No Brain

One of the biggest live music events of the Korean year, the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival returns for another three days of great music and good times.

At the top of the 2011 line-up is KORN, pioneers of the “nu metal” sound of the 1990s. KORN finally comes to the festival after topping the list of bands local rock fans wanted to see at Pentaport. There latest album, Korn III: Remember Who You Are (2010), represents a return to their sharp, “old school” ways.

Joining KORN is Chicago-based indie-rock band Plain White T’s, California dance-punk band !!! (generally pronounced “chk chk chk”), American alternative rock band Neon Trees, British soul punk band Mamas Gun and British singer-songwriter Joe Brooks. Later additions to the line-up are funky and energetic English duo The Ting Tings and the Quebec punk rock band Simple Plan, who will be headlining the third day of the festival. American rapper B.o.B., known best to Korean fans for his duo single “Nothin’ on You” with former 2PM member Jay Park, will also be performing.

Some of the most influential names in Korean rock will also be there, including Korean punk rockers No Brain, hip hop legends Garion and electro band Idiotape. - Seoul Selection (08.02.2011)

One of the biggest live music events of the Korean year, the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival returns for another three days of great music and good times.

At the top of the 2011 line-up is KORN, pioneers of the “nu metal” sound of the 1990s. KORN finally comes to the festival after topping the list of bands local rock fans wanted to see at Pentaport. There latest album, Korn III: Remember Who You Are (2010), represents a return to their sharp, “old school” ways.

Joining KORN is Chicago-based indie-rock band Plain White T’s, California dance-punk band !!! (generally pronounced “chk chk chk”), American alternative rock band Neon Trees, British soul punk band Mamas Gun and British singer-songwriter Joe Brooks. Later additions to the line-up are funky and energetic English duo The Ting Tings and the Quebec punk rock band Simple Plan, who will be headlining the third day of the festival. American rapper B.o.B., known best to Korean fans for his duo single “Nothin’ on You” with former 2PM member Jay Park, will also be performing.

Some of the most influential names in Korean rock will also be there, including Korean punk rockers No Brain, hip hop legends Garion and electro band Idiotape. - Seoul Selection (08.02.2011)

Today there is no shortage of music festivals in Korea. However, when it comes to the biggest and the best rock music festival, only two names come to mind – Jisan Valley Rock Festival and Pentaport Rock Festival.

Pentaport was the first music festival of its size in the Republic of Korea, dating back to 1999. At that time, the festival was called the Triport festival and the impressive lineup was scheduled to include Deep Purple, Rage Against the Machine, Dream Theater, The Prodigy and more. Unfortunately, the weekend was struck by torrential rain, causing damage to the stage and the entire show to be cancelled after the first day.

“I remember it was just raining and raining and raining. I had never been so sopping wet in the rain before that. It was more than 350 mm during two days,” recalls Lee Yong-suk, the general manager of Yescom Entertainment. “I remember there were drops of water on Deep Purple’s drum set. I think ‘Nanta’ got its inspiration from that,” teases Lee.

Due to this catastrophe, and the financial burden it caused to the organizers, a second attempt didn’t come along until much later. It wasn’t until 2006 that the first festival was announced under the Pentaport name, with acts including The Black-Eyed Peas, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. The festival was co-produced by Yellow 9 entertainment and Yescom Entertainment, two top Korean promoters. At the time of this announcement, there was nothing else here like it, so there was a genuine excitement and buzz in the air upon hearing the news. Back then, pickings were slim for music fans and typically they had to take what they could get.

“Before Pentaport, it was sort of a big deal if Toto came around,” jokes PR Consultant and nine-year Seoul resident Niels Footman. Up until that point, there were no festivals, just one-off concerts at over 100,000 won per ticket. Suddenly Pentaport came around and changed the game entirely. “People were very excited. Now they could see a number of great bands in one weekend, and there was camping, too,” recalls Summer Walker, Groove Korea’s music editor.

Pentaport was essentially responsible for introducing Koreans to music festivals, so with that came a bit of education. What was a music festival? Early promotional materials actually explained what a festival was and what attendees could expect in terms of music, camping, food and all aspects of festival life. “Most music fans at the time hadn’t really been to a festival before, apart from Koreans who had studied overseas. So I think for that reason it’s always going to hold a special place in the hearts of some people,” explains Footman. Pentaport paved the road for what was to come over the next five years, with new festivals popping up every year.



