The Story of “Casual Rock” Band Tokai

Gwak, Duha, and Suyong talk about their album trilogy and why their future looks bright!

Photo credit: Instagram

Please introduce yourselves and share what special traits and skills each member contributes to the group! 
Gwak: Hello, I’m Gwak! I’m the team leader, vocalist, and producer. My special charms and strengths would definitely be my cheerful personality and the fact that I laugh a lot. Because of that, I’m able to bring explosive energy and [a] strong stage presence that really draws the audience in during performances. 
Duha: I’m not sure if this can be called a special charm, but I think mine is being quite shy offstage [but] giving my all, playing and running around passionately, onstage. Another strength of mine is that I’m good at matching the energy of the people around me, listening carefully to what they say, and empathizing with them. 
Suyong: I believe my charm lies in delivering performances that bring joy to both the people I play music with and the audience watching the show. 

Who or what first inspired each of you to pursue music? 
Gwak: Music was originally just something I loved. I used to regularly play guitar and sing alone at church as a hobby. I think I always enjoyed being the center of attention [and] in front of people. I started [taking music] more seriously because of a crush I had in middle school. That friend was preparing to apply to an arts high school, and I wanted to seem special, so I impulsively lied and said I was preparing for arts high school as well. That led me to actually take the entrance exams, where I experienced a much broader world of music. That became the true starting point of my journey in music. 
Duha: When I was young, I thought it was so cool to see an older guy from church playing an instrument, so I started teaching myself guitar little by little. In my senior year of high school, I realized that studying wasn’t the right fit for me. While thinking seriously about my future, I decided to change my path and wholeheartedly pursue learning guitar. 
Suyong: While I was playing music as a hobby, I saw a senior from my high school band perform an incredibly flashy drum part, and I was instantly captivated. I think that’s when I impulsively told my parents that I was going to become a drummer!

Photo credit: Instagram

You’ve described your sound as “casual rock.” Can you explain what you mean by that? 
Gwak: “Casual rock” isn’t something grand or overwhelmingly intense. Simply put, you can think of it as rock music that’s easy to listen to. It’s like a comfortable track top you’d throw on when going to the neighborhood grocery store or stepping out briefly - music you can enjoy without any pressure, something that just flows naturally in the background. To be honest, we weren’t even sure what kind of “rock” label truly fit our sound, so we came up with our own term, thinking that a visual metaphor might help people understand our music more intuitively. 
Duha: To me, “casual rock” is like dressing casually when you step outside your house or meet a friend. In the same way, I think our music is something you can enjoy lightly and comfortably. 
Suyong: I describe it as “casual rock” because I think it’s a genre that combines powerful rock sounds with elements that modern listeners can enjoy. [It’s] refined and stylish, but not overly flashy or overwhelming. 

Gwak, how did things change when you went from being a one-man band to being in a three-person group? 
Gwak: When I worked alone, I didn’t imagine performing the songs live very often. Since my solo releases tend to focus more on [being suitable for] streaming, I used to think more about how people would listen to the songs. These days, however, I find myself thinking about how people will enjoy the songs at live shows. I also try to make noticeable changes to my vocal style. In my solo work, I aim to create a warmer and softer feeling, whereas in the band, I try to deliver a more rough and unpolished tone. 

Please describe your new album, shining.! 
Gwak: Our latest album, shining., is the final installment [in] Tokai’s “Youth in Full Bloom” trilogy. While the previous albums dealt with frustration, growth, and perseverance, this album focuses on love and friendship. We hope you enjoy listening to it!  
Duha: This album is the last chapter of our “Youth Trilogy.” It tells stories of youthful love and friendship.  
Suyong: It’s a record that captures growth, solidarity, and the way we become a source of light for one another through music. 

What are the biggest similarities and differences between burning. and shining.? 
Gwak: The common ground between the two albums is the overall sound we aimed to express. We wanted to create something somewhat unconventional and unpolished, without worrying about how it might be perceived. As for the differences, I think the contrast in the messages they convey is very clear. burning. carried the message that we must keep running and constantly burn ourselves with passion. On the other hand, shining. emphasizes that we shine the brightest when we are truly ourselves, and that we shouldn’t push ourselves too hard. That idea is deeply reflected throughout the album. 
Duha: I think the similarity between the two albums lies in their overall sound and the rough, raw style of the instrumentals. The difference, however, [is] less about the musical elements and more about the atmosphere during the production process. When we were preparing burning., we were all living our separate lives and didn’t fully understand each other’s styles yet, so we argued quite often. It felt like we spent more time in conflict than actually making music. In contrast, while preparing shining., there was much less conflict. We felt a stronger sense of understanding and respect for one another. It was an album where everyone looked in the same direction and moved forward together. 
Suyong: The common point is that both albums center around the themes of youth and growth. The difference is that burning. feels more self-focused, with the idea of “burning myself” at its core, whereas shining. shifts toward others, [carrying] the message that “we shine” together. 

You released breathing., then burning., and now shining. Is there significance to each title being in all-lowercase letters and ending with a period? And do you plan on future album titles having the same format?
Gwak: Now that the “Youth in Full Bloom” series has come to an end, we’ll probably avoid using the same style of titles going forward! The reason we wrote the titles in lowercase and added a period at the end was simply because we liked how it looked visually. It just felt aesthetically pleasing. 
Duha: We’ll need to discuss it more as a team, but I think we’ll be preparing albums in a slightly different format moving forward. 
Suyong: Now that this trilogy is finished, I think our future albums will likely take on a different format and naming style. 

Please share more about shining.: fun facts, behind-the-scenes stories, or anything else you want to say about the songs! 
Gwak: The origin stories of “sway” and “Sakura” are quite fascinating. There was a time when I was very sick and bedridden for a week. While lying there, groaning in pain, the melodies for both songs suddenly came to me. Even though I had a high fever and could barely think straight, I somehow managed to hum the melodies out loud so I wouldn’t forget them. I remember struggling through that whole process while still being ill. 
Suyong: When it came time to choose the title track for the album, I clearly remember that we all unanimously agreed on “sway.” 
Duha: Personally, I had a great time recording the song “buddy.” It’s a track I love so much that it made me feel certain I wanted to keep making music. I especially love the bass riff; it made me want to play bass live on stage. Someday, I’d love to perform live as a bassist at a Tokai show.
Suyong: The first track, “Seishun Sakuretsu,” was the first demo I received, and I remember it being extremely fast in tempo. I even asked Gwak and Duha if the tempo was actually correct.

Did you set any goals for 2026, and if so, what is the status of them?
Gwak: For 2026, I really hoped we would become a band that gets invited to many festivals and live performances. That’s why we worked incredibly hard throughout 2025. We kept pushing forward nonstop. It feels like our efforts weren’t in vain, as we’ve already received invitations to perform at many concerts and festivals this year, which makes me incredibly happy. So my goal for this year is to successfully complete every single performance we have lined up! 
Duha: I suffered quite a few injuries in 2025, so in 2026 I want to focus on maintaining my health by exercising consistently. I’ve been working out every day for about a week now. My short-term goal is for Tokai to perform at as many festivals as possible. 
Suyong: My goal for this year was to perform at a lot of festivals, and starting as early as February, we’ve already been invited to several, which I’m so grateful for, including the 2026 KT&G Sangsang Festival. One personal goal I’d love to achieve is reaching ten thousand [Instagram] followers!

What are your longer-term career goals? 
Gwak: My long-term career goal might sound a bit abstract, but I hope that when people hear our music, they’ll immediately say, “This is so Tokai.” I want our musical identity and universe to become widely recognized. I also hope to become an artist who can inspire others and serve as a positive influence. And of course, very naturally, I have a huge desire to win awards! 
Duha: I hope Tokai’s music will be loved by many people for a very long time. Even if there comes a day when we’re no longer able to continue making music, I hope our songs will remain in someone’s memory for years to come. 
Suyong: My goal is to become a band that performs and makes music for a long time, just like Crying Nut and Jaurim. 

Lastly, is there anything else you want to say about yourselves or your music? 
Gwak: Whatever you expect from us, we promise to bring you even more, so please join us on our journey! And to our fans, Sekai, thank you so, so much. Tokai to Sekai! 
Duha: We’ll continue to come back with improved and evolving versions of ourselves. Please listen to our music often and come see our live performances. Thank you so much. 
Suyong: Please continue to watch, listen to, and enjoy the unique charms of each member and Tokai’s music. We would truly appreciate your continued interest and love for the band. Thank you!

Check out Tokai’s newest album, shining., here, and follow them on social media here!

View the Substack version of this piece here!

Answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.