Anon And Talented!: What We Know About Parannoul, The Anonymous South Korean Shoegaze Musician

Wikipedia describes Parannoul as an unidentified South Korean shoegaze and Emo musician born in 2001 in Seoul. Additionally, he/she also works on Korean alt-rock projects. Parannoul gained significant attention in the music scene for their unique blend of shoegaze and Emo genres, captivating listeners with introspective lyrics and atmospheric soundscapes. Even though some of his sounds have been termed “noisy”, despite being born in 2001, “their” talent and musical maturity have garnered him recognition beyond his years. Parannoul actively collaborates with other Korean alt-rock artists alongside his solo endeavours, further showcasing his versatility and dedication to exploring different sonic landscapes within the genre.

The creator of (Parannoul), who wishes to remain unidentified, has declined to say “their” name, exact age, or whether any other people were even involved in creating their publicly released musical projects. When pressed, they refused to provide this information, admitting they are too ashamed to post their real names online or tell their parents they are musicians. They acknowledge that they are “active losers,” “below average in height, appearance, and everything else,” stunted adults with “singing skills that are fucking awful,” chained to their adolescent fantasies of a mediocre career in indie rock. These inner circumstances, however, are indispensable and included in their de facto press release on Bandcamp.

Parannoul is not an alter ego but an alias used for self-reinvention. “Let’s Walk on the Path of a Blue Cat” (2020), “To See the Next Part of the Dream” (2021), and “After the Magic” (2023) are some of his solo albums. Along with Asian Glow and Sonhos Tomam Conta, he released the shoegaze split album Downfall of the Neon Youth (2021). Parannoul has also released music under other aliases, including several now-deleted albums such as Laststar and Rough and Beautiful Place (2022) as Mydreamfever.

“Let’s Walk on the Path of a Blue Cat,” Parannoul’s debut album, was made available through Bandcamp in 2020; “To See the Next Part of the Dream” followed in 2021. He has grown in popularity through Bandcamp, Rate Your Music, and Reddit. Reviews of his second album appeared on Stereogum, Consequence of Sound, Pitchfork, and other musically-themed blogs. Together with Asian Glow and Sonhos Tomam Conta, he contributed four tracks to the split album “Downfall of the Neon Youth,” which was released on October 22, 2021.

In his own words, Parannoul is “just a student writing music in my bedroom.” In an interview with Sonemic Parannoul, he stated that the album cover for his album “To See the Next Part of the Dream” is actually one of the scenes from the movie リリイ・シュシュのすべて (All About Lily Chou-Chou). Parannoul further explained that he chose this particular scene because it resonated deeply with the emotions and themes he wanted to convey in his music. He believed that the image captured the essence of his album, creating a visual representation of the dream-like and introspective journey listeners would embark on while experiencing his music.

“It’s not an important scene, just a scene that lasts five seconds…But for some reason, the smokestack and the white smoke made me feel nostalgic. (Actually, the whole movie feels that way.) When I first saw the factory with smokestacks, I felt stuffy and uncomfortable, like we won’t have freedom inside there. On the other hand, I felt something contradictory when I saw the pure white smoke coming out of it. I wanted to show the youth’s clean yet dirty side through this smokestack. The little birds above the smoke show the teenager’s mind that wanted to be free.”

Under the alias Mydreamfever, Parannoul issued “Rough and Beautiful Place” on January 1, 2022. The album is called ambient and new-age, departing from Parannoul’s works’ shoegaze aesthetic. Soon after its release, ‘Rough and Beautiful Place’ was highlighted as Bandcamp’s “Album of the Day.” On January 28, 2023, his third album, Parannoul, ‘After the Magic,’ was available. Parannoul’s “After the Magic” showcases a more experimental and reflective side of the artist’s musical style. The album combines dream pop and lo-fi elements, creating a unique sonic experience that captivates listeners. With its release, Parannoul continues to push boundaries and evolve as an artist, solidifying his position as a rising star in the indie music scene.

He has been signed to labels like Topshelf, Longinus Recordings and Poclanos so far in their career.

Under Laststar, he/they had released some of the now-deleted albums like In the Purest Sense (2017), Winter Rain, Winter Rain (2018), Strange Days (2018), 꽃샘추위 (Recurrence) (2018), Sleepless (2018), Tomorrow’s They And I (2018), Egoletter (2018), Our Last Summer (2018), In the City Made Of Echoes (2018), Introvert Love Connection (2018), Behind the Shadow (2019), Covers +1 (2019), Stars Whisper to Me Tonight (2019) and an EP 기억일기 (Memory Diary) (2017). Under Mydreamfever, projects like Album Rough and Beautiful Place (2022) and EP Anywhere, Anytime (2021) have been released.

Popular albums such as Let’s Walk on the Path of a Blue Cat (2020), To See the Next Part of the Dream (2021), After the Magic (2023), and the live album After the Night (2023). The EP White Ceiling/Black Dots Wandering Around (2022) have all been released under the Parannoul brand and have received positive reviews. Along with collaborative albums and EPs like Downfall of the Neon Youth (2021), a split album with Asian Glow and Sonhos Tomam Conta, and Paraglow (2022), a collaborative EP with Asian Glow, a number of singles have also been released to positive reviews. These include Into the Endless Night (2021), Insomnia (2022), and We Shine at Night (2023). Parannoul’s consistent release of quality music has garnered a growing fanbase and critical acclaim. Their unique blend of dreamy melodies, introspective lyrics, and experimental soundscapes has captivated listeners worldwide. With each new release, Parannoul continues to push boundaries and solidify its reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative acts in the indie music scene.