Despite heavy rains and some financial losses once again, the 2006 concert was deemed a success, with over 25,000 attendees. The festival continued on over the next two years, consistently landing big international names and rapidly increasing the crowds. However, in 2009 the two promoters involved - Yescom and Yellow 9 - ended up having some irresolvable differences. It is a delicate subject for anyone who has been involved with the two promoters, so no one is eager to give up the juicy details as to exactly why the falling out happened. And today it’s a bit less newsworthy than when it first happened, but generally it seems there were differences in opinion over lineups, artists, finances and matters along those lines. It was at this point that Yellow 9 left to start its own festival, which is the Jisan Valley Rock Festival we know today.

The first year after the split hurt Pentaport, as now there were two major festivals vying for the same artists on the same weekend. It is no secret that typically the promoters of both festivals will try to snag bands from the nearby Fuji Rock or Summer Sonic festivals in Japan, while many of the major international acts are already on this side of the globe. After that first year, Pentaport decided to move its festival back a week in order to diminish the competition from Jisan. Since then, both festivals have managed to maintain a level of success. Jisan has become known to have a stronger international lineup than Pentaport, but Pentaport has managed to hold its own as a place to discover new music and give more underground local artists a chance to reach wider audiences.

"These festivals have helped a lot of local acts not only gain exposure to local audiences, but also prep them for playing overseas festivals, too," explains music industry veteran and President of DFSB Kollective Bernie Cho. "Over the past few years, Korean bands are regularly invited to Japanese summer festivals. And last year, directors from Canadian Music Week, SXSW, and CMJ all came out to Pentaport to check out some of Korea's best and brightest live acts."



Not only have Pentaport and other subsequent music festivals helped the music scene - Groove Korea (08.12.2011)

Today there is no shortage of music festivals in Korea. However, when it comes to the biggest and the best rock music festival, only two names come to mind – Jisan Valley Rock Festival and Pentaport Rock Festival.

Pentaport was the first music festival of its size in the Republic of Korea, dating back to 1999. At that time, the festival was called the Triport festival and the impressive lineup was scheduled to include Deep Purple, Rage Against the Machine, Dream Theater, The Prodigy and more. Unfortunately, the weekend was struck by torrential rain, causing damage to the stage and the entire show to be cancelled after the first day.

“I remember it was just raining and raining and raining. I had never been so sopping wet in the rain before that. It was more than 350 mm during two days,” recalls Lee Yong-suk, the general manager of Yescom Entertainment. “I remember there were drops of water on Deep Purple’s drum set. I think ‘Nanta’ got its inspiration from that,” teases Lee.

Due to this catastrophe, and the financial burden it caused to the organizers, a second attempt didn’t come along until much later. It wasn’t until 2006 that the first festival was announced under the Pentaport name, with acts including The Black-Eyed Peas, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. The festival was co-produced by Yellow 9 entertainment and Yescom Entertainment, two top Korean promoters. At the time of this announcement, there was nothing else here like it, so there was a genuine excitement and buzz in the air upon hearing the news. Back then, pickings were slim for music fans and typically they had to take what they could get.

“Before Pentaport, it was sort of a big deal if Toto came around,” jokes PR Consultant and nine-year Seoul resident Niels Footman. Up until that point, there were no festivals, just one-off concerts at over 100,000 won per ticket. Suddenly Pentaport came around and changed the game entirely. “People were very excited. Now they could see a number of great bands in one weekend, and there was camping, too,” recalls Summer Walker, Groove Korea’s music editor.

Pentaport was essentially responsible for introducing Koreans to music festivals, so with that came a bit of education. What was a music festival? Early promotional materials actually explained what a festival was and what attendees could expect in terms of music, camping, food and all aspects of festival life. “Most music fans at the time hadn’t really been to a festival before, apart from Koreans who had studied overseas. So I think for that reason it’s always going to hold a special place in the hearts of some people,” explains Footman. Pentaport paved the road for what was to come over the next five years, with new festivals popping up every year.



