On the back of growing interest in rock music and the development of an environment and platforms for rock bands in Korea, CNBlue is poised to showcase its long-honed performance skills, poetic lyrics and electrifying guitar riffs in a new album.

“As more rock bands gain popularity in Korea and platforms for live performances improve, we believe it's the perfect time to share our music with the world,” said the band’s frontman Jung Yong-hwa during a press interview held on Oct. 7 at its agency FNC Entertainment’s building in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, for the release of its 10th EP, “X,” after a three-year hiatus.


"We are so excited to be back with a meaningful album in about three years,” said Lee Jung-Shin, the band's bass guitarist, during an interview. "We wanted to release new music annually, but concerts and tours pushed our plans back. It's surprising how quickly three years have passed."

Released at 6 p.m. Monday, the new album, "X," features six songs in total, including the lead track, "A Sleepless Night." This mid-tempo rock song is inspired by a line from poet Ha Sang-wook and evokes the haunting memories of lost love.

The album also includes the energetic guitar-focused rock songs "BAD BAD" and "Racer," the heartfelt ballad "To. My Love," Lee's self-composed modern rock song "Personal Color" and Kang's self-composed R&B track "Tonight."

"I stumbled upon a short poem by Ha Sang-wook that seemed perfectly suited for lyrics," said Jung regarding the lead track. "The melody I created complemented the poem beautifully."

"There was a time when we prioritized electronic sounds to create a more upbeat atmosphere. However, we've come to appreciate the value of returning to our roots and incorporating more authentic band sounds."

Despite having a 15-year-long career as a veteran rock band, the members still feel a burning passion to showcase and prove their live performance abilities.

"I feel like we still have so much to show. We've had limited opportunities for live performances, so we’re eager to showcase our skills more often," Jung said.

Debuting in 2010, at a time when even major music shows struggled to provide adequate support for bands and their performances, CNBlue found it hard to truly showcase its live performance skills.

"We were often asked to 'hand-sync' instead of playing our instruments live, and we even had to fund our own live performances because we were so passionate about performing live," Jung said. "When we debuted, there was a lot of pessimism surrounding us. Now, we feel confident that we can truly demonstrate our capabilities. In the past, our focus was often on our on-screen appearance, but now we're committed to showcasing our music authentically."

Looking back on their career, all members agreed that their most precious memory was when they debuted with “Bluetory” (2010).

"I remember the pure joy of recording our first album in 2010," Jung said. "Before its release, I would drive around with unfinished recordings, deliberately opening the window to observe people's reactions. Every day was filled with excitement, from practicing to anticipating our debut. Even during tough times, our pure love for music kept us going."

The members also expressed their confidence in showing their fans a better side of themselves in the future.

"Over the past 15 years, we've proven ourselves with numerous hit songs. But we won't stop there. We're constantly striving for more," said Lee.

"Our ability to think on our feet and adapt to less-than-ideal live settings has improved," Lee added. "Even though it might seem a bit late, we're now better equipped. We've gained more energy and are doing more live performances."

The CNBlue members say they want to be a band that never goes out of fashion, referencing the likes of Metallica and Oasis.

"Even if you're old, you can still be cool," Jung said. "Overseas bands like Metallica and Oasis are respected simply for their existence. Their concerts are successful, and they're seen as timeless. I hope we can achieve the same status in Korea. I want the popularity of band music to grow and endure, like wine. I hope our seniors can continue their careers for a long time and that there are more opportunities for bands to perform."

CNBlue's live performances are set to continue until the end of the year at various festivals like the Grand Mint Festival 2024 and 7 Rock Prime. Leading up to the album’s release, the band has already held many performances, including at festivals like Peak Festival 2024, Soundberry Festa’ 24 and the Busan International Rock Festival.

“We were very surprised at how our fans, including college students at university festivals, remember us and passionately respond to our performances,” said the band’s drummer Kang Min-hyuk. “The Busan International Rock Festival was an absolute blast, and we can't wait to replicate that excitement at future live events.”

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]