A unique voice and an unmistakable blend of old and new: Ahn Yeeun (안예은) is back with Tales From A Wanderer, her latest EP released on November 21. But what awaits might not be what you expect.

The album marks the singer-songwriter’s comeback after over two years and is filled with modern sounds blended with traditional elements: a dichotomy also found in Ahn Yeeun’s singing style that made her stand out when she first rose to fame on SBS's KPOP STAR 5 in 2015. Yet, with her latest EP, Tales From A Wanderer, she is ready to challenge the idea that the audience has of her. But let’s proceed step by step. 

First, the title and artwork of the EP: the English version conjures the idea of a wanderer storyteller and is confirmed by the image on the cover, depicting a man in traditional clothes who carries  a long flute (presumably the traditional Daegum, 대금), that works also has a stick to carry books and a microphone on one end and a bundle of instruments on the other. On top of the man’s hat, we see a carp tied but happily drinking from a bottle with a straw. 

It’s a whole bunch of references to Korean folklore, and even the original title of the mini-album, 이야기 보따리, actually means “a bundle of tales” (보따리, bottari, is the kind of cloth-wrapped package still used for carrying boxes of food or even gifts).

Then, Ahn Yeeun’s new image: this time, the 32-year-old singer-songwriter came back with a colorful video for the title track, “King Carp,” set in a traditional village, not unlike what so many K-Pop acts or K-dramas have made us familiar with. There’s also some catchy choreography that we can’t wait to see in live performances on TV and such!

“King Carp” is an electro-swing genre song telling the tale of a storyteller carp who appears out of nowhere. The track is inspired by Ahn Yeeun’s father's conception dream involving a carp, and the fish becomes a character on its own in the song. With its quirky lyrics and upbeat sound, it’s bound to be highly addictive. 

Tales From A Wanderer showcases Ahn Yeeun’s stories through a variety of genres, including ballad, folk, rock metal, and bossa nova. She participated in writing and composing all tracks, once again demonstrating her musical prowess and proving her wide-ranging artistic spectrum that defies univocal definitions and keeps listeners thrilled.

Over the years, she explored sounds and genres in her discography and also appeared in numerous K-drama OSTs since the beginning. 

In an interview with The Korea Times, she spoke about her success, saying: "I've never thought of my music as uniquely distinctive or particularly colorful in a positive sense.” And added:  "I simply created the kind of music I could at the time. Fortunately, there were people who found it intriguing, and thanks to them, I still get to perform today."

Now let’s go back for a bit to the rest of the EP with a quick rundown of the other tracks: as reported by Segye newspaper, Ahn Yeeun said that the album is“a bundle of stories told by the Carp King,” and explained how she likes to create characters that “blur the line between human and non-human. The carp in my conception dream felt like something out of a fantasy novel, so I incorporated it into the album.” The stories told by that very Carp King in the album are as follows:

• Track number two is “Soon” (이내), and it represents a moment of facing a difficult situation; 

• Then we find “Waning Moon” (그믐달), reflecting a period of sorrow; 

• the fourth song is “Not me Not mine” (그 사랑은 내 사랑이 아니었음을, “That love was not my love”), and it conveys a sense of release and catharsis after letting go of something that wasn’t truly yours. 

• Finally, we have “Remain” (이곳은 아직 겨울이오, “This Place Is Still Winter”), which portrays the lingering loneliness even after finding closure. 

• The last song is the “King Carp” instrumental version.

A Unique Voice Venturing Into New Territories

In the interview that appeared on Segye, Ahn Yeeun commented on her signature vocal style, which has wowed audiences since her debut in 2015 with its unmistakable infusion of  "gugak" and “pansori” (traditional Korean music). She said that such a unique way of singing has always been both a charm and a limitation: “I’ve never formally studied traditional Korean music or vocals, but I felt that sticking to my previous techniques might result in similar vibes. So, since this year, I’ve been receiving professional training to broaden my vocal capabilities while maintaining my voice’s uniqueness and ensuring I don’t strain it.”

That’s why we can appreciate how Ahn Yeeun breaks out of her comfort zone in Tales From A Wanderer. And about this new venture, she said: “I wanted to move away from the kind of music people typically associate with me. I aimed for something straightforward and suitable for casual settings, like playing at a café. I used to think my music wouldn’t fit such contexts, like during meals or while enjoying a cup of coffee.”

She continued, “This time, I tried to create music that feels natural wherever it’s played. That’s how tracks two through five came to be.”

Are you ready to listen to the stories of the Carp King?