Choi On: A Singer-Songwriter Who Offers Quiet Comfort

Choi On is a new lyricist of the Korean indie music scene. As the vocalist of band Salted, he has captured fans' hearts with emotional songs like 'Flower That Bloomed at Night,' alongside Kang Seokwoo (bass), Kim Jiseok (guitar), and Lee Doohyeon. But as a solo artist, Choi On radiates a different kind of charm.

"I love acoustic and lyrical music, and I hope the stories I share unfold like paintings before people's eyes."

True to his words, Choi On's music isn't just melody — it's a landscape painting. His music, reminiscent of Nick Drake's introspective depth and James Taylor's warm coziness, makes listeners pause their daily lives and look inward.

Story

Choi On's music doesn't offer grand consolation. Instead, it quietly sits beside you and stays with you. Rather than flashy techniques or stimulating sounds, it soothes the deepest parts of people's hearts with an authentic voice and lyrical melodies. This is exactly why we should remember the name Choi On in 2024.

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최온은 최근 동대문구 정원 축제에서 공연을 가지며 대중들과의 만남을 이어가고 있다. 밴드 솔티드 활동과 솔로 활동을 병행하며, 특히 노놀을 통해 발표한 신곡 '밤별'로 더욱 많은 주목을 받고 있다. 그의 음악이 단순한 개인적 위로를 넘어 하나의 문화적 현상으로 자리 잡고 있다는 것을 보여주는 대목이다.

Music

Meet Nonol on Nonol

Meet their music live at the Singing Playground.

🎵 "Ayajin Sea"

The moment the first note rings out, you feel as if you're sitting by a rain-streaked window. Beginning with "You've been running well for a long time / Open your eyes gently and look out the window," this song best showcases Choi On's vocal technique. His voice starts in the mid-low register and naturally expands its range toward the chorus, maximizing the song's lyricism with clean delivery that minimizes vibrato.

The arrangement also has many noteworthy points. The structure that begins with a single acoustic guitar and gradually adds strings and piano feels like painting the dawn sea gradually brightening through music. 17,649 people stopped before this serene sea.

🎵 "Take a beat"

This song was born in the winter of 2023 in Choi On's studio. As he personally revealed, "This is the song that first introduced my voice to the public and the one I cherish most" — it's the signature track that best represents his musical identity. As the title suggests, it carries the meaning of 'taking a moment.'

Examining the song's structure reveals something unique. Breaking away from the typical pop verse-chorus structure, the bridge presents a completely unexpected transition. Where the lyrics "surrender your body to zero gravity" meet the ascending melody, Choi On's falsetto shines. This creates a dreamlike atmosphere reminiscent of Radiohead's Thom Yorke.

19,572 people listened to this cosmic comfort.

🎵 "Night Stars"

"I cried watching this performance" — this is the most-liked comment on this video with 24,753 views. It clearly shows what emotions Choi On's new song 'Night Stars' conveys to people. Beginning with the lyrics "Dear one, look at the night sky / Those stars shine like your two eyes," this song is a message to precious people.

Musically, Choi On's sense of harmony particularly shines in this song. The third harmonies layered over the main melody in the chorus add warm coziness to the entire piece. The guitar arpeggios in the interlude also seem like starlight twinkling transcribed into notes.

🎵 "To Find You (Original: Sing Street)"

Choi On reconstructed the sound that a four-piece band filled in the original with just acoustic guitar and vocals. This is a version where he fully absorbed the 2016 film 'Sing Street' OST in his own style. As he stated, "This film gave me great strength when I had many dreams and worries about music," and his personal experience melts completely into the song interpretation.

Stripping away all the original's synthesizer sounds and drums, he instead maximized the song's lyricism with fingerpicking guitar and his characteristically restrained vocals. The natural tonal shifts between chest and head voice in the repeating chorus of "To find you" are particularly impressive. This resonates with Bon Iver's delicate sensibility.

24,531 people were drawn into this cinematic emotion.

🎵 "Full ver | Ayajin Sea, Take a beat, To Find You, Night Stars"

What stands out in this full version is the natural connection between songs. The overall composition from intro to outro gives the feeling of watching a complete concert. The key settings of each song are also interesting. The tonal progression from 'Ayajin Sea' in G major to 'Take a beat' in Em, 'To Find You' in C major, and 'Night Stars' in Am traces an overall descending emotional arc.

Choi On's vocal technique is even more apparent in the full version. The stable breath control that keeps pitch and tone steady through four consecutive songs, and the delicately adjusted vocal delivery matching each song's mood, are impressive. 26,471 people marveled at this live performance's completeness.

What Fans Say About Nonol

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If you're curious about his next story, come find him first at Singing Playground. Music as serene as Ayajin Sea and as warm as the night stars awaits you.