Bio : Balming Tiger
A diverse music collective taking their name from the famous Asian ointment “Tiger Balm”. Balming Tiger describes themselves as a "multinational alternative K-pop band" with a desire to create an impact globally.
The main creative vision of Balming Tiger is to reflect and represent the younger generation of today’s society. Aiming to further popularise Asian culture throughout the world.
The collective consists of performers Omega Sapien, sogumm, bj wnjn, and Mudd the student, producers San Yawn and Unsinkable, video directors Jan' Qui and Leesuho, visual artist Chanhee Hong, DJ Abyss, and writer Henson Hwang. Each artist in this ensemble expresses a different artistic identity and energy, as well as a wide range of versatility.
From their debut mixtape “Balming Tiger vol.1: 虎媄304”, to their hit single “SEXY NUKIM(feat. RM of BTS)“, Balming Tiger takes advantage of the opportunities provided by the Internet, and uses it as a platform for music distribution. They choose to approach music from a versatile standpoint rather than one recurring genre.
Omega Sapien is the Frontman of Balming Tiger. By merging different aspects of various music styles, he aims to create a unique hybrid sound within the rap genre. As a third-culture kid, he was born in Seoul, then moved to China at a young age, and is currently attending Keio University in Tokyo. Aside from his debut album "Garlic" he has been pushing boundaries by collaborating with a diverse pool of artists such as; Baauer, Jay Park, CL, Audrey Nuna, Lil Cherry, and Colde, leaving a strong impression on his audience for his versatility. He released an EP "Wuga" produced by Baauer in 2022, and the album's track "Plum" was used as the commercial music for the 2022 MacBook Air new model.
Mudd the student (Singer-songwriter, Rapper, and Producer)
Mudd the student is a 22-year-old Korean singer-songwriter discovered by Balming Tiger. He creates genre-destructive music that represents "Generation Z." Using his production, singing, and rapping skills, he made it to the final round of the "2019 VANS Musicians Wanted" contest in Korea. He received critical acclaim for his debut EP "Field Trip" released by Balming Tiger. And he grew up to be a very famous artist in the local scene by appearing on Korea's biggest music reality show, "Show Me The Money".
You will be transported into an ethereal trance by her voice alone. sogumm writes more songs than any other artist, but none fall short of expectations. Her soulful tracks on SoundCloud first gained her an audience, and since then she has been on top of artists' collaboration wish lists to be featured in their songs - especially in the hip-hop and R&B genres. sogumm released two full-length albums in 2019, which landed her a double nomination for Best Soul & R&B at the 2020 Korean Music Awards. She has released massive collaborations in 2020 with OHHYUK of HYUKOH, 10CM, and ZICO, further cementing her place in the Korean music scene with her own unique style and groove. sogumm released her latest studio album "Precious" in 2021 and clearly imprinted her name in the Korean music market.
bj wnjn (Singer-songwriter and Producer)
The multitalented bj wnjn is not only a master of vocals but also a master of beat-making and keyboard. In his music, you can hear aspects of both R&B and Soul, along with delicate details of digital music and classical nuances at the same time. His most recent appearances were on Balming Tiger's "JUST FUN!" and Zion.T's "Blank Face". bj wnjn also co-wrote and produced all the tracks for sogumm's debut album "Sobrightttttttt."
Leesuho (Producer and Video Director)
Balming Tiger's latest recruit Leesuho is a music producer and video director. In 2018, he released his debut EP and received high praise from music critics. Leesuho led a video production company called Boring Studio that made music videos for artists such as J-HOPE of BTS, Lil Cherry, Woo, SE SO NEON, and sogumm. His production credits include collaborations with avant-garde artists such as Kid Milli, Kim Ximya and Omega Sapien. Leesuho’s latest full-length album “Monika” is out now through Balming Tiger.
With his trendy and experimental beat-making skills, Unsinkable is a rising star in the pool of producers and DJs. His impressive discography includes collaborations with Korea's hottest names such as Paloalto, Kirin, Crush and Dingo Damoim (The Quiett, Yumdda, Simon Dominic, Paloalto, Deepflow). Unsinkable's Flip of Daniel Caesar's "Get You," which was introduced by the Majestic Casual, is gaining traction outside the local music scene. Balming Tiger's main producer penned well-received tracks such as "Armadillo", "Kolo Kolo" and "LOOP?". His production skills and remixes have attracted fans such as Aminé and Daniel P Carter.
San Yawn (Creative Director and Producer)
San Yawn is the founder, leader, executive producer, creative director and heart of Balming Tiger. He is responsible for conceptualizing, composing, producing, and distributing the collective's creative outputs. In all areas of Balming Tiger, San Yawn lends his brilliant mind and unique touch to curate a collective of weird and wonderful geniuses.
Jan' Qui is one of Balming Tiger’s Video and Visual Directors. Throughout the 2010s, he has directed numerous music videos, including Keith Ape's "It G Ma" and Okasian's "No Flex Zone Remix". Using extraordinary visual productions, Jan'Qui provides his audiences with an unexpected twist, which can be seen in Balming Tiger's "CHEF LEE", "못 UNDERSTAND." and Omega Sapien's "Serenade for Mrs. Jeon"
Abyss has been involved in Korea's subculture scene since 2010 and is currently the DJ and A&R manager for Balming Tiger. The DJ and music curator is widely known for her curatorial work for some of Seoul’s most popular nightclubs such as Soap, Cakeshop, and Henz, she is also known for her unique style of mixing R&B, hip-hop, and electronic bass. DJ Abyss is a living testimony and a queen of Korean subculture and is without a doubt a household name.
Henson Hwang (Writer and Editor)
Henson is the content writer for Balming Tiger. In addition to majoring in Korean language and literature at university, he worked as a content creator for Korea's largest online content network and hip-hop music agency HIPHOPPLAYA. Before joining Balming Tiger, he worked as an editor for HYPEBEAST where he met the collective's founder. As of now, Henson is preparing to make his literary debut through Balming Tiger in 2022.
Chanhee Hong (Visual Artist, Stylist and Photographer)
Hong Chanhee was born in 2001 and is still very young. However, he majored in art from art school and went to the best art university in Korea, and he already has a great influence in the street scene in Korea. He has directed the visuals of the top local fashion brands, and stands out in all visual areas, including video, photography, and styling.