Dragon Pony “POP UP” as the Next Big Thing in Korean Band Music
Music label Antenna has debuted its first-ever boy band, a four-member K-Band called Dragon Pony composed of An Taegyu (leader, vocalist, and guitarist), Pyun Sunghyun (bassist), Kwon Sehyuk (guitarist), and Ko Ganghun (drummer and maknae). Said to be chosen by the members themselves, the name “Dragon Pony” represents the members' Chinese Zodiac signs with Taegyu born in the year of the Dragon and Sunghyun, Sehyuk, and Ganghun all born in the year of the Horse (or Pony, for the band's name).
After being unveiled through Instagram on March 18, Dragon Pony has finally released their highly-anticipated debut EP POP UP, consisting of five tracks: the title track “POP UP,” “모스부호 (Morse Code),” “꼬리를 먹는 뱀 (Ouroboros),” “Traffic Jam,” and “Pity Punk.”
“POP UP” opens the EP with an uplifting, feel-good energy as we listen to the members' impressive instrumental skills before Taegyu's charming vocals enter the track. The song is a delight to listen to; carrying a nostalgic, youthful vibe mixed with a slight anthemic element that I can imagine creates a momentous moment for fans when performed live, with fans joining in with the band on the addictive ad-libs.
Written by Dragon Pony alongside Antenna founder You Heeyeol, the lyrics of “POP UP” send a positive message of being yourself and encouraging listeners to live in the moment and have no regrets. Through the song's catchy verse and chorus, Taegyu sings lines* such as, “I know it's true that I'm a weirdo,” “So I won't be lonely anymore / I dance my own dance,” “Here I am, free / So I won't have any regrets / Let me remember today clearly” and more. The lyrics add to the song's overall feel-good vibe that fans can take away and use to lift themselves up whenever they feel down or need a pick-me-up.
The music video for “POP UP” adds to the song's youthful nature, combining colorful, playful footage of the band hanging out and messing around, playing their instruments, and working, along with video game visuals and animations that depict a sentimental time of youth. The music video perfectly matches the song's energy and highlights the bands dynamics and connection with one another that I can't wait to see continue in their future song and music video releases.
Along with the other tracks on the EP, “POP UP” has cemented Dragon Pony as the next big thing within the K-Band scene that every K-Rock and K-Indie fan needs to check out. With this being their first official EP release, and a strong first release at that, I can't wait to see what Dragon Pony has planned for the future.
Make sure to check out the other tracks on POP UP too. For all you K-Band fans this is an EP not to be missed!
*lyrics from the music video captions