Kim Saeyan — Songs Pulled from the Violet Deep Sea

The moment the first note sounds, it feels like sitting by a rainy window. That's the color of Kim Saeyan's music. Quiet but lasting, simple but deep. From her days performing under the name 'Se2' until now, she has explored her own violet deep sea. The records of that journey are the stories you can find at Nonol.

Story

Defining Kim Saeyan in a single word is difficult. The warmth of indie folk is topped with pop's familiarity, and sometimes contemporary experimentalism raises its head. After debuting with 'Aim for the sun' in December 2021, she has built her own worldview by handling not only lyrics, composition, and arrangement but also album art and music video planning herself.

Her music, where she says 'I will love all my personas,' fully contains the process of self-acceptance. Original songs like 'Dear my Island,' 'I Wish You'd Write It as an OST,' and 'Lullaby for Hozzi' each deal with different emotions — farewell, daily life, loss — but all serve as windows into the inner world of the artist Kim Saeyan.

Recently, Kim Saeyan took the stage at the finals of the '3rd Korean Language Original Song Festival.' Selected alongside Solilang Eommalang, Jane and Coral Reef, this stage shows her musical spectrum is widening. She was also selected for Kit Better's Weekly Kit Album in the 5th week of January, meeting listeners through the new format of physical albums for smart devices.

Her activities as the duo Plastic Salt, formed with producer Kim Doan, are also noteworthy. Their third collaborative album under the concept 'Even This Robot Has a Heart' is an example of how far Kim Saeyan's musical experiments can expand.

Kim Saeyan's music doesn't offer grand comfort. It simply sits quietly beside you, being there. Her journey from self-loathing toward self-acceptance is still ongoing. The island she sang about in 'Dear my Island' was a space of isolation, but now that island has become a new starting point.

Music

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Meet their music live at the Singing Playground.

🎵 "Greenu Blueme"

The moment the first note sounds, it feels like sitting by a rainy window. 'Greenu Blueme' carries the contrast of colors from its very title. Like the lyrics 'you called me your green, so why did you only give me blue,' this song sings about the color dissonance felt in relationships. Kim Saeyan's vocals maintain stable breathing in the mid-range, then add subtle vibration at the key lyrics 'there was someone I hated for a long time, and it was me.' A minimal piano-centered arrangement with intermittent cello adds emotional depth to the song.

15,000 people shared this moment of self-reflection.

🎵 "Lullaby for Hozzi"

The space that a full band sound filled in the original is deconstructed in the Nonol version with just piano and Kim Saeyan's voice. Written for her pet Hozzi, this song contains the anticipated sadness of farewell. Kim Saeyan's emotional expression reaches its peak at the line 'when I wanted to disappear, only you made me want to live.' The transition from chest voice to head voice in the chorus precisely matches the song's climax. The arrangement that slowed the tempo compared to the original to emphasize the weight of each word is impressive.

🎵 "Dear my Island"

'I cried watching this performance' — the most-liked comment. 41,000 views and 1,717 likes tell the story. This song has a magic that won't let you play it and leave. Starting with the lyrics 'let's go to the island, surrounded by the sea,' this song was said to be inspired by Minsu's 'Island.' Kim Saeyan's vocals capture delicate emotional changes. The restrained emotional expression at 'trapped in the world we built together' simultaneously evokes Billie Eilish's whispers and IU's lyricism. The melody line laid over acoustic guitar arpeggios sways like waves, wrapping the entire song.

🎵 "I Wish You'd Write It as an OST"

This song was born in Kim Saeyan's studio in winter 2023. She described it as 'a song I wrote out of boredom from watching predictable dramas,' but paradoxically, it's more dramatic than any drama OST. The lyrics 'on my way home, I thought of you / stopped walking and stood in the rain' are the epitome of cliche, but gain new life through Kim Saeyan's interpretation. The song follows a typical pop ballad format of intro-verse-chorus-bridge, but the vocal technique shown in transitions between sections stands out. 36,000 people were captivated by this 'little prank' of a song.

🎵 "[ AI MV ] Dear my Island"

From the first frame to the last, every moment is poetic. This AI music video, inspired by the Russo Brothers' 'The Electric State 2025,' depicts the harmony between a girl and a robot. The synergy created as Kim Saeyan's voice flows over the visuals feels like a love letter from the future. The contrast between the dystopian setting and hopeful message exquisitely matches the song's message. The way AI-generated images sync with each verse of the lyrics transcends traditional music video grammar. 14,000 people resonated with this futuristic sensibility.

🎵 "[ MV ] I Wish You'd Write It as an OST Official Music Video"

Knowing the backstory of this song versus not knowing provides a completely different listening experience. Kim Saeyan wrote this song intending to make a 'cliche OST for a predictable drama,' but the result contains emotions more real than any drama. The storytelling in the music video visually recreates each scene from the lyrics while building an independent narrative. Directed by Nam Jungbeon and Jeon Ahyeon, featuring Hwang Sunnyeong, Kang Seongcheol, Bae Seohwa, and Kim Hayun, this video captivated 17,000 hearts. The sound completed through Kim Youngshik's mixing and Choi Hyoyoung's mastering shows a different charm from the original Nonol live version.

🎵 "Kim Saeyan (Se2) Full Ver."

What to note in this full version is Kim Saeyan's vocal spectrum. The technique of precisely distinguishing each song's color while singing four songs consecutively stands out. The introverted energy shown in 'Greenu Blueme' transforms into lyrical appeal in 'Dear my Island' and popular accessibility in 'I Wish You'd Write It as an OST.' The breath control and vocal management shown in transitions between songs simultaneously evoke Adele's stability and Jung Seunghwan's delicacy. Park Seoyeon's piano performance precisely captures each song's mood, forming a perfect ensemble with Kim Saeyan's vocals. 43,000 people fell into this one-take magic.

What Fans Say About Nonol

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If you're curious about her next story, meet her first at Nonol. The violet deep sea still has much left to explore.