6 Reasons Why You Won’t Be ‘Sorry’ Stanning K-Indie Alt Pop Band The Rose

South Korean alt-pop band The Rose recently dropped by Manila for a concert, and we have some reasons as to why you should add them to your stan list.

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“We really believe that’s the beauty [of] music—we think it’s the universal language. We also believe that music is healing. Music can move people’s hearts, and music finds people that needs them.” South Korean indie-rock and alt-pop band The Rose had this to say at their January 26 concert in Manila, and it’s a great encapsulation of what members Woosung, Dojoon, Hajoon, and Jaehyeong seek to do with their music.

The Rose, who officially debuted in 2017 with their single Sorry, has fans (called Black Roses) from all over the world, and they even make music in both Korean and English, as all members can understand it and Woosung and Dojoon are fluent. They know how to put on a show, they’ve got a sweet relationship with their fans, and they have great synergy together as they play around with their sound, tour cities, and share their music with the world. If that hasn’t convinced you, here’s a few more reasons why you won’t regret adding The Rose to your stan list.

THEY’VE GOT TALENT IN SPADES

A given, of course, but the quartet love music more than anything, and they’re great at it, if their over two million monthly listeners on Spotify and their full-house tour shows are any indication. The Rose started off busking in the streets of Seoul until their lineup was complete and they got signed to their initial company, four talented musicians who are passionate about everything involved in the musical process, from songwriting to producing to performing.

THEY’RE DOING THINGS THEIR WAY NOW

The Rose has had a tumultuous time in 2020 up until 2022 (when Dojoon, Hajoon, and Jaehyeong returned from their mandatory military enlistment and the band reunited). In 2020, the band was embroiled in a legal battle with their former company J&Star, citing that they were mistreated and not paid their dues while under contract with the company. By 2021, Woosung, who was exempted from military service, made it known that everything was settled and that The Rose planned to stay together after the three members were discharged. They even released Black Rose and Beauty and the Beast in 2020 for their fans and 2021 after the lawsuit was settled.

In 2022, the band started their own independent label, naming it Windfall in a lovely tribute to the original name of the band. They’re now steadily releasing albums, touring, and finding success making music on their own terms. Talk about a rollercoaster story!

WE BET YOU ALREADY KNOW THEM

We bet you’ve at least heard this cover of LANY’s ILYSB once before, scrolling on YouTube or social media. One of their most viral performances, this intimate rendition of the song was captivating in so many ways that had you obsessed even before you knew their name.

THEY’VE GOT MUSIC FOR EVERYONE

The Rose’s music is just as versatile as they are, ranging from screamable punk rock tracks to emotional ballads that feel like they would play in a K-Drama rain scene. From their heartfelt debut Sorry to the upbeat Yes (ft. James Reid), there’s a The Rose song for every person’s taste.

THEY’VE GOT A GREAT RELATIONSHIP

After their two-year hiatus, The Rose came back together strong and set out to heal through music. Plenty of groups choose to leave their company and never unite, but it was clear that the band, after having fought tooth and nail to make music on their own terms and get their dues as musicians, wanted to stay together. To acknowledge all the hard times they and everyone went through in 2020 up to 2022, they dropped a mini docuseries, The HEAL Project (in conjunction with their HEAL album) where they let themselves be vulnerable and chronicled their journey of healing through music, showing fans just how much they cared about what they do together.

THEIR MINDSET IS COMMENDABLE

If their HEAL project wasn’t indication enough, Woosung, Dojoon, Hajoon, and Jaehyeong, after all they’ve gone through as a band, have formed strong wills and an admirable tenacity. Even as they acknowledged their Manila show wasn’t sold out, all they were focused on was that they had to keep working hard to achieve their dreams and keep coming back until there are more and more Black Roses across the world sharing their experience of music.

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