Interview with Nemesis

Rock band Nemesis answered some of our questions about their origins, new album, the Korean music scene and the group's future plans.

Firstly, can you introduce yourselves to our readers and tell us one thing about yourself?

NEMESIS: Hi! We are the Korean rock band 'NEMESIS'. The name comes from the Greek goddess and there’s a hidden meaning: 'the strong ones you can't dare to win against.' Our music is often regarded as 'classical pop-rock', which is a somewhat unique genre to some people. We play not only mournful classical songs, but also candy-like sweet songs.

Our members are Vocal – Seungho Noh, Guitar&Piano – Sebin Ha , Guitar – Kwiseung Jeon, Bass – Sungwoo Choi, Drum – Euyseok Jeong.

Tell us a secret about one of the other members.

NEMESIS: As you can't judge a book by its cover, who we really are is very different from who people usually think we will be. For example, Kwiseung, he looks very manly, sometimes even cold, but in fact he is the most tender-hearted and the sweetest guy I know (he will become sulky if I go on, so…)

How did you meet and form the band? Was it easy for you to start working together?

NEMESIS: Except Seungho, we are all high school friends. Each of us was looking for a friend who could play any musical instruments. One drum, two guitars including me, and one bass guitar…this is how we started a rock band. As for Seungho, one of our friends introduced him to us before we made our debut album, so he was able to be our lead singer.

You started out as a 'visual rock' band but your image seems to have changed over the years. Do you still, or have you ever, considered yourselves a 'visual rock band'? Was this change a conscious decision or just a natural progression?

NEMESIS: When it comes to so-called 'visual rock', people think of very melodic music, which is basically how our songs are. But, what others think of, you know, is thick make-up and Baroque dresses; that's what we are trying to avoid. In the case of visual rock, appearance-wise, likes and dislikes are so clear, so people who dislike these kinda bands wouldn't even try to listen to their songs. It is a big disadvantage to a 'visual rock band'. So, we try to avoid that term.

You recently released your new album, The Piano. What can listeners expect from the album? How do you feel it differs from your previous releases?

NEMESIS: We emphasized the rich and beautiful tone of a piano in this album. There's a piano in every single song to make it more melodic and plaintive, and we also tried not to abandon our 'colors'. Previous albums were kind of unsophisticated, but this time it's more delicate.

The intro of the album Urineun sarangi-isseulkka – [Was it love], is a very gentle, almost classical track. How did you compose this, and was it difficult for you to compose in such a different style?

NEMESIS: In fact, many of our songs can be like Urineun sarangi-isseulkka – [Was it love] when you take out the guitars and drum, and slow down the tempo. I usually compose songs with the piano, so it was not that difficult.

What is your favourite song from the album and why?

NEMESIS: The title song Ending Credit was our favorite, and that's why it became the title song. And, I like Akpeul – [Evil comments]. It's a good combination of heavy sound, melodic voice, and Kim Seheon's nice voice.

Sebin, how did it feel to be working with Seheon again? What input do you feel he had on the track?

Sebin: Seheon has a great, attractive voice. When I think of something, he makes it real with his voice. I'm so glad he participated in this album, not to mention he helps us in many ways.

If money and personnel were no object, what would your dream Nemesis album be like? What concepts would you like to try? Who would you like to collaborate with?

IF it were possible, I would like to throw a concert with the full orchestra. Now I’m thinking of Metallica's concert with the San Francisco Symphony. Maybe if it's the Philharmonic orchestra, wouldn't it be just awesome?

NEMESIS, who/what is your nemesis?

Euyseok: To me, my nemesis is the DRUM itself. The drum is amazing, yet too infinite.
Kwiseung : Solitude. It drags you down. You have to fight this every day. And, empty space and silence. I guess it makes you down.

What do you think of the Korean music scene at the moment?

NEMESIS: It's a narrow market. No varieties in musical genres. When one genre becomes popular, then others go down. I hope that various music genres become popular together.

How do you feel about the current Hallyu Wave across Asia? Although Korean music is gaining popularity in Europe and America, do you think it will ever reach the same level of success in these markets?

NEMESIS: It is good that Korean music industry is expanding worldwide. But, there needs to be a great deal of effort because it is just a beginning stage. If more artists can share their music internationally, it will be a great opportunity for both the artists and Korean music industry.

What would you say to our readers who think that 'Korean music' is synonymous with 'K-pop'?

NEMESIS: K-pop is mostly known to foreigners as idol music. But, there are lots of other great musicians and various genres. You can't say K-pop is synonymous with Korean music, but I think we should admit the fact that K-pop is introducing Korea's pop culture, say, Korean music, to foreigners and it is, I'd say, encouraging.

As a rock band, do you feel that you have more difficulty in getting your music recognised in a market that is recognised for its pop groups?

NEMESIS: Frankly, rock genre is not that popular in Korea. Not many people listen to rock music and so TV programs hesitate to invite rock bands with fast beats and heavy guitar sounds. So, rock bands usually do live concerts, but there's a catch; A concert is only for someone who knows our music. It's hard to get closer to the public.

Which bands (Korean or otherwise) would you recommend our readers listen to?

NEMESIS: There are a lot of great bands, but I would recommend the latest album of the Korean band Dickpunks. The band consists of a piano, a bass guitar and a drum, but it's funky and there are great songs you can enjoy.

What are your plans for the future?

NEMESIS: We are planning nationwide tour, and we are trying to arrange some concerts outside the country. Gaining more recognition, getting closer to public with our music… That's what we're aiming for.

Do you have any favourite countries that you have been to? Which other countries would you like to visit?

NEMESIS: Each country we've been to, it's a new and refreshing experience in its own way. We've never been to South America. Their festive and passionate culture is somewhat different from our culture, so I want to visit countries in South America.

Any final messages for our readers?

NEMESIS: Thank you for the interest you have shown to us and the Korean music. We hope to meet you all at our concerts.


KoME would like to thank Nemesis for making this interview possible.