with each other in a good balance. We are a good match, and above all, we are good friends. That is the best part. I first met Pennacky when I was a college student in Japan before joining Balming Tiger. At that time, I was making music on my own, and my first music video only had around 800 to 1,000 views. Pennacky saw that video, liked it, and came to watch my live performance. In other words, our relationship goes way back. I’m not sure how my video ended up being suggested to Pennacky through the algorithm or what he thought when he watched it, but I think there was something about it that created a connection.

sogumm: It's fate.

- You have been supervising the background music for Shibuya Parco since April 2024. What process do you go through to select music for Parco?

sogumm: Our task was to create playlists for the four seasons. First, we each selected 25 songs. Then, we formed four groups of four to five members with each group responsible for creating a playlist for a specific season. We divided the members into groups responsible for the spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Without much discussion, we created playlists that seamlessly matched each season without any major issues. For example, the members assigned to spring shared similar ideas about the season, and this held true for the groups assigned to the other seasons as well.

Chanhee Hong: We started by gathering and selecting songs for a specific season. Then, we removed the songs that didn’t fit and replaced them with tracks more appropriate for the season. This is how we created the playlist.


bj wnjn: Honestly, I don’t remember all the details of the process since it was a while ago. But I do remember carefully and thoroughly checking and discussing each song as they were selected.

- Were you especially mindful when selecting songs while keeping in mind that customers would hear them in the Shibuya Parco building?

Mudd the student: Parco is a department store with a long history, yet it still has a youthful feel, doesn’t it? Therefore, when selecting songs, we didn’t separate old songs from more recent ones; we blended them together to create a harmonious mix.

sogumm: I was assigned to spring, so I chose songs that matched the mental image of an amusement park where flowers bloom. I wanted shoppers to feel as though they were reliving their childhoods while shopping in Parco—as if they were playing in a flower garden and losing track of time. It was a very enjoyable process.

- Please share your impression of Parco, if any.

Chanhee Hong: Tsuguya Inoue is my favorite graphic designer, who created many of the iconic ads for Parco in the 80s and 90s. I really enjoy his ad visuals, and whenever I hear the name Parco, I immediately think of the ads he created.

sogumm: Parco is a place that has been loved by many people for its unique interpretation of artistic items and its ability to stay connected to the ever-changing trends of the times. Last summer, when I visited Shibuya Parco with friends, I was wearing slippers. On the ground floor at Comme des Garçons Girl store, I discovered and bought a super cute pair of pink sneakers, a collaboration with Vans. I don’t usually wear colorful shoes, but I distinctly remember being at Parco on that day, I was drawn to that pair and couldn’t resist; it was as if some unseen force was leading me toward them. It felt like a different version of myself was awakening inside.

- Among your variety of activities as Balming Tiger, live performances are when you deliver the most exciting experience for your audience. What do you consider as the joy of touring and performing live around the world?

Omega Sapien: When we are on stage, so many people are watching what we’re doing. I believe that is the most authentic moment for me. I really enjoy those moments when I’m performing live.

bj wnjn: Sometimes I become bored when touring for a long time. But before we go on stage, we take a moment to pray together. It is always comforting to feel that everyone is in harmony at that time.

Mudd the student: We used to perform live on smaller stages a lot. In recent years, we have been performing live on many larger stages. Regardless of the size of the stage, our mindset stays consistent. I enjoy performing alongside the other members when I’m on stage. That enjoyment is the biggest motivation.

Chanhee Hong: When we are on tour, I am happy to be able to constantly experience new things—visiting new places and breathing in new kinds of air, wearing new outfits, and performing new tracks.

sogumm: I always said two phrases while touring with these members for two to three years: "One step at a time," and "Turning a crisis into an opportunity." While on tour, nothing ever happens as a sudden leap forward all at once. So, we must steadily make gradual progress step by step. In fact, we have faced so many crises that I’ve lost count. We have faced the crises of lost luggage or members missing a flight before a live concert. Through those situations, I learned a lot about how to turn a crisis into an opportunity. Through our experience on tour and creating concerts, we have grown stronger than ever and become more united.