The Korea Music Label Industry Association (KMLIA)–operated "Kindie Lounge" introduces four indie music releases in December 2025 to fill the year-end mood.
The works selected this time leave a deep impression as singer-songwriters and bands gaining attention in the independent music scene sing comfort and reflection, experimentation and expansion in their own languages.
First, on Dec. 5, singer-songwriter Yoon Seok-won of Munhwa In Co., Ltd. released the digital single "Baby Robot." The song, which unpacks the confusion and anxiety faced during the early career years using the symbol of a "baby robot," carries a message of encouragement to oneself to move forward even in clumsy and unstable states. Over a warm sound that blends acoustic guitar, pluck synths and electric guitar, Yoon Seok-won's straightforward vocal delicately soothes the emotions of the transition into adulthood.
Next, on Dec. 15, Yoom Myung-jong, an artist under MPMG Music and the keyboardist for the Yuda-bin Band, released his first solo EP "afterglow." Released about four years after his debut single "Someday," this EP is a autobiographical record of the anxieties and emotional surges experienced through his 20s. The title track "What day was it" is an alternative-based synth-pop track that expresses, through music, the gaze that confronts oneself amid emptiness and fatigue. Through a solo sound distinct from his band activity, Yoom Myung-jong more clearly reveals his unique musical color.
On the 17th, Redemptionz of Ruby Records released the new song "Hiding in the corner again," presenting a punk rock sound with a new resolve. Choosing a refreshing and upbeat cheer-punk style instead of a strong rock drive, the song conveys the message "don't hide in the corner, raise your voice" with high-teen sensibility. The sound that evokes a 1990s school hallway and the repeated "Hey! Ho!" chant function as an energy to find the voice of the self, beyond a simple shout. In the flow of the series continued from the previous work "Receiver," Redemptionz are exploring another possibility of punk rock.
Finally, Rovers, a band on Rabbit Hole, a modern rock label under Hucks Music, released their first full-length album "Overcast" on Dec. 19, greatly expanding their musical spectrum. Featuring 11 tracks, this album realizes a rare groovy sound in Korea by combining synth-pop and alternative rock. It tells stories of "things that disappeared and come back" and "moments when you keep walking even after collapsing," completing the genre experiments pursued since their 2022 debut into a more solid team identity.
Kindie Lounge delivers new concert information weekly through its official website and social media, including this December release introduction. It will also continuously introduce the latest indie music issues and vivid stories of artists through "Kindie Magazine," an indie music specialty magazine, and "Channel Kindie," which contains artist interviews, live clips and festival sketches.
[Photo] Korea Music Label Industry Association
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