From the outside, it seems this eclecticism stems from the make-up of the band itself: the 11 members (Henson Hwang, Omega Sapien, sogumm, Mudd the student, bj wnjn, DJ Abyss, Jan’ Qui, Leesuho, San Yawn, Unsinkable and Chanhee Hong) come from all walks of life and represent different ages (ranging from early 20s to 40s), genders, styles and specialities. Among the group are rappers, DJs, producers, creative director, vocalists, art and video directors, stylists and more; and they all grew up in different parts of the world before they banded together in Seoul.  

It’s an amalgamation that works for them, though, and the band is looking at a very busy 2023. Besides Hong Kong’s Clockenflap, Balming Tiger has booked a dozen dates across the US and Europe, and have earnt a place in lineups for some of Asia’s most prestigious festivals, including Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. 

It’s evident from their busy schedule that this self-proclaimed “first alternative K-pop band” is drawing attention from both the mainstream and indie scenes. And part of Balming Tiger’s success comes from their respect and incorporation of K-pop, and its lack of boundaries, but also their desire to reframe the public’s perception of the genre. 

“K-pop can mean everything you want,” Hwang says. “It’s not a genre because there’s R’n’B, there’s Hip Hop, there are ballades... But these days, K-pop is only perceived through K-pop idols, and we want to redefine that.” 

They have a point. Because while K-pop has amassed undeniable popularity worldwide, what are best known are super-bands like BigBang, BlackPink and BTS; but there is a thriving indie music scene in Seoul that has also been working steadily towards the same level of global recognition, and Balming Tiger is a part of that scene.

Typically, there is a clear distinction between mainstream and indie music scenes. Whether that is in their approach to music and the industry or their reach, and it’s not unusual for the indie scene to want to separate itself from the mainstream arena. However, for Balming Tiger, to distance themselves from mainstream music would be lending to the narrative that K-pop is strictly a commercial, homogenous and manufactured genre, when, in fact, it’s time to embrace it and expand its definition. 

“If you grew up in South Korea, you were influenced by K-pop. Saying otherwise would be a lie, so we didn’t want to deny that fact,” Hwang says, and adds that what they want is “to redefine the meaning of K-pop, and make people think about what K-pop is”.

Excitingly, Balming Tiger has a powerful ally in driving this evolution of the public’s understanding of K-pop: BTS’s leader RM. Together, they released SEXY NUKIM in 2022, a hypnotic track with a mesmerising music video. 

This collaboration is one way in which the band is creating something new to contribute to the K-pop scene, and rather than disregarding the distinction between genres, Hwang says they are just making “music that people don't know how to define” and breaking down boundaries. A goal shared by some of their peers, “and RM was one of them”.

SEXY NUKIM—which translates to “sexy feel”—has amassed more than 14 million views on YouTube since it released in September last year. In it, they rap about “Asian sexiness” and “Asian cool”, hot topics worldwide right now as pop culture (slowly) move away from the opinion that Asian men cannot be sexy or masculine. In its own way, the song—along with the rising popularity of Asian stars in Hollywood such as Simu Liu and Henry Golding—is diversifying how Asians are seen on the international stage.

Whether or not that contribution is deliberate, it has certainly played a role in the group’s success—but will that success change Balming Tiger at all? It seems unlikely.

“We are so grateful that many countries and cultures are paying a lot of attention to us,” Hwang says. “Getting a lot of feedback [gives us so much] energy... Now, we’re using that energy as a driving force to continue [our path] according to our vision.”

Well, as the saying goes: a tiger cannot change its stripes. 

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