K-pop rock band CNBLUE released its sixth mini album “Blueming” on Monday.
“Welcoming the blooming season, the new album includes tracks that are uplifting and that make people feel the start of something new,” the group’s leader and main vocalist Jung Yong-hwa said Monday at an interview.
The lead song “You’re So Fine,” a spring-themed song written by Jung, is pop rock featuring a punk beat and the lifting sound of brass.
K-pop rock band CN Blue (FNC Entertainment)
“Our songs used to depict sad love stories such as the end of a relationship or one-sided love, so I wanted to sing a sweet love song this time,” added Jung.
The new album includes five tracks, all written by the group’s members including guitarist and vocalist Lee Jong-hyun and bassist Lee Jung-shin.
“This is the first album containing my own song,” said bassist Lee, expressing his delight.
Moving on from “I’m a Loner”
CNBLUE debuted in 2010 with the mini album “Bluetory,” and its lead song “I’m a Loner” propelled it into the limelight. The song topped the Gaon Chart for two weeks.
That was a blessing for the band, but then became a hurdle, said guitarist Lee.
Since its debut, the group has been working non-stop. The band has released a number of singles, mini albums and full studio albums, both in Korea and Japan. They have also held concerts and toured Asia and the U.S.
Still, for many people, the band’s debut song, “I’m a Loner,” is the first song that comes to mind when CNBLUE is mentioned.
K-pop rock band CN Blue (FNC Entertainment)
“Some audiences, especially those who don’t know us well, wait for ‘I’m a Loner’ throughout a concert,” said Jung.
All the members of the group agreed that whether to include the hit song in concert lineups is often a dilemma, since some of the audience might be disappointed if the song is not performed.
“I think it would be really cool if the audience think the concert is great without the hit song they expected,” said Jung.
Not just good-looking
As an idol band, the group’s members sometimes face criticism from people who say that they are just good-looking and not sincere about making music.
“Both the word ‘idol’ and ‘band’ have positive meanings, but ‘idol band’ does not have a good meaning at all,” said bassist Lee, confessing the difficulty the group has gone through.
The negative perception is made worse by the members’ acting careers, with some of them frequently appearing in TV dramas.
However, Jung said that being successful as actors is also part of their dreams.
K-pop rock band CN Blue (FNC Entertainment)
Gradually, the group is being recognized for its music style.
“There still remains a lot to get through, but I can see that criticisms have diminished,” said bassist Lee.
The members said they want to continue their career as a band, holding on to their own style.
“I wish people would think of CNBLUE first when it comes to Korean bands,” said bassist Lee.
“If we could be called world class, that would be even better,” added Jung.
