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Silica Gel (band)
South Korean indie rock band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Silica Gel (Korean: 실리카겔) is a South Korean indie rock band, formed in Ansan in 2013 and based in Seoul. The band currently comprises Kim Han-joo (vocalist and keyboardist), Kim Geon-jay (drummer), Kim "Chunchu" Min-su (guitarist and vocalist), and Choi Woong-hee (bassist).[1] The band's members chose the name after noticing silica gel in their gum container before the 2013 Pyeongchang Biennale art festival.[2]
Since their formation, the band has released two studio albums: Silica Gel (2016) and Power Andre 99 (2023). At the Korean Music Awards, they won Rookie of the Year in 2017, Best Modern Rock Song in 2022 and 2023, and Musician of the Year in 2024.[3][4]
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Career
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2013–2017: Formation, Silica Gel, EPs
Silica Gel was formed in 2013 by eight students from Seoul Institute of the Arts in Ansan. Originally, they received attention for their initial style of combining band music with VJing.[5]
In 2015, they released their first EP, Pure Sun, and in 2016 they released their debut studio album, the self-titled Silica Gel.[6] Between 2016 and 2018, the band won the EBS Hello Rookie Contest Grand Prize and Best New Artist of the Year at the Korean Music Awards.[7][3]
In 2017, they released a single, "Space Angel", a collaboration with South Korean band Parasol.[8][3] In November, they released the EP SiO2.nH2O.[1]
2018–2021: Hiatus, lineup changes, singles
From 2018 to 2020, the band went on a 2-year hiatus while members performed their mandatory military service. Kim Han-joo said they spent this period seeking ways to improve the band's potential.[2] During the hiatus, bassist Koo Kyung-mo left the band permanently.
Silica Gel returned as a 4-member group in 2020, starting with their single "Kyo181". Their 2021 single "Desert Eagle" won Best Modern Rock Song at the 19th Korean Music Awards.[9]
2022–2024: Power Andre 99, concert film, festivals
In 2022, they released their single "NO PAIN", which became a breakthrough song on the South Korean charts.[10] "NO PAIN" won the award for Best Modern Rock Song at the 20th Korean Music Awards.[11]
In April 2023, they released the EP Machine Boy.[12] They performed at various rock festivals throughout the year, including Pentaport Rock Festival[13] and the DMZ Peace Train Music Festival.[14] They released the single "Tik Tak Tok" (틱택톡) with So!YoON! in August.[12] On 20 December 2023, more than 7 years after their previous album, Silica Gel released their second studio album Power Andre 99. In 2024, a concert film, also named Power Andre 99, documented a live performance of the album at the Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Yongsan. The film had its theatrical debut on June 26 across 29 CGV theaters and offered meet and greets between fans and the band members, along with promotional A3 posters for those who attended.[15]
In February 2024, the band won Musician of the Year at the 21st Korean Music Awards.[4] Throughout 2024, they performed at Primavera Sound 2024 in Spain, Vivid Sydney in Australia and Festival Les Escales in France.[16] On July 26, Silica Gel were the opening support act for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds during the South Korean leg of their tour.[17] On October 4, the band performed at the Busan International Rock Festival and unveiled new sound equipment for future tours.[18]
On 28 May, the band released a cover of "Lost!" by RM. The original song was included in RM's second solo album Right Place, Wrong Person in which production contributions were made by Kim Han-joo.[19] On 1 July, upon expiry of their contract, Silica Gel left the record label Magic Strawberry Sound after 4 years with the company.[20] They had released Power Andre 99 and Machine Boy through the label.
In November, the group won Best Asian Creative Artist at the 15th Golden Indie Music Awards in Taiwan.[21] In December, the band held a free concert with tickets distributed through a lottery system at the KT&G SangSang Madang in Hongdae. Over 50,000 people registered for the lottery.[22]
2025–present: New music and touring
In February 2025, Power Andre 99 received three nominations at the 22nd Korean Music Awards for Album of the Year, Musician of the Year, and Best Modern Rock Album.[23][24]
On 9 June, the band were announced as headliners for the Asian Pop Festival in Incheon.[25][26] On 2 July, Spotify hosted Speakeasy Live, a mystery concert in Seonsu-dong that promoted a surprise artist and sold tickets through a lottery system. On the day of the concert, the artist was revealed to be Silica Gel, who performed in an intimate setting and previewed their upcoming single "NamgungFefere" (南宮Fefere), which featured Japanese Breakfast.[27][28] On 10 July, NamgungFefere was released on streaming platforms.[29]
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Band members
Current
- Kim Han-joo – lead vocals, keyboards, piano
- Kim Min-su (known as "Chunchu") – lead guitar, vocals
- Kim Geon-jay – drums
- Choi Woong-hee – bass
Former
- Koo Kyung-mo – bass
- Kang Dong-hwa – VJ
- Lee Dae-hee – VJ
- Kim Min-young – VJ
Discography
Studio albums
- Silica Gel (2016)
- Power Andre 99 (2023)
EPs
- Pure Sun (2015)
- SiO2.nH2O (2017)
- Machine Boy (2023)
Awards and nominations
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References
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