Despite heavy rains and some financial losses once again, the 2006 concert was deemed a success, with over 25,000 attendees. The festival continued on over the next two years, consistently landing big international names and rapidly increasing the crowds. However, in 2009 the two promoters involved - Yescom and Yellow 9 - ended up having some irresolvable differences. It is a delicate subject for anyone who has been involved with the two promoters, so no one is eager to give up the juicy details as to exactly why the falling out happened. And today it’s a bit less newsworthy than when it first happened, but generally it seems there were differences in opinion over lineups, artists, finances and matters along those lines. It was at this point that Yellow 9 left to start its own festival, which is the Jisan Valley Rock Festival we know today.

The first year after the split hurt Pentaport, as now there were two major festivals vying for the same artists on the same weekend. It is no secret that typically the promoters of both festivals will try to snag bands from the nearby Fuji Rock or Summer Sonic festivals in Japan, while many of the major international acts are already on this side of the globe. After that first year, Pentaport decided to move its festival back a week in order to diminish the competition from Jisan. Since then, both festivals have managed to maintain a level of success. Jisan has become known to have a stronger international lineup than Pentaport, but Pentaport has managed to hold its own as a place to discover new music and give more underground local artists a chance to reach wider audiences.

"These festivals have helped a lot of local acts not only gain exposure to local audiences, but also prep them for playing overseas festivals, too," explains music industry veteran and President of DFSB Kollective Bernie Cho. "Over the past few years, Korean bands are regularly invited to Japanese summer festivals. And last year, directors from Canadian Music Week, SXSW, and CMJ all came out to Pentaport to check out some of Korea's best and brightest live acts."



Not only have Pentaport and other subsequent music festivals helped the music scene - Groove Korea (08.12.2011)

With the Seoul Jazz Festival having kicked off Saturday a truly crowded summer of music, this weekend will see two more outdoor music extravaganzas.

Some 80 bands are scheduled to perform this weekend at the Green Plugged Seoul at Nanji Hangang Park in the capital’s western extremities, while DJs extraordinaire will be spinning from Saturday to the wee hours of Monday at the World DJ Festival in Yangpeong, Gyeonggi Province, up the Han River.

The former’s line-up is geared towards Korean rock stars, including the legendary BooWhal, Jaurim, No Brain, Park Wan-gyu and Crying Nut, among others. Up-and-coming bands like Ulala Session, Broccoli you too? and Galaxy Express are also featured. Hip hop fans will have Dynamic Duo and others to their liking. - The Korea Times (05.20.2012)

With the Seoul Jazz Festival having kicked off Saturday a truly crowded summer of music, this weekend will see two more outdoor music extravaganzas.

Some 80 bands are scheduled to perform this weekend at the Green Plugged Seoul at Nanji Hangang Park in the capital’s western extremities, while DJs extraordinaire will be spinning from Saturday to the wee hours of Monday at the World DJ Festival in Yangpeong, Gyeonggi Province, up the Han River.

The former’s line-up is geared towards Korean rock stars, including the legendary BooWhal, Jaurim, No Brain, Park Wan-gyu and Crying Nut, among others. Up-and-coming bands like Ulala Session, Broccoli you too? and Galaxy Express are also featured. Hip hop fans will have Dynamic Duo and others to their liking. - The Korea Times (05.20.2012)

No Brain debuted in 1997 with their mega hit ``You're Stuck On Me," becoming one of Korea's most famous rock bands and introducing punk rock, a relatively unknown genre at the time, to Korean listeners.

We are fervent No Brain fans. We are actually more than fans. One could say we are some of many who believe they are living witnesses of the birth and success of the group. But we recently discovered that we actually knew nothing about the group until now.

No Brain works under the label Rock Star Music. But the group says it has never signed a contract with the label. Yes, the band that has risen to superstar status in the past 10 years has never signed a contract concerning labor conditions or distribution. This would be impossible for a small- or medium-sized label, let alone a major record label. How did this happen? This is when we began thinking of the culture of the Korean sentiment, ``jeong.''

Out of all the Asian countries that use Chinese characters, only Korea and Japan use ``jeong'' as an independent word. It's a difficult concept to explain to a foreigner. Koreans unconsciously define and remember relationships through ``jeong.''

