Hip-hop trio Epik High turns creative with ‘Now Playing’

SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -– Hip-hop trio Epik High on Thursday vowed to bring an “unconventionally fun and unique” experience to fans in its special concert series.

“The audience will see something that they haven’t seen in Epik High’s previous concerts,” member Tablo said during a press conference here for the upcoming concert series titled “Now Playing.”

The concert series will have eight shows in six days, from July 22-24 and 29-31 at the Mary Hall Theater in Sogang University in Seoul. It is the second of the trio’s experimental annual events that launched last year under the same title.

“We put on quite a bit of stage costumes and makeup in last year’s event. Some of the stage costumes were so daunting that we had to divide roles through rock- scissors-paper,” the Korean-Canadian rapper said.

In the forthcoming concerts, the rappers will not only perform their hit songs, but also screen hilarious parodies of famous scenes from hit movies.

The members gave up on looking handsome for the costumes, some of which were “closer to punishment.” In addition to festivity and creativity, the hip-hop group was determined to bring its own musical color to the concert.

In the photo released by YG Entertainment, Epik High members Tablo (L), Mithra Jin (C) and DJ Tukutz attend the press conference for annual experimental concert “Now Playing” in central Seoul on July 21, 2016.

In the photo released by YG Entertainment, Epik High members Tablo (L), Mithra Jin (C) and DJ Tukutz attend the press conference for annual experimental concert “Now Playing” in central Seoul on July 21, 2016.

Since its debut in 2003, Epik High has matured in both performing skills and their personal lives, the trio said.

“Some say we should throw concerts on jumbo stages. But nothing beats concerts in small theaters — it’s a lesson Psy taught me,” Tablo reminisced.

“When I was doing a radio show, he told me ‘small concerts are just like a radio show, something that runs entirely for the audience,” Tablo continued. Since then, he has preferred small concerts on small stages, where he can be close to the audience physically — close enough to hear listeners cough in certain cases.

“I want to do both types, big and small, forever. But if I’m forced to choose only one, I am going with the small concert,” he said. He was seconded by DJ Tukutz, the funnyman of the team, who jokingly whined, “But I still prefer big concerts.”

In this photo released by YG Entertainment, Epik High members Tablo (L), Mