Please describe one of the other members for us.
Yun Beom: I respect Sun Ho as an important person in our band. He is our band leader. He is always fighting for our independence. He doesn’t want The Plastic Day to be changed or controlled by others. He is very smart, but is very fragile.
Ho Seong: Yun Beom is like a dog. Most people’s first impression is that he is strong and tough, but he is actually a very delicate and sensitive person. He is very detail-oriented when making music. He thinks of many little things that we overlook.
Sun Ho: Ho Seong has been my friend since high school. He is a bit of an asshole and is also a good musician. The combination of being an asshole and a good musician makes him a great guy. He will play music until the day he dies
How would you describe your music?
Yun Beom: We play rock music. The Plastic Day is a recipe and we are all ingredients. We don’t want to make something rotten so we all try and bring fresh ideas to the group so that we can create good songs.
What are your main influences?
Yun Beom: Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Ho Seong: Yun Beom and Sun Ho.
Sun Ho: I think all of us are influenced by so many different things. Musically, we all really like acts such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Jeff Buckley, and Nirvana. I think we are heavily influenced by our friends too. We have such a great circle of creative friends who impact our lives in so many ways.
What made you decide to become musicians? What influence does music have in your life?
Yun Beom: I listened to a lot of pop music when I was young and was very touched by it. Music helps me communicate with people.
Ho Seong: A long time ago I decided that only listening to music wasn’t enough. I wanted to be more involved with it.
Sun Ho: For me, music is just something fun to do. Without music maybe life is really boring, but with music life is fun all the time. Music is like a playground for all of us to explore and enjoy.
How did you come up with the band name?
Sun Ho: I like the word “plastic” and after bandying names back and forth with Ho Seong we decided that The Plastic Day sounded good. It means that we hope people live each day the way they want too and don’t push themselves to be artifical or fake.
Do you think you have grown as a band since your debut? What do you think has changed?
Yun Beom: Yes, I think we have definitely grown as a band and as individuals. Playing in this band for the last three years has changed my life. It’s given me a better understanding of my abilities and has put me more in control of my life.
Ho Seong: I have more muscle now from playing very hard and carrying equipment. I’m fatter from drinking too much and I’m now a lot better at smoking. All of this is thanks to The Plastic Day!
Sun Ho: Hell, yes! The band has become a huge part of my life. As I get a little older, my music gets a bit more mature.
You recorded your first EP Lady in December 2007 in only seven hours. Why did you decide to record the album in such a short period of time? If you could, would you have spent more time working on this EP?
Yun Beom: We wanted to capture the moment. The Lady EP is like a snapshot. I like it because it conveys our playing skills and our physical and mental mindset at that time. I think it’s a very honest recording. I’m happy with it as it is.
Ho Seong: It was fun and exciting to make the album so quickly. I would never change it.
Sun Ho: Lady was recorded quickly because we were poor. The recording studio was expensive and we had no money. Yun Beom and Ho Seong practiced together so much beforehand so that we could do everything fast. I wouldn’t change it either.
Your first album is titled 30 seconds between the dreamer and the realist. What is the meaning of this title to you? Do you think that over the years The Plastic Day stopped being a dreamer and became more realistic?
Yun Beom: The title was created by Sun Ho. When I first heard it I really liked it. Sun Ho is a dreamer and Ho Seong is more of a realist. I am the connection between the two.
Ho Seong: I think the title is a little ironic. Sometimes we are both. Dreamer and realist have opposite meanings, but we have both in our minds.
Sun Ho: I want to ask all people whether they are a dreamer or a realist. Everyday we can make the choice of which one we want to be. People should live their lives whichever way they want. The Plastic Day are like everyone else. We are always changing between the two.
The song The Cocore and The Mustangs is a tribute to your favorite Korean rock bands. Could you tell us a little about them?
Yun Beom: For me, the members of the two bands are the kind of people who live life the right way. It’s very difficult to find people like them in Korea.
Ho Seong: You must see them and hear their music and you will see why they are so special. It’s hard to explain their impact. It’s better to experience it for yourself.
Sun Ho: They are my friends. When we were all high school students Cocore was one of our favourite bands. It has been a great experience getting to know them and play concerts together. Our record label, Cub/ Music, is actually owned by Cocore’s Woo Sung Lee and Cocore’s manager Jung Eun Lee. Kwang Hee is the drummer in The Mustangs and he used to play drums for Cocore as well. I met him when I graduated from high school. He owned a practice space at the time and I really liked him. He used to play in a psychedelic band and The Mustangs made psychedelic rock too. Before him, I didn’t know that kind of music existed in Korea. He sometimes gets up and dances with us in his underwear when we play The Cocore and The Mustangs live.
Are there any artists that you would particularly like to collaborate with?
Yun Beom: No. We are too busy with our own things to work with others.
Ho Seong: I’m a simple man. I’m happy with things as they are. I just want to play with Sun Ho and Yun Beom.
It's A Government's Land criticizes the government as a whole. Do you think music has the power to change things? Or is it just a way of expressing yourselves?
Sun Ho: For me it’s just a way of expressing myself. We hope that people can change, but with our music we are just trying to share our thoughts and ideas.
Ho Seong: Bad conditions usually can’t be changed by individuals. As a whole, we can change things if we want. I can’t do it, but we can do it.
Your songs are all written in English. Why did you choose to do that? Is it a way of getting the attention of foreign audiences?
Sun Ho: It’s easier to say some things in English. Korean words are very long and too complicated and sometimes I struggle to express myself in Korean. It wasn’t our intention to try and reach more foreign audiences.
Do you have plans to write a song in Korean? Do you think it would be easier for your Korean fans to be touched by your music?
Ho Seong: We don’t have any plans to write a song in Korean. I don’t think it would be any easier. There are too many bands in Korea already singing in Korean, so singing in English is a way to be a little bit different.
Sun Ho: Music is music. I don’t think you have to understand all the lyrics to be touched by someone’s songs. We can use simple words to share our thoughts and convey their meaning through our energy.
How was the feeling of playing on 2007 Ssamzie Sound Festival, one of the top underground festivals in South Korea?
Yun Beom: We screwed up while we were playing because Sun Ho was already drunk when we started even though we played in the afternoon. My playing that day was like a high school band’s drummer.
Ho Seong: It was our first time to perform outside. The festival was at a beautiful spot along the bank of the Han River. We drank and smoked and really enjoyed ourselves.
Sun Ho: It was a really good feeling. Outdoor gigs are always fun.
What do you feel is your greatest acheivement as a band so far? Are there any memories or events from your career that you are particularly proud of?
Yun Beom: I think it’s a miracle we are still together. Other than that, there’s nothing I’m especially proud of.
Sun Ho: I agree with Yun Beom about the miracle part because we are sort of trouble makers. As far as being proud, Yun Beom and Ho Seong are always great, but I always make mistakes so I’m never proud of myself. One of our greatest accomplishments is that many well-known and respected indie musicians in Korea really like our band. They are always complimenting us and asking us to play gigs with them. Maybe one day this will give us the chance to do something great.
Your official t-shirts were designed by Juun.J and Jain Song. How did you come up with the design? Were they entirely their ideas or did you tell them how you wanted it done?
Ho Seong: Juun.J and Jain Song are good friends of ours. They listened to our music and then came up with the designs by themselves. We didn’t tell them how to make them.
Sun Ho: It was really cool that they wanted to help us. They are both talented fashion designers and are well-respected internationally. We are just a small indie band. We are so thankful that they donated their time and creative skills to us.
You have just released your first album, but do you already have plans to work on something new or first do you want to focus on promoting the album?
Ho Seong: We have a few new ideas. We’ve practiced a couple of them and some are still developing in our minds. For the time being, I want to play more gigs and continue to promote 30 Seconds Between The Dreamer and The Realist.
How do you feel about the Hallyu wave hitting Japan, China and even the US, with the debut of several Korean artists in both the music and movie industries?
Yun Beom: We are not so concerned with whole Hallyu wave. I think it’s a sad story of pathetic “entertainers” who are often controlled and manipulated by bullshit entertainment companies.
Ho Seong: Who are these Korean artists? I don’t know them. I think it is ok as long as they are fully prepared for all the pressures associated with being a major, international artist. I wish them luck and hope they represent Korea well.
Sun Ho: It’s a good phenonmem, but who knows how long it will last. Now it’s Hallyu, but soon another country’s entertainment could become popular. If real art is being created, it will last. If it’s just something trendy it will be forgotten. It’s hard to create something memorable, but I feel it’s important to strive to do this. Not just for Koreans, but for all countries.
With regards to reaching outside of Korea yourselves, in your interview with indieful ROK you said “Sometimes I feel like I want it, sometimes I don’t”. Why is that?
Yun Beom: What? Huh? Who said that? I want to go to other places!
Ho Seong: I didn’t say that either. Maybe it was Sun Ho. Sometimes he is a little lazy.
Sun Ho: I said that. I’ve never done a proper tour, but watching movies, reading about overseas festivals, and hearing tour stories from friends makes it sound so exciting. Everyday sounds like a holiday. But I want a simple life. I just want to hang out and talk with my friends and go surfing. Maybe I am a little lazy.
If you could do anything except playing music, what would your dream job be?
Yun Beom: This is a sweet question. Sometimes I wish I could be a gambler or a pimp.
Ho Seong: I’ve never thought about doing anything else.
Sun Ho: I just want to work part-time as a carpenter or a furniture maker. I’d love to work as a surfer, but I’ve only surfed a few time so maybe I’ll need a lot more practice.
Where is your favourite place in Korea and why?
Yun Beom: I don’t have a favourite place. Anywhere I’m at with good friends is the best place.
Ho Seong: There are so many great places, but my favourite location is Jeju Island. The mountains, sea, and sky are all so beautiful and make the island one of the best places in the world. We’ve played in Jeju twice as part of the Stepping Stone Festival. This year’s event was held right on the beach with the stage facing the ocean. It was fantastic.
Sun Ho: I have two favourite places. Both are in Seoul. The first was a place called Aura. It was a bar owned by Kwang Hee from The Mustangs. They always played really good music there. The second place is Kwang Hee’s current bar and restaurant, Reggae Chicken. Things are never rushed at Reggae Chicken and everyone is always so chilled out. You just hang out, relax, eat chicken, and listen to reggae. It’s great!
What would be a perfect day for The Plastic Day?
Ho Seong: When we are playing a show and everything works well. The band and the audience are all in the same mindset and everyone comes together as one.
Sun Ho: I agree with Ho Seong. Those rare moments when everyone’s heart beats as one are perfect. Now I am still doing my mandatory military service. When it finishes in March I think that will be a perfect day for me as well.
Any final messages for our readers?
Yun Beom: Good is good. Bad is bad.
Ho Seong: I hope to see you sometime soon. Either you can come to me or I can come to you. Our thoughts are released on our album. I hope one day we can listen to it together, enjoy it together, say “fuck you” together, drink together, smoke together, and laugh together. I really hope we can share all these emotions together.
Sun Ho: Take care of yourself and don’t work too hard. Do whatever makes you happy and have a good life. Thank you so much for reading this and caring about music.
KoME would like to thank S.E. and The Plastic Day for making this interview possible.
