In recent years, South Korea’s global musical influence has expanded well beyond the borders of K-pop. Among the acts reshaping what Korean music looks – and sounds – like on the world stage is wave to earth. This Seoul-based indie rock trio, consisting of Kim Daniel (vocals, guitar), Shin Dong-gyu (drums), and Cha Soon-jong (bass), has quietly but powerfully built an international following, not through flashy choreography or pop hooks, but with great lyrics, superb musical arrangements, and a sound that combines lo-fi indie rock with elements of jazz, shoegaze, and alternative. And in 2025, they are not only making waves – they’re playing with the Earth.

wave to earth formed in 2019 with a clear mission: “to make music that creates a new wave.” Long-time friends Daniel and Dong-gyu started playing music together in middle school, and their vision came to life with the addition of bassist Soon-jong. They debuted with the single wave in August 2019, which, true to its name, felt like a ripple destined to swell.

Intead of following trends in the Korean indie or mainstream scene, wave to warth created their own musical identity. Their early EPs – Wave 0.01 and Summer Flows 0.02 – released in 2020, revealed a knack for soft melodies, minimalist production, and melancholic storytelling. Even early on, they aimed for something meaningful, not just popular.

In 2021, they joined wavy, an independent label owned by R&B artist Colde, helping them become a bigger part of Korea’s alternative music ecosystem.

While the band initially gained traction in South Korea, much of wave to earth’s rise happened abroad, largely thanks to streaming platforms like YouTube and Spotify. Their music – sung mostly in English – naturally crosses linguistic limits, drawing in global listeners with its emotional accessibility and atmospheric charm. Songs like bad, daisy, and nouvelle vague have racked up millions of streams, aided by their cinematic music videos and lo-fi aesthetics. Their soft instrumentation, washed-out guitars, and whispery vocals offer a kind of auditory escape – a rare sense of stillness in a noisy world.

In 2023, wave to earth completed their first sold-out North American tour. And in 2025, they’ve taken it even further with the Play With Earth world tour, a global journey in support of their latest studio album, Play with Earth! 0.03, released on September 6, 2024.

The tour includes stops across Asia, North America, and Europe, including London, where they’ll perform at the iconing Brixton Academy on April 29, 2025.

wave to earth’s music makes you reflect. Their approach is less about spectacle and more about subtlety. They aren’t afraid of space or silence, often letting their music breathe in a way that encourages reflection rather than reaction.

Their latest work, Play with Earth! 0.03, continues that tradition. It feels like a sonic diary – melancholic yet comforting, experimental but familiar. Tracks like slow dive and others continue their tradition of warm, lo-fi production, carefully calibrated to let emotions rise gently rather than erupt suddenly. wave to earth isn’t in a hurry. Their interpretation of music feels personal – each song feels like a Polaroid of a moment, fragile and fleeting. They’ve said before that their goal isn’t to dominate charts but to offer music that lingers – and that’s exactly what they’ve done.

What makes wave to earth’s success remarkable isn’t just that they’ve found an international audience – it’s that they’ve done so without ever compromising their core identity. They remain proudly indie, both in sound and spirit, proving that Korean music’s global influence doesn’t have to look one particular way.

As they continue their Play With Earth tour, wave to earth carry a philosophy alongside their instruments and merch. One that says music doesn’t need to shout to be heard. Sometimes, the quietest voices echo the farthest. And right now, wave to earth is echoing across the globe.

Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of 2eehyein

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}