Hip-hop duo Jinusean returns after 11 years

Members of Korean hip-hop duo Jinusean pose during a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

By Kim Jae-heun

Jinusean, a popular Korean hip-hop duo from the late 1990′s, have released their first single in 11 years following their successful appearance on the popular reality show “Infinite Challenge,” that featured a 90′s hit-song concert episode last December.

It has spawned a retro-boom throughout the country. The track “Tell Me One More Time” was released at 12 a.m. on Wednesday and quickly topped eight online music charts after it was available for only nine hours.

“I’ve waited so long to come back as Jinusean,” said Sean, one member of the duo. “I never lost my passion for the stage over the last 11 years, even when I was backing up young artists behind the stage.”

As a frontier hip-hop duo from YG Entertainment, Jinusean debuted in 1997 with their first album “Gasoline,” but the rappers’ biggest success came with their second single “Tell Me.”

“Riding on the popularity of ‘Totoga,’ or ‘Saturday, Saturday is for Singers” of the reality show, we, once again, received attention from the public and it helped Jinu to set his mind on the comeback stage,” Sean said.

It was not easy for Jinu, the other rapper in the duo, to reach his decision to perform on stage again after years away. However, he could not refuse Sean’s tenacious efforts to persuade him that it will soon be too late for them to make a comeback. The timing was just right for the singers riding the wave of “retro” fever.

“We received huge support from CEO Yang Hyun-seok and Tablo, who told us to enjoy the recording as if we are at a party,” said Jinu. “If our song does well, we will release a full-length album.”

The leader of hip-hop group Epik High, Tablo produced and wrote the new single track with P. K, Fraktal and Jinusean. Jang Han-na, a rising star from the audition program “K-POP3″ featured on the track adding her signature soulful voice.

The track “Tell Me One More Time” meets the appetite for 90′s style music. A funky sound with new disco beats grabs people’s attention and the catchy verses and simple melodies make it easy to remember while singing along.

The song’s nostalgia is more prominent in the music video. Many celebrities from the 1990′s made cameo appearances, holding folder mobile phones or a Walkman.

“We tried to express the 70s retro music style and 80s hip-hop. Unlike our previous albums that contained energetic songs full of impact, we pursued easy-listening songs that many people can enjoy this time,” Sean said.