--When talking about Cadejo's music, I think one important keyword is "FREE." Please tell us what you mean by this word.
Kim Jae-ho
It's true that Cadeho often uses the word "FREE" in their songs and events. It all started with a self-organized event called "FREESEASON." Before that, we would go to a set venue and play songs that matched the organizer's concept.
But "FREESEASON" is an event where we'll improvise music in the daytime, somewhere other than underground, and have fun together. It's an event that's packed with all the things we want to do. "FREE" is important to Cadeho in the sense that it's an activity that's not bound by place, time, genre, etc.
--Your songs seem to be filled with various musical elements that can't be categorized into a genre. What kind of music have you two pursued?
Jaeho
Before I became a musician, I was a skateboarder. At the time, skateboarders had two choices for music: hip hop or punk. I liked punk, so I started playing the bass.
However, once I started playing an instrument, the music I listened to changed a little. The music I enjoyed playing was black music. The musician who influenced me was D'Angelo.
Lee Seung-jun
In the early 2000s, when I was a student, I listened to mostly Korean hip hop. At the same time, I loved Japanese anime, and there were a lot of great theme songs and soundtracks for anime, so I got to know a lot of different musicians and cultures through that.
In my opinion, the combination of Korean hip hop and Japanese anime resulted in m-flo (laughs).
--That's an interesting observation (laughs). I think improvisation is a distinctive feature of your music, but how do you go about creating it in detail, like recording?
Jaeho
It's not that different from a live performance (laughs). I try to bring the atmosphere and vibes I get from a live performance into the recording studio as much as possible.
Of course, new songs are born during the recording process. I guess it's a matter of trying to keep the improvisational atmosphere alive while also finalizing the songs as much as possible.
--Another feature of your work is your collaborations with musicians from a wide range of genres, such as rapper Nucksal and folk singer Lee Hee-moon. Why do you think collaborations are so important?
Jaeho
We were originally an instrumental band, but the range of our performances gradually expanded based on the music that each member had within them. For collaborations, we asked musicians with musical styles that we didn't have, and as a result, we were able to expand our own possibilities.
Our most recent collaboration is for our next album, Endless (out June 6th), and I think it's the most intense collaboration we've had in terms of Cadeho's sound.
Dub engineer Naoyuki Uchida came to our studio in Korea and presented the direction of the sound as if he were a member of the band. As a result, keyboardist Emerson Kitamura also joined us. I think it was a very meaningful collaboration.
--Once the album is released, your activities will likely increase. Do you think you'll have a chance to come to Japan?
Seungjun
We're planning a live performance in September, and our first ever "FREESEASON" in Japan in November. Look forward to it!
Festivals, people, and online magazines to check out for a regular look at Korea today
Festival
DMZ stands for Demilitarized Zone. This music festival will be held in the Demilitarized Zone in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province from June 13th to 15th, singing songs of peace. Artists from both Korea and abroad will be gathering. TENDOUJI and South Germany will be participating from Japan. Instagram: @dmzpeacetrain
People
He is a genius video director who has worked on music videos for Silica Gel and aespa, and is also active as a game developer. "The videos he makes are full of surprises, and he even makes games. I want to ask him when he sleeps," says Seungjun. Instagram: @meltmirror
by Yoshimi Hatori
Magazine
Commonly known as "AoB," the site disseminates band information under the message "A band boom is coming." "Paperless media has become mainstream in Korea recently. If you check here, you can find out about the latest Korean music," says Seungjun. Instagram: @ageofband
