HolyBear, a Fresh Voice in Indie Folk Singing Nature's Harmony

One spring day in 2024, a young man sat down at Singing Playground, picked up his guitar, and began to sing. Under the warm midday sun, a passing elderly person and a child out for a walk with a puppy alike stopped in their tracks at the sound of his voice. At the center of it all was HolyBear.

Story

HolyBear is an indie folk artist working under the Pungryuhoe collective. Formed around singer-songwriter Lee Seong-jin, the group defines itself as both a 'team' and a 'solo act.' "Our direction is to be remembered by audiences as a 'tasteful' artist rather than a 'cool' one." Their musical philosophy is simple: singing about the diverse emotions felt in everyday life with their own brand of humor.

Characterized by lyrical sounds built on guitar playing, HolyBear's music freely crosses genre boundaries. The warmth of folk is layered with the free spirit of indie rock, and jazz-influenced chord progressions occasionally emerge. Their signature songs 'For Real,' 'Scattered,' 'Butterfly on my mind,' and 'Grown-up Kid' all start from personal experience and lead to universal resonance.

With a natural and comfortable musical palette, HolyBear is steadily building recognition in the indie music scene. They continue their journey, releasing albums through Folkranos.

Music

Meet Nonol on Nonol

Meet their music live at the Singing Playground.

🎵 "For Real"

"Found this song through a reel recommendation, loved it!! Way to go boy!" — This is the most-liked comment. This song, which has captivated even international listeners, was reportedly written during HolyBear's lowest point of self-esteem and depression. Born on a day spent lying listlessly, going to bed late and waking up late, it came from the realization "I can't keep living like this" the moment his eyes met his mother's.

The song's structure is simple but effective. A quiet confession beginning in the A melody transforms through the B melody into a heartfelt resolution in the chorus. His vocal transitions naturally from chest voice to head voice at the line "I need to stop being afraid and move forward," creating an emotional turning point. The guitar arrangement also effectively supports the song's message, starting with fingerstyle and expanding into strumming.

It's clear why over 11,000 people stopped before this stage.

🎵 "Scattered"

From the first note, you feel as though you're sitting on a sandy beach watching the waves. As the artist explained, "The word 'memories' seems to carry an inexplicable longing and emptiness," and this song sketches memories of last summer like writing in the sand.

The guitar intro, starting with arpeggios, repeats like waves washing in and receding. In the English lyrics section "You wave into me, I wave into you," harmonies widen from thirds to fifths, creating a sense of space. When the key lyric "my heart written in the sand disappears with the waves" arrives, his voice delivers it in a near-whisper low tone, maximizing the poignancy.

The vocal line in the mid-section "ah ah ah—" evokes Bon Iver's delicate sensibility and 10cm's lyrical melodies. Over 11,000 people connected with this summer memory.

🎵 "Butterfly on my mind"

This song was born in the studio during the winter of 2023. Focusing on the dual meaning of 'Butterfly,' HolyBear explained the inspiration: "It means butterfly, but it's also a word used to express a 'fickle heart.'" They captured the bittersweet moments in a relationship when both hearts feel the same but the message doesn't get through.

The harmonic progression is based on the classic pop chords Am-F-C-G, but Dm7 insertions throughout add a jazzy color. True to the artist's explanation of "words I want to deliver with a certain heart to the other person," his vocals in the chorus deliver stable high notes in mixed voice. The guitar solo section uses a simple melody line but effectively expresses the emotional climax.

Around 10,000 people found comfort in this fickle heart.

🎵 "Grown-up Kid"

"Excuse me sir, can I ask you something? How do you live after throwing away all your pride?" The opening lyrics are blunt. Listening to this song, you can vividly picture someone wandering through the chaotic late twenties. HolyBear introduced this song as "a song that's like our self-portrait."

It's a portrait of youth caught between adult responsibility and lingering childishness. The song structure follows a verse-pre chorus-chorus-bridge format, with different vocal tones in each section. The verse uses a conversational chest voice, the pre-chorus adds slight tension with mixed voice, and the chorus releases emotion with head voice.

The guitar arrangement is also intriguing. Muted strumming drives the rhythm in the verse, then expands to open chords in the chorus to support the emotional outpouring. There's a unique charm reminiscent of Radiohead's introverted sensibility meeting Jang Ki-ha and the Faces' candor.

Over 12,000 people deeply resonated with this self-portrait of a confusing era.

🎵 "Full ver | For Real, Scattered, Butterfly on my mind, Grown-up Kid"

What stands out in this full-version performance is the natural connection between songs. Before the last chord of 'For Real' fades, the first arpeggio of 'Scattered' begins, and each song's key and tempo mesh together perfectly. The setlist arrangement weaving four songs into a single story is impressive.

The improvisational vocal ornaments that can only be heard live are particularly striking. The ad-libs added in the final chorus of 'Grown-up Kid' deliver a sense of presence that studio versions can't match. The guitar playing also avoids monotony by using different techniques for each song: fingerpicking for 'For Real,' hybrid picking for 'Scattered,' classical guitar technique for 'Butterfly on my mind,' and percussive strumming for 'Grown-up Kid.'

Over 13,000 people were captivated by this polished live set. Performed under warm sunshine, this stage best showcases HolyBear's musical spectrum.

What Fans Say About Nonol

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HolyBear's music doesn't try to deliver grand messages. It simply sings honestly about the small emotions of everyday life. The helplessness when self-esteem hits rock bottom, the longing for fading memories, a wavering heart, the confusion felt between being an adult and still being a child. Emotions everyone experiences but finds hard to express — they translate them into music.

True to their pledge to "make the world a bit more joyful while purely making music," if you're curious about HolyBear's next story, come meet them first at Singing Playground.