South Carnival, the band known for modernizing the unique language and culture of Jeju Island, released their new single 'Molteuli' today at noon.
South Carnival has been reimagining the 'island's sense' by incorporating Jeju's shamanism, haenyeo culture, folklore, and daily life into their lyrics and melodies. They create the 'sound of the island' by blending traditional and modern elements with an Afrobeat-based sound, offering a unique Korean-style world music that seamlessly merges local and global influences.
The new single 'Molteuli' refers to a person who takes care of horses in Jeju. The song draws from childhood memories of following the singer's father, who was a Molteuli, and bonding with horses. The track features vocalizations like 'eoryeoryeoryeoryeo,' which are based on actual sounds used to communicate with horses, and warmly portrays the loneliness, confidence, and bond felt by a young Molteuli.
With the release of this single, South Carnival is set to embark on an active international tour. On July 23, they will perform at the 'Radical Music Network 2025' indoor music festival in Shibuya, Tokyo, alongside artists from Japan and Spain. Following this, they will take the stage at Japan's largest music festival, the 'Fuji Rock Festival 2025,' from July 25 to 27, performing at 'The Palace Of Wonder' stage. These performances are part of the '2025 Overseas Performance Support Project for Popular Music' organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency.
South Carnival also plans to release another new single in August, further expanding their presence as a 'band that sings Jeju' beyond Korea to international stages.
Reported by Kim Se-ah, Ten Asia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr