The Korean indie band Narotic performed at the 6th anniversary event of the live house Ovantgarde in Busan on May 17, 2024. The team music/And..., currently promoting Narotic in Japan, covered the event on-site and brings you the report.
Text：music/And...（ X / Instagram ）
Narotic
Narotic is a four-piece band consisting of Woong (Gt./Vo.), Seddon (Ba), Hyuk (Key), and Ethan (Dr). Blending art rock and psychedelic rock, they explore emotion, collapse, and the edges of reality. Their new album "AT LAST" tells a dystopian story through surrounding textures, sharp intensity, and evolving vocals. Since their debut with the first single "Coincidence" in 2018, they have released a total of seven singles. In 2021, they released their first full-length album "KindA", followed by the digital EP "Hatred" in 2023. On March 20, 2025, they released their second full-length album "AT LAST". They toured Japan twice in 2022 (March and November), performing in Kansai and Tokyo, and in January 2025, they held a tour in Thailand.
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The best time to see Narotic’s gig has come.
I visited Busan to see the Seoul, South Korea-based indie alternative rock band Narotic's first gig in Busan.
Busan, a city I had never visited before.
The trip to Busan was unforgettable for me.
When I arrived at the airport, I was surrounded by a somewhat comfortable and nostalgic feeling, probably because the scenery was similar to the streets of Japan and the smell of the sea breeze blowing in the ocean was the same as that of the seaside cities in Japan.
Busan's venue Ovantgarde, which is loved not only by local bands but also by Korean indie bands and touring artists from overseas, was celebrated its sixth anniversary in 2024, and to mark the occasion, Narotic, Blue Turtle Land, Beirut Taxi and The Vastards, was performed on 17 May 2024.
I took the LR and subway from the airport to Ovantgarde.
I got there a little before opening time and the receptionist asked for my name. She seemed to be someone I had been in contact with by DM beforehand about the ticket, and spoke to me in a friendly attitude, which made me feel less nervous at once.
Narotic were truly amazing and their playing and sound had evolved even further since the last time I saw them on tour in Japan in November 2023.
In addition to their influences - alternative rock, shoegaze, dream pop, post-rock, psychedelic etc.
there are more punk and jazz elements than before.
This is especially true of new songs ‘GALBI’ and ‘Anyway’, (both of which appear on the 25 June 2024 EP ‘AT LAST pt.1’)
‘Survivor’, an unreleased demo track, has a distorted guitar sound and a strong drum rhythm.
The overall sound was thicker and more emotional, and the colourful musical world of their influences expanded louder and more spatially throughout the venue.
The atmosphere of the band during the live performance seemed to have changed a little from before, and the thoughts that went into the performance came through more strongly.
Narotic's sincere attitude towards music is evident.
Narotic have been releasing demos and singles almost every month since the beginning of 2024, and their live performances and musicality never fail to amaze the audience.
How will the expansion and development of their unique and colourful musical world be reflected in their second album, scheduled for release in 2025?
The members say that the pieces of the puzzle for their second album are hidden in this live performance.
After seeing this live performance, expectations for their new album have grown even higher.
17 MAY 2024 at BUSAN・OVANTGARDE
- Setlist
Hatred
Whatever
Anyway
Not Much Left
Ophelia (A Fallen Angel)
Survivor
GALBI
We Know That’s Gonna be the End
INTERVIEW
To celebrate Narotic's first Busan tour, a mini interview was made just before the gig.
❶ Do you have any particular favourite singles or demos from your recent releases?
❷ Is this your first time in Busan? If not your first time, do you have any particular memories?
❸ What are your future plans for sound releases and tours?
Woong（Gt/Vo）
❶ ‘Survivor’ has no file, but I created it recently. I want you to listen to it.
❷ First time.
❸ We try to do a single release every month. We have a jigsaw puzzle for the second album hidden in one of the songs we released. Try to find it, it will be fun.
Hyuk（Key）
❶ ‘Stroke’ I'm very attached to this song. It's an old song, we used to play it when I first joined the band, but it was forgotten for a long time. So I'm very happy to release it on the EP.
❷ When I was 20, I went on a trip with a friend from high school. A trip of two days and three nights with no plan.
❸ We're preparing a lot of things.
Ethan（Dr）
❶ It's hard to choose because I love them all. But I like ‘Anyway’ and ‘Build New’ the best from the SoundCloud demos.
❷ This is the first time I have been to Busan since I met a friend who lives in Busan nine years ago. I think this gig will be a special experience.
❸ Everyone is working hard and preparing our second album. This time there are a lot of hidden puzzles.
Seddon（Ba）
❶ ‘Stroke’ is my favourite song. It was a song I originally didn't want to release, but I wrote it again in practice and in production, so it was good to be able to put it out.
❷ I visited Busan several times with friends and family. Eating seafood and drinking alcohol in Busan was a special experience. And kayak training, nine years ago.
