On the 21st of August at 6 PM, AKMU released their fourth single, ‘Love Lee.’ This marks AKMU’s return to the music scene after approximately two years, following the release of their collaborative album ‘NEXT EPISODE’ in July 2021.
AKMU, who made their debut in 2014 after winning the SBS audition program ‘K팝스타’ Season 2, gained immense popularity with their simple yet profound lyrics and melodic songs. However, their musical journey took an experimental turn, led by Lee Chanhyuk, which wasn’t entirely aligned with Lee Suhyun’s desires. This ultimately led to a slump in Lee Suhyun’s career.
During a press conference held at YG Entertainment’s office in Hapjeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 21st, Lee Chanhyuk expressed his regrets, saying, “I think Suhyun has been struggling with her thoughts about music because I pushed too hard to incorporate what I wanted into our music. I realized that a bit too late, and I feel responsible for Suhyun’s slump.”
He continued, “Our previous musical direction focused more on what I wanted than what Suhyun wanted. Last year, when I released my solo album, I did everything I wanted to do. It provided me with a platform for solo activities and project albums. We decided that AKMU should now return to making music that people love. In the future, AKMU will undoubtedly focus on creating music that people enjoy.”
Their latest single, ‘Love Lee,’ reflects the sentimental feelings of AKMU’s early days. The track ‘후라이의 꿈’ features bouncy synth sounds and an addictive chorus, coupled with lyrics that personify a fried egg, delivering a comforting message. The song was first performed at a concert in 2014 and was included in this single thanks to the continuous support from their dedicated fans. Suhyun explained, “Chanhyuk gave a gift to IU unnie, and IU unnie officially handed it over to me for release as a song in her ‘Palette’ album.”
The title track, ‘Love Lee,’ combines acoustic sounds, rhythmic drums, and emotional vocals. The title cleverly utilizes the word ‘러블리’ (Lovely), signifying cuteness, and the last name ‘이’ (Lee), which both Chanhyuk and Suhyun share. Suhyun said, “As I continued with AKMU, it became increasingly difficult to align with my brother’s style, and I promised myself that I wanted to create the music I desired. I don’t want any more challenges. Let’s go back to 10 years ago. I want to make light-hearted songs like ‘200%.’ ‘Love Lee’ can be considered as the sequel to ‘200%.'”
The lyrics feature playful rhymes and witty expressions, presenting a candid and delightful affection that brings back memories of AKMU’s previous love songs, evoking a pleasant sense of excitement.
The music video for ‘Love Lee’ showcases AKMU’s cheerful charm within a vibrant color palette. Suhyun transforms into Cupid, helping Chanhyuk with his proposal, adding a captivating visual element to the song.
As AKMU celebrates their 10th year since debut, they have returned with the lively and cheerful emotions that characterized their early years. Fans can look forward to a new chapter in AKMU’s career as they promise to focus on creating music that resonates with the masses, leaving behind their experimental phase.
