Urban Zakapa: The Indie Legends
Want to get into K-Indie but unsure of where to start? Well, legendary trio Urban Zakapa is the perfect place to start. The trio, consisting of Jo Hyuna, Kwon Soonil, and Park Yongin, released their first EP Coffee in 2009. The group originally consisted of nine members, but due to artistic differences, the group quickly ended up as the trio we know today. The R&B trio is known for their more ballad-influenced releases and for being part of the entire creative process for their musical releases. While not as active as in the past, the group just recently released a new single, “I’ll Never Know You.”
For BTS fans, the group’s first release may be nostalgic. In 2013, BTS released a remake of Urban Zakapa’s song “Caffè Latte” and retitled it “Coffee.” This is not an exact cover, but it features the same lyrics and beat of the chorus. It’s a beautiful homage to a great song, but it’s also quite a shame that as time has passed, many are unaware of the original track.
As of this day, the trio has released five studio albums, six EPs, 11 singles, and six OSTs, including work featured in Goblin and Hospital Playlist. The group’s most famous single, “I Don’t Love You,” was released in 2016 and currently sits at almost 55 million views on YouTube and 21 million streams on Spotify. The track won a “Digital Bonsang” at the 2016 Golden Disc Awards and “Song of the Month (May)” at the Gaon Chart Music Awards the same year. The melancholy ballad struck a chord with many listeners, with the trio’s vocals hitting right at the heart in expressing the sorrow of a loveless relationship.
The latest title release, “I’ll Never Know You,” has a similar tone with a simple and soft piano melody accompanied by a slower tempo to express the sorrowful track. While it does have a similar composition to “I Don’t Love You,” the song still hits just as hard due to the moving vocal lines. One thing this trio is exceptionally good at is eliciting emotion, and each song seems to bring up goosebumps just based on the beauty of their vocals and harmonies. The way each verse is laid out builds on the tension and hits just the right note. So yes, you’ll probably cry if you’ve been upset, but in a cathartic way.
While the heartfelt ballads feel like a good fit for the season, we did want to throw in one more track that is more uplifting. One of our favorite Korean Christmas releases actually comes from Urban Zakapa in the form of their 2012 single release, “Snowing.” This song has more of a jazz influence and delivers the stellar vocals of their ballads with a more upbeat tone. With Thanksgiving past, it is officially Christmas season, so add this delightful jazzy track to your Christmas playlist for a little more joy!