Rumbling with the Best in K-pop

To Choi Jin Yi, better known by her stage name, Rumble Fish, her rise to stardom has come full-circle. From coming out of relative obscurity back in 2003 to slowly becoming known to the mainstream, her success in the ballad-rock genre is noted by many. Her most recent hit, I Love You, I Love You [MV], garnered much praise for its whimsical, romantic tones.

Yet, Choi’s greatest success is most tied to her past. Before she was known as a solo singer, Rumble Fish used to be a four-person rock-pop group. Made of three guys and one girl, these four were known as one of the premier Korean rock-pop bands. From 2003 – 2010, the Rumble Fish crew consisted of:

Choi Jin-yi (최진이) : vocal
Kim Ho-il (심호근) : bass
Park Cheon-whi (박천휘) : drums
Lee Won-sang (이원상) : guitar

Debuting as an indie group, they didn’t have the luxury of being under a well-funded label such as SM Entertainment, YG, or JYP. Thus, to promote their music, they featured in venues at the popular Hongdae area in Seoul. They quickly developed a fan base at various clubs, as their once small indie gatherings soon became mini-concert sized.

4 Responses

  1. amy says:

    Great music, Jangta! I didn’t know about the group, but I’m more surprised in the change of type of music, Choi has really done a complete turn around. The good thing is that the band was signed before the genre change… the sad thing is that the change is what’s gotten Rumble Fish the most fans.

    Is there any website to buy her albums? I think I saw one album in YesAsia, but other digital places? iTunes maybe?

  2. Julyssa says:

    Wow! Oki, you have my attention, what albums of Rumble Fish should I listen to?

  3. Jangta says:

    Thanks for the comments! To your replies below:

    @Amy: I think Choi was somewhat forced to go more towards ballads and soft-rock after the group’s break up. As you know, ballads is the easiest choice to go as a solo singer here in Korea. I do agree though in that most fans were into the group’s pop-rock tunes from 2003-2010.

    As for where to buy her albums, I know YesAsia, iTunes, Kyobo Book Store (Korean), Evan Records (Korean) and Hot tracks (Korean) are places to buy them. Let me know if you need help if you plan on buying from a Korean chain.

    @Julyssa: I would say to start with Swing Attack, Open the Safe, and One Sweet Day to start out :).

    • amy says:

      @Jangta, I’m actually stopping in Seoul for about a week around March 21st, so I’m kinda looking forward seeing Korean albums in stores hahaha. Are there any gigs Between Mar21-28? Concert or gigs in Hong-dae?

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