This cultural practice could be difficult to understand in the Western world, where contracts are crucial, and from a Chinese perspective. But in Korea, the close connections of a ``jeong'' culture positively influenced certain areas of rapid economic development. The culture of ``jeong'' can also be found in a cultural world growing as fast as the economy. The reason No Brain was able to work without a contract can be found in Korea's ``jeong'' culture.

We asked the band how it was possible for them to work without a contract. Vocalist Lee Sung-woo replied, ``Having a contract just makes us nervous, and I think we work harder because we don't have one.''

It is clear that the relationship between No Brain and their label comes from Korea's culture of trust and ``jeong.'' But there's more to it. We might have understood this relationship through Korea's unique culture of ``jeong,'' but in 21st century Korea, that couldn't be the only reason.

What's the story behind the relationship commonly called a ``praiseworthy episode'' in Korea? It's a story about an ideal artist-and-record label relationship.

An ideal relationship is necessary for the making of a great artist. A music label must understand the artist's music and characteristics (pros, cons and limits), and the artist must not have suspicions nor dissatisfactions with the label's guidelines.

The music label must be professional and sincere when it comes to the artist's music. The company's goal must be to cultivate its artists into professional musicians while creating a profit by producing albums with their music. The albums are produced and sold, and the profit must be distributed and the surplus reinvested in future albums. This is possible in a ``good circulation'' structure.

How could this process work without a contract? When an artist and a music label are able to discern a cold reality and perfectly realize each other's abilities and potential. For example, the artist will not ask for an unreasonable paycheck, and the label will not force the artist to follow an unreasonable schedule to boost album sales.

No Brain made incredible progress for 10 years after their debut. They did experience a slight slump, but their music continued to develop and they earned great support from fans. They managed to do all this without a contract. Instead of asking the band if they could continue to work without a contract, we asked them this question.

``What is the image the members dream of in 20 years?''

Here is why we asked this question. Will No Brain still be able to perform under the same name after 20 years? Will the band still be concentrating on their music without a contract, like they did with Rock Star Music? Drummer Hwang Hyun-sung answered, ``I want to continue making music with the members, but no one knows what will happen in the future. I think, if I'm able to make music with the members like I am now, the future doesn't look so bad.''

It was a simple but heartwarming answer, and that's the kind of band No Brain is. This also speaks volumes about their label, Rock Star Music. Beyond the Korean culture of "jeong," the band and their label were able to establish a new and reasonable standard of judgment.

pdk@obs.co.kr

Kong Tae-hee is a program director of OBS Gyengin TV and Han Yong-kee is a PD of Arirang TV. They co-produce ``LIVE H'' that is broadcasted in 188 countries. The program features live concerts to promote Korea's pop culture worldwide and is produced in well-known clubs near Hongdae (Hongik University), the heart of band music. - The Korea Times (03.02.2010)

No Brain debuted in 1997 with their mega hit ``You're Stuck On Me," becoming one of Korea's most famous rock bands and introducing punk rock, a relatively unknown genre at the time, to Korean listeners.

We are fervent No Brain fans. We are actually more than fans. One could say we are some of many who believe they are living witnesses of the birth and success of the group. But we recently discovered that we actually knew nothing about the group until now.

No Brain works under the label Rock Star Music. But the group says it has never signed a contract with the label. Yes, the band that has risen to superstar status in the past 10 years has never signed a contract concerning labor conditions or distribution. This would be impossible for a small- or medium-sized label, let alone a major record label. How did this happen? This is when we began thinking of the culture of the Korean sentiment, ``jeong.''

Out of all the Asian countries that use Chinese characters, only Korea and Japan use ``jeong'' as an independent word. It's a difficult concept to explain to a foreigner. Koreans unconsciously define and remember relationships through ``jeong.''

This cultural practice could be difficult to understand in the Western world, where contracts are crucial, and from a Chinese perspective. But in Korea, the close connections of a ``jeong'' culture positively influenced certain areas of rapid economic development. The culture of ``jeong'' can also be found in a cultural world growing as fast as the economy. The reason No Brain was able to work without a contract can be found in Korea's ``jeong'' culture.

