'These days there are a lot of problems with pop songs', 'All of the songs are the same hook song and auto tune.' These lyrics are the part of criticism on the present Korean popular songs filled with monotonous songs, which was made by a singer San-E in 2010. And now in 2014, new kinds of song are loved by people who got tired of similar melodies and lyrics produced by big entertainment agencies. It's "Indie Music". Indie music introduces different songs from the standardized existing ones. In this Stage & Music section, I'll introduce distinctive Indie music which presents novelty and freshness to your ears.   The readers who say 'I’m knowledgeable in music', may have listened the term 'Indie Music' at least once. However, people know rarely the meaning of 'Indie band' or 'Indie Music'.. The 'Indie' is the abbreviation for independence. In the dictionary, you can find that Indie is defined as group or bands which play or produce music independently and not belong to big agencies to create the kinds of music they want. In other words, they are musicians who play characteristic and non-commercial music. At first, Indie musician played music in the street but now they do successful record activities. Recently, Indie musicians have been appearing on ground-wave TV and broadening their popularity. As more and more Indie musicians are becoming popular, various stages are springing up such as Indie music festival. I'll introduce some Indie musicians who have unique individuality. Let's feel Indie Music's attraction and listen to their songs.

1. Oksangdalbit (BGM Good job, today)
  First, I'll let you know female-duo Indie band 'Oksangdalbit' base on acoustic sounds. Their music has a strong point that anyone can approach their music with ease by listening to their natural lyrics and friendly songs instead of strong sound. Their bright and cheerful songs caught popularity. Also instruments such as xylophone, castanets, and melodeon add vividness to their songs. Their nickname 'Healing Group' was given thanks to their songs which give consolation and power to the 20’s, like <Good job, today> and <Having nothing is my Merit>.

2. Soran (BGM Don't lose weight)
  Next Indie band 'Soran' is composed of 4 men of strong personality. Soran means ‘Noisy’ in Korean. However, unlike their band name, they are not noisy. The songs are calm and peaceful. And they were selected as 'Best Rookie' in the radio, performance, and various festivals. They play lively music taking advantage of a band group which can communicate with public. And their witty and sensible lyrics inspired by everyday life are in vogue and are introduced throughout abroad famous bloggers.

3. Brother Su (BGM Upstairs woman)
  Lastly, Indie musician 'Brother Su' has a sweet voice like a marshmallow. His music is derived from black music. So he pursues both unique and familiar music which can be accepted to people who listen to it for the first time. For this reason, he has been loved by a lot of people regardless of genre. He has the ability to write and compose songs as well as rapping ability. Also he has his own definite color of music. Therefore people can recognize 'Brother Su style' when they listen to their melodies and lyrics.
  Through an interview with Brother Su, I could understand more deeply Indie music. "In the past, the world of music is filled with idol music and big agencies’ music. These days, however, various genres such as hip-hop and R&B are often in the top of the charts. It means many people tend to enjoy diverse kinds of music. I anticipate that before long, the wall between mainstream and Indie music will crumble down and then we will be able to talk about Indie music and mainstream music in the same category.

  One student who loves Indie music talked about the attraction of Indie music. "Indie music has wider range of subjects than pop songs. In contrast to pop songs singing about love and farewell, Indie music treats various subjects such as life, trip, coffee, and getting a job. So I can feel freshness and fun when I listen to Indie music" (Lim Sung Kyu, Urban planning 4). As we can see, Indie music contributes to expanding and diversifying the world of music. It's no exaggeration to say that Indie music represents the anxious but distinctive youth in their twenties. I hope Gachon university students to get consolation from listening to Indie songs.