The hooky punk genius of Idiots
By Sam Dougherty (@samtdougherty)
Playing anthems with undeniable joy and a wholesome punk spirit, Idiots have become one of Seoul's must-see bands. The group tells Platform their story and the process of making infectious songs while staying true to their ethos of simply enjoying each other's company.
"At first, we were just a hobby band," says band founder Hyoguen, "I wanted to make a band where skill wasn't important." While meeting the foursome at a bar in the Sangsu area of Seoul, Idiots explain how they formed through a band club at Gyeongi University. Hyoguen used to go to shows with bassist Roto, and met drummer Taeyoung after watching him play in a practice room.
"Time moves so fast," says Taeyoung, after realizing that most of the band members met nearly 12 years ago.
After Hyoguen's mandatory military service, he returned, and the band reformed and found a new guitarist. This was Juna, who joined after listening to a demo of the band, and she would eventually become the lead singer of Idiots in 2019 - when Hyoguen says, "Our history of playing as a real band started." Before then, "we would play music, eat together, and play Nintendo Switch. It was just for fun."
"I was really shy," says Juna about her early experience as band frontperson, "I'm a really shy person, so four or five years ago, I was nervous on stage, and I spoke really quietly: "We are idiots."
"But now she's really good at it!" says Taeyoung, and it's hard to disagree with him. When seeing the group recently at Cafe Idaho in Hongdae, Juna and the rest of the band were formidable on stage, leading the audience in cheers and playing with an energy that left people in the crowd leaving their seats to dance. "Punk bands and sitting… unacceptable." jokes Hyoguen.
In concerts and on their great 2023 album, Us, nowadays, the band can't help but bring the hooks. It's difficult to pick a standout track from the record when every song hits, but band favourites We and Tinnitus never let up and feature some incredibly shout-alongable moments. Even a softer meditative track like Last Station has a great sense of melody and momentum.
These songs seem so effortlessly catchy that one could think the band simply wakes up in the morning and writes three great songs before lunchtime every day, but by the band's account, it takes hard work and time to craft these gems.
Songwriting duties are mostly split between Hyoguen and Juna. "Some songs are only written by Juna or myself, but I think it's best when we write together", says Hyoguen. While they both come up with many songs and ideas, they all have to pass the test of the band's "filter": Taeyoung.
"I'm a picky guy," jokes Taeyoung. "One day, Hyoguen wrote some songs, and I listened to them. It gave me goosebumps, but not in a good way. It's because they were awful."
"Hyoguen makes many songs. It's very important for us. But just a few songs make it past the filter," adds Juna. This spirit of collaboration and dedication to good taste is perhaps a big reason why every Idiots track works.
Subject matter varies between the two songwriters, but their sensibilities make for a good pairing. Hyoguen's songs follow punk rock's more political traditions, with support for the labour and queer movements in Korea. "Punk bands have to fight the power," he adds.
Juna, on the other hand, is more introspective. "My songs are almost too in my mind", she says. "Being with somebody. That is the theme. People connecting and being together. And my cat!"
Their songs, at times, can bring to mind the opening credits music of an anime, and they hear that often. An enjoyment of Japanese rock is a commonality between all four members. "So many Japanese punk bands inspire us," says Roto. The band played memorable concerts in Kobe and Kyoto in 2023 and will be returning to Japan for a tour with fellow rockers Chungyoile this May.
One day, Roto says he wants to play in large venues abroad. The band has ambitions for continued success, but they insist that more important than money to them is just having people show up to their gigs.
If Idiots come across as a family, in some ways, they literally are. Juna and Roto have been married since 2022 after first meeting in the band. This sense of closeness is heard in Idiots' music, and on stage, the whole band just seems happy to hang out together. "I think friendship is the most important thing," says Hyoguen.
The name 'Idiots' came from Hyoguen's belief that "Even if you're stupid, you can play." This sentiment and the genuine care the band has for each other makes the band's charm undeniable, while their instrumental wizardry and song-making craft foretell more success.
"From idiots to geniuses", jokes Juna, and she's certainly right about the genius part.
For more information on Idiots, follow them on Instagram here.