We asked the band how it was possible for them to work without a contract. Vocalist Lee Sung-woo replied, ``Having a contract just makes us nervous, and I think we work harder because we don't have one.''

It is clear that the relationship between No Brain and their label comes from Korea's culture of trust and ``jeong.'' But there's more to it. We might have understood this relationship through Korea's unique culture of ``jeong,'' but in 21st century Korea, that couldn't be the only reason.

What's the story behind the relationship commonly called a ``praiseworthy episode'' in Korea? It's a story about an ideal artist-and-record label relationship.

An ideal relationship is necessary for the making of a great artist. A music label must understand the artist's music and characteristics (pros, cons and limits), and the artist must not have suspicions nor dissatisfactions with the label's guidelines.

The music label must be professional and sincere when it comes to the artist's music. The company's goal must be to cultivate its artists into professional musicians while creating a profit by producing albums with their music. The albums are produced and sold, and the profit must be distributed and the surplus reinvested in future albums. This is possible in a ``good circulation'' structure.

How could this process work without a contract? When an artist and a music label are able to discern a cold reality and perfectly realize each other's abilities and potential. For example, the artist will not ask for an unreasonable paycheck, and the label will not force the artist to follow an unreasonable schedule to boost album sales.

No Brain made incredible progress for 10 years after their debut. They did experience a slight slump, but their music continued to develop and they earned great support from fans. They managed to do all this without a contract. Instead of asking the band if they could continue to work without a contract, we asked them this question.

``What is the image the members dream of in 20 years?''

Here is why we asked this question. Will No Brain still be able to perform under the same name after 20 years? Will the band still be concentrating on their music without a contract, like they did with Rock Star Music? Drummer Hwang Hyun-sung answered, ``I want to continue making music with the members, but no one knows what will happen in the future. I think, if I'm able to make music with the members like I am now, the future doesn't look so bad.''

It was a simple but heartwarming answer, and that's the kind of band No Brain is. This also speaks volumes about their label, Rock Star Music. Beyond the Korean culture of "jeong," the band and their label were able to establish a new and reasonable standard of judgment.

pdk@obs.co.kr

Kong Tae-hee is a program director of OBS Gyengin TV and Han Yong-kee is a PD of Arirang TV. They co-produce ``LIVE H'' that is broadcasted in 188 countries. The program features live concerts to promote Korea's pop culture worldwide and is produced in well-known clubs near Hongdae (Hongik University), the heart of band music. - The Korea Times (03.02.2010)

Another month means time for another editorial with some of Korea's finest rock bands. Loads of the popular and less popular ones like Moon Heejun's solo career, Kim Sarang, Pia, Bye Bye Sea, Ninesin, Hlin, Monni, and many more have already been mentioned before but just as with the previous editorials (#1, #2, #3, #4 and #5), I've compiled a list of five different rock bands who have been working together for years or have popped up on the scene just recently.

Most people will know No Brain as one of Korea's leading punk rock bands, while Broken Valentine just recently got into the spotlight after years of existence by participating in the "Top Band" contest. While My Aunt Mary is a fixed member of the South Korean modern rock scene, all female band Story Seller has been rocking since they started out as Bloody Cookie. As a last addition to the list, there's music from The Geeks, a hardcore punk band with more than 10 years of experience.


No Brain
Formed in 1996, No Brain has grown to be one of Korea's most well-known punk rock bands. With their first releases dating back to 1997, the band has been known to have played over 3000 shows in the past years.

Their 6th album, "High Tension," was released in 2011 and marked the 15th birthday of the punk band. Even after 15 years, No Brain still loves to play in small venues, helping and supporting new bands in the process.
- Koreaboo.com (02.02.2011)

Another month means time for another editorial with some of Korea's finest rock bands. Loads of the popular and less popular ones like Moon Heejun's solo career, Kim Sarang, Pia, Bye Bye Sea, Ninesin, Hlin, Monni, and many more have already been mentioned before but just as with the previous editorials (#1, #2, #3, #4 and #5), I've compiled a list of five different rock bands who have been working together for years or have popped up on the scene just recently.

Most people will know No Brain as one of Korea's leading punk rock bands, while Broken Valentine just recently got into the spotlight after years of existence by participating in the "Top Band" contest. While My Aunt Mary is a fixed member of the South Korean modern rock scene, all female band Story Seller has been rocking since they started out as Bloody Cookie. As a last addition to the list, there's music from The Geeks, a hardcore punk band with more than 10 years of experience.


No Brain
Formed in 1996, No Brain has grown to be one of Korea's most well-known punk rock bands. With their first releases dating back to 1997, the band has been known to have played over 3000 shows in the past years.

Their 6th album, "High Tension," was released in 2011 and marked the 15th birthday of the punk band. Even after 15 years, No Brain still loves to play in small venues, helping and supporting new bands in the process.
- Koreaboo.com (02.02.2011)

4/5 RATING

No Brain is the biggest and most well known punk band in Korea. They’ve been around for 15 years now, making them the OGs of the Korean punk scene. Those of you more familiar with the Korean pop scene might recognize them from their collaboration on Oh My Friend with Big Bang back in 2008. Their last full-length album was released in 2007, but they have had a few single releases in between. So it’s exciting to have an entire album from them after such a long time.

As usual, the lyrics are what drive this album. I admit, I’m not fluent in Korean, and translating is a chore, but I feel that the lyrics are important to this album. The album starts off with ??? (Cicada Larva), a great song lyrically and has the high energy typical of No Brain. It speaks of the long wait of the cicada while it’s growing in the cocoon and the freedom it feels when it finally breaks out and tastes freedom. I think lots of people can relate to lyrics like that.

The first single off the album, Radio Radio, has an interesting disco electronic hook in the chorus that reminds me a bit of Telepathy, but I like that No Brain is mixing things up. This song is simple in lyrics, talking about hitting the town and enjoying the night together. And speaking of changing their sound, Tattoo has a great classic rock vibe to it. The guitar riffs in it remind me a lot of late 70s/early 80s metal. No Way starts with an awesome drum-line and it leads into a hyper energy level song that simultaneously makes me want to head bang.

In the end, High Tension is full of fast paced songs that will ironically help relieve your tensions as you listen. Punk, in general, is fast, short songs with good lyrics that send a message to the audience, and No Brain whole-heartedly lives up to these standards. I’m happy to add another hard hitting No Brain album to my collection of music I can listen to when I need energy. - Yam Magazine (04.14.2011)

4/5 RATING

No Brain is the biggest and most well known punk band in Korea. They’ve been around for 15 years now, making them the OGs of the Korean punk scene. Those of you more familiar with the Korean pop scene might recognize them from their collaboration on Oh My Friend with Big Bang back in 2008. Their last full-length album was released in 2007, but they have had a few single releases in between. So it’s exciting to have an entire album from them after such a long time.

As usual, the lyrics are what drive this album. I admit, I’m not fluent in Korean, and translating is a chore, but I feel that the lyrics are important to this album. The album starts off with ??? (Cicada Larva), a great song lyrically and has the high energy typical of No Brain. It speaks of the long wait of the cicada while it’s growing in the cocoon and the freedom it feels when it finally breaks out and tastes freedom. I think lots of people can relate to lyrics like that.

The first single off the album, Radio Radio, has an interesting disco electronic hook in the chorus that reminds me a bit of Telepathy, but I like that No Brain is mixing things up. This song is simple in lyrics, talking about hitting the town and enjoying the night together. And speaking of changing their sound, Tattoo has a great classic rock vibe to it. The guitar riffs in it remind me a lot of late 70s/early 80s metal. No Way starts with an awesome drum-line and it leads into a hyper energy level song that simultaneously makes me want to head bang.

In the end, High Tension is full of fast paced songs that will ironically help relieve your tensions as you listen. Punk, in general, is fast, short songs with good lyrics that send a message to the audience, and No Brain whole-heartedly lives up to these standards. I’m happy to add another hard hitting No Brain album to my collection of music I can listen to when I need energy. - Yam Magazine (04.14.2011)

On April 5th, one of Korea’s representative rock bands, No Brain, made their return with the release of their sixth official album, “High Tension“!

The band first formed in 1996 at a club in Hongdae and has since grown into a veteran band with 15 years of experience under their belt. Their strong lyrical messages and punk rock sound has garnered them an impressive fanbase over the years, one that has managed to overcome their five year hiatus.

Amusingly in tune to the current trend of multiple title tracks, the group has declared “Radio Radio” and “Necktie” their double title tracks. “Radio Radio” was written by vocalist Lee Sung Woo and composed by guitarist Jung Min Jun, while “Necktie” is the sole work of Jung Min Jun.

A representative commented, “The album is a sort of oasis for those living fatigued lives in the bustling city. With lyrics that anyone can connect to, the album carries with it a message of support and hope to treat the scars of those wounded.” - AllKPop.com (04.05.2011)

On April 5th, one of Korea’s representative rock bands, No Brain, made their return with the release of their sixth official album, “High Tension“!

The band first formed in 1996 at a club in Hongdae and has since grown into a veteran band with 15 years of experience under their belt. Their strong lyrical messages and punk rock sound has garnered them an impressive fanbase over the years, one that has managed to overcome their five year hiatus.

Amusingly in tune to the current trend of multiple title tracks, the group has declared “Radio Radio” and “Necktie” their double title tracks. “Radio Radio” was written by vocalist Lee Sung Woo and composed by guitarist Jung Min Jun, while “Necktie” is the sole work of Jung Min Jun.

A representative commented, “The album is a sort of oasis for those living fatigued lives in the bustling city. With lyrics that anyone can connect to, the album carries with it a message of support and hope to treat the scars of those wounded.” - AllKPop.com (04.05.2011)

Cine21 is the oldest movie magazine in Korea. No Brain acted in a movie named 'Radio Star' as a local punk band in 2006. This movie which was about an old rockstar and his new career as a radio DJ was a big hit. - Cine21

Cine21 is the oldest movie magazine in Korea. No Brain acted in a movie named 'Radio Star' as a local punk band in 2006. This movie which was about an old rockstar and his new career as a radio DJ was a big hit. - Cine21

This is an interview of No Brain about their past 15 yrs and the future. Yeonhap News is one of the biggest newspaper in Korea. - Yeonhap news

This is an interview of No Brain about their past 15 yrs and the future. Yeonhap News is one of the biggest newspaper in Korea. - Yeonhap news

Buldaegal-the vocal- of No Brain is from a small port city in Korea. He made a song about the city and his hommies for No Brain's new album. - Kyunghyang Sports(newspaper)

Buldaegal-the vocal- of No Brain is from a small port city in Korea. He made a song about the city and his hommies for No Brain's new album. - Kyunghyang Sports(newspaper)

No Brain supports Korean soccer league and they made songs for Samsung team. They often have shows at the soccer field before or between games. This is an interview with Mediawall about it. - Mediawall

No Brain supports Korean soccer league and they made songs for Samsung team. They often have shows at the soccer field before or between games. This is an interview with Mediawall about it. - Mediawall

This article is about Korean independent lables and their musicians. No Brain and their lable- Roxta Muzik and Live was one of them. - FOUND magazine

This article is about Korean independent lables and their musicians. No Brain and their lable- Roxta Muzik and Live was one of them. - FOUND magazine

No Brain was the headliner of Let's Rock Festival 2011(and 2012 too.) - FOUND magazine

No Brain was the headliner of Let's Rock Festival 2011(and 2012 too.) - FOUND magazine

No Brain supported Korn on the main stage. Pentaport Rock Festival is one of the biggest and oldest rock festival in Korea. - FOUND magazine

No Brain supported Korn on the main stage. Pentaport Rock Festival is one of the biggest and oldest rock festival in Korea. - FOUND magazine

This is the second half of the cover story. - FOUND magazine

This is the second half of the cover story. - FOUND magazine

FOUND magazine is Korean culture magazine(FOUND magazine is printed over 30000 copies and also have an online website-www.foundmag.co.kr) . No Brain was on the cover in June 2011. - FOUND magazine

FOUND magazine is Korean culture magazine(FOUND magazine is printed over 30000 copies and also have an online website-www.foundmag.co.kr) . No Brain was on the cover in June 2011. - FOUND magazine