Cinematic Ballads Painted by Three Men: Naivro

"They paint songs like movies." This is the most frequent expression used to describe Naivro. This three-member ballad group, which debuted in 2013, quietly yet deeply penetrates listeners' hearts. The harmony created by Jung Won-bo (leader, producing) with his Superstar K5 TOP 10 experience, Joo Jae-woo (mid-range) who won Fantastic Duo Season 2, and Kim Sung-han (high notes) transcends the dimension of a simple vocal group.

Just as three different men come together to create a single work, Naivro's music completes one story as each song comes together. Recently, through their appearance on 'Nonol (Singing Playground)', they are meeting new listeners with songs like 《That Summer》, 《How Are You Getting Along》, and 《Please Smile Now》.

Naivro's Story

Naivro met a new turning point through the Nonol project. The single 《Please Smile Now》, released on December 26, 2022, was released as Nonol VOL 03 and can be found on various streaming platforms.

The media paid attention to their participation, reporting "Naivro releases new song 'Please Smile Now' for 'Nonol' project on the 26th." Naivro's characteristic as "a ballad group based on deep vocals and musicality, where three different men come together to create a single work" is being delivered to more people through the platform called Nonol.

Recently, Joo Jae-woo appeared on KBS2's 'The Songs We Loved, New Singer' and revealed past hardships including "company bankruptcy leading to group disbandment, overcoming stage phobia." However, he proved his skills as a singer once again by interpreting Jung Hong-seob's 《Don't Leave》 in his own style.

Naivro's music doesn't offer grand comfort. It simply sits quietly next to you and stays with you. The journey of those who have built up song after song with unchanged sincerity over 10 years is not yet over.

"Music that draws out the weight of the deep sea and empathy as deep as that depth." The direction of the music they pursue is clear. Together with listeners newly met at Nonol, Naivro will continue to paint more cinematic scenes.

Naivro's Music

Meet Naivro at Nonol

Meet their music live at the Singing Playground.

🎵 "How Are You Getting Along"

"I cried watching this performance" — this is the comment that received the most likes. 226,000 people stopped in front of this video, and 690 likes prove it. This song has a magic that makes you unable to leave once you play it.

What's notable in this song is the part distribution among the three members. Jung Won-bo's bass provides stability as the foundation, Joo Jae-woo's mid-range develops the story, and Kim Sung-han's high notes handle the climax. The harmony that starts with parallel thirds expands to fifths in the chorus, maximizing the sense of space. It's also impressive how they deconstructed the original's full band sound into a piano-centered minimal arrangement.

🎵 "That Summer"

What to notice in this song's intro is Kim Sung-han's first verse. His vocal technique stands out as he starts with a straight tone without vibration and gradually adds emotion. This song, which tells of a couple's past when both the beginning and end of love was summer, made 234,000 hearts feel wistful.

Structurally, it follows the classic ballad composition of A-B-A' form, but adds a new emotional layer through modulation in the bridge. This reminds one of Park Hyo-shin's 《Snow Flower》 or Lee Moon-se's summer ballads.

🎵 "Can't Fall Asleep"

The moment the first note sounds, you feel like you're sitting alone in your late-night time. This song, which contains the wish for a loved one to have lovely dreams, is also the members' personal favorite. 207,000 people empathized with this nighttime emotion.

This is a song where Joo Jae-woo's mid-range part particularly shines. His vocal style, which delicately expresses the emotions of longing and regret, perfectly matches the song's lyricism. In the arrangement, the acoustic guitar's arpeggio pattern maintains a consistent rhythm while creating the quietness before sleep.

🎵 "Please Smile Now"

This song was born in the studio in winter 2022 for the Nonol compilation album. As described in the song explanation as containing emotions felt while watching the last departing figure after a breakup, sincerity is embedded in every line of the lyrics. 225,000 people stopped and listened to this sincerity.

This song, where Jung Won-bo handled lyrics, composition, arrangement, and piano performance himself, is a representative work showing his musical capabilities. Particularly impressive is how the melody line subtly changes each time the lyrics "Please smile now" repeat in the chorus. This musically expresses the narrator's increasingly desperate heart, though saying the same words.

🎵 "Short Videos — Musical Moments in Daily Life"

"People really don't change, it's always love that changes" — could there be a title that more perfectly expresses the ex-boyfriend vibe? Another version of 《How Are You Getting Along》, where 1,746 viewers empathized with this honest emotion.

Sincerity conveyed to a loved one by borrowing tonight. A short version of 《Can't Fall Asleep》, but 954 people opened their hearts to this concise message. Sometimes a short song conveys more than a long explanation.

"Moments with you that remain only as memories… it was summer" — a video that compresses the essence of 《That Summer》. 757 listeners joined this wistful reminiscence.

A teaser-like video announcing the release of 《Please Smile Now》 at 6 PM on December 26. The heartbreaking subtitle "After 100 breakups.. / How can I smile" conveys the song's emotion in advance. 2,021 people showed interest in this preview.

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🎵 "Other Activities and Records"

Naivro appeared on CBS 'Make New' and was introduced as "faithful neighborhood youth." This video broadcast in 2014 shows their early days.

《How Are You Getting Along》 (97959) registered on the official Geumyoung Karaoke channel and 《Atlantis Girl》 (48240) with Plan B. Being available at karaoke means recognition of their popularity.

《Hearts That Don't Reach You》 released in May 2020. The title felt even more urgent during the COVID-19 era.

The 《How Are You Getting Along》 performance on MBC's 'Culture Concert Nanjang'. The introduction as "three voices with different colors singing painful and sad love with appealing deep voices" is impressive.

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🎵 "Special — New Attempts and Complete Experience"

An AI music video inspired by Michel Gondry's film 《Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind》 (2004). It added visual narrative to 《Please Smile Now》. This experimental work used ChatGPT for script writing and Midjourney for image generation. 16,000 people watched this new attempt.

The film's theme of wanting to erase memories meets the song about post-breakup feelings, creating synergy. At the intersection where AI technology meets human emotion, Naivro shows another possibility.

This is the complete version of Naivro's Nonol appearance. 179,000 people chose this complete 20-minute experience. It captures the entire outdoor performance held at Yongin Mangol Neighborhood Park.

"The morning we welcomed at the second playground was hotter than usual. It was a day when the briefly cold weather seemed meaningless." This sentence in the video description well conveys the atmosphere of that day. The power of the performance that captivated the ears of passersby with gentle tones and made everyone stop for 20 minutes is fully captured.

Setlist organized by timestamps:

• 00:07 How Are You Getting Along
• 05:01 That Summer
• 09:22 Can't Fall Asleep
• 13:33 Please Smile Now

What Fans Say About Naivro

Learn More About Naivro

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Naivro's beginning was the 2013 single 《Living Well》. As part of Movement Generation, they steadily built their own color in the ballad scene. Leader Jung Won-bo has the unique background of being a Hanyang University Resource Engineering graduate, but he provides musical direction by handling the team's composition and producing.

"Jung Won-bo who sings the deep emotions of bass, Kim Sung-han who sings like telling a story with his soft voice, and Joo Jae-woo who delicately expresses the emotions of longing and regret." Their official introduction accurately captures each member's vocal characteristics.

From 2014's 《Let's Just Play Today》 to 2019's 《Love Story》, Naivro has presented sincere ballads that don't change over time. 《I'll Remember》, which participated in the KBS2 Mon-Tue drama 'Mr. Queen' OST, represented Won Deuk and Hong Sim's poignant 100-day emotions and left a deep impression on drama fans.