Nikhat Parveen, New Delhi

The Band ‘WE ARE THE NIGHT’ comprising members Goosy (Former Name 9Z), Lil FISH, Phatty.H, Lam; plays sophisticated and dreamlike cinematic sounds combining synthesizers and acoustic instruments. You can see their worldview through the lyrics that carry honest reflections on the theme of anxiety, hope, and love of the present generation. Starting with the single albums ‘Tiramisu Cake’ and ‘Star, Fire, Night’ in 2015, WE ARE THE NIGHT has changed its sound and musical style. In October 2015, the EP album ‘Star, Fire, Night and Such Things’ was released and the album was nominated for the best electronic music of Korean Music Awards. Their songs became famous being in a commercial wherein Park Shin-Hye, a Korean celebrity, appeared on numerous Korean TV shows. In 2018, they became popular among the public appearing on a TV show which is called KBS 2TV Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook. We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to WE ARE THE NIGHT for doing an interview with us, which you can read here:

Could you tell us about the origin of your band name, “WE ARE THE NIGHT”? What does it symbolize for you?

Hello, we’re “WE ARE THE NIGHT.” We are a four-members indie-pop band based in Seoul. The team name for “WE ARE THE NIGHT” started with the title of our first album. When we were thinking about what to name the band, we thought that the message in the song “WE ARE THE NIGHT” was similar to the direction we wanted to go. I liked the two-sided way of expressing the word “night.”

How would you describe your musical style and the unique sound of “WE ARE THE NIGHT?”

Goosy/9Z: At first, our goal was to mix acoustic instruments and synthesizers in harmony. We wanted to find a middle ground between analog and digital. Now, I want to express the message in the album in various sounds. The goal is to make people feel as if they are watching a movie when listening to the album.

_{Goosy/9Z (Ham Byung-sun): Vocalist}

Your album, Vertigo, was released in 2019, can you discuss the themes and concepts explored in this album?

Goosy/9Z: [VERTIGO] The album includes songs with various sounds such as “Bunker,” “Dizzy,” and “Snorkeling.” The most important part of this album was to bring back the most beautiful memories while listening to music. Starting with track 1, the last track is played, and I thought it would be an album where I can look back on my past memories.

How do you balance your individual artistic visions and ideas within the band? How do you collaborate and make decisions regarding songwriting and recording?

Goosy/9Z envisages the concept and message of the album. And the composition mainly starts with Goosy and Lil FISH. After that, we start playing and arranging songs together, sharing ideas with each other. And usually, the recording is done by the band themselves. Depending on the song, I sometimes come and go from home and to the studio. These days, we also talk through video conferencing. I’m thinking about how to do it efficiently.

The band celebrated its 10th debut anniversary. Your debut album, “WE ARE THE NIGHT,” was released in 2013. Looking back, how do you feel about the album now? How do you think your music has evolved since then?

Lil FISH: When I think about our debut album, I was really passionate. That doesn’t mean that our passion has cooled down now. I had a spirit that wasn’t organized back then. I think I’m more careful and focused on the details now. Much has changed in the way you record and how you treat mix and sound.

Phatty.H: At that time, rock sound was the base, and the songs were full of energy and felt like running. The color is very different from now, but I think it’s an album that solves what I want to express at that time after a lot of consideration. I think I’m a little freer in terms of the genre now than I was back then.

Lam: When I listen to the music released before, it feels like I’m looking at a photo album from the past because it’s ourselves. Now, I think all those pasts have met and developed more maturely.

_{Lil FISH (Jung Won-joon): DJ, Guitarist, Lyricist, Producer}

Your EPs Have unique and intriguing titles like “Fly, Avoid, Love the Future” and “The Green Ray.” Could You explain the meanings behind these titles and how they connect to the music on the EPs?       

Goosy/9Z: “Fly, avoid, love the future.” The present feels like a transition to the future, some middle ground. And my thoughts on the future were pessimistic. It’s because of people’s selfishness and greed. However, while working on the album, I came to believe that there is still a feeling of love and hope between people. I wanted to convey hope for the future to us who live today.

“The Green Ray” is an album inspired by the title of the novel. I thought that we can see each other’s true feelings when we look at the green light in the novel. It’s an album where we thought, “Do we have a green light that we can see each other truthfully, and then what is the light?”

What challenges have you faced as an Indie Rock Band in the music industry? How do you navigate these challenges and continue to create and release music?

Goosy/9Z: The most important thing is whether it can be sustained and what the possibility is. In fact, we still don’t know this part. However, I think the most crucial thing in indie music is to focus on what I want to express. Making and enjoying your own music without being swept around. This is the only way we can do it.  

Lil FISH: I’m still thinking about it, but as a musician, it’s important to write songs without getting tired. I think listeners know that only when they continue to trust and love themselves.

Lam: The activities online are very interesting because it’s an era when everything is spread and known online. It is not limited to activities in Korea, but the route to expand overseas has been facilitated.

I really like your song “Dreamcatcher,” which has received positive attention from the audience. Could you share the story behind making this song and the overall mood of the song?

WE ARE THE NIGHT: We release quite a few songs that express ‘summer’. Songs like “Hello and Goodbye” and “Summer FIaction” are included in the series. I wanted to release a song with a unique atmosphere that can only be felt in the summer season. I tried to capture a cool and dreamy atmosphere. It is the most hopeful song in our music.

_{Phatty.H (Hwang Sung-soo): Bassist, Producer, Synthesizer}

Could you tell us the story behind your song “Tiramisu Cake?” What inspired you to write a song about this particular dessert, and how did you incorporate the theme of “Tiramisu Cake” into the lyrics and overall musical composition?

Lil FISH: I don’t remember when, but I was drinking coffee alone in a coffee shop. I looked around and they were all couples, and strangely enough, everyone was eating tiramisu cake on that day. At that time, WE ARE THE NIGHT was working on an album and I was thinking about what theme to write, but the name Tiramisu Cake itself felt very pretty. When I have a lot of worries, I usually approach it simply, so I didn’t even try tiramisu cake and hummed the words with a melody. A few minutes later, the chorus was made in a coffee shop and I remember going home and working on it smoothly.

The album covers of your band often feature unique illustrations and art. Could you talk about the creative process behind designing the album covers? How do you choose the visual elements and artwork that best represent the music and themes of each album?

WE ARE THE NIGHT: Before releasing the album, we think about what images would be attractive when visually expressing the songs we worked on. I look at the works of various designers and send emails to my favorite designers. It explains the message of music that we think of and tells us what parts of his work resemble our music. With a few encounters, images are developed and completed as album art.

_{Lam (Kim Boram): Drummer}

Are there any specific messages or emotions you hope to convey through your music? What do you want listeners to take away from your songs?

WE ARE THE NIGHT: Listening to our music and wanting it to be delivered to you is the power to keep life moving. We want to put various emotions that we feel while living in this era in music. And through that, I want to convey emotions such as consolation, hope, and love. Happy life, and happy memories.

What are your plans and goals for the future of ‘WE ARE THE NIGHT’? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you are excited about?

WE ARE THE NIGHT: We’re taking a break and working on a new album. First, we are planning to release a new song in the second half of 2023. We are not in a hurry and trying to move on slowly.  

Once again, on behalf of our entire team at Hallyuism, we would like to thank WE ARE THE NIGHT for taking out their valuable time for this interview, and we are deeply honored. Wishing the team the best in all their future musical endeavours and life ahead! We hope you all loved reading this interview as much as we loved conducting it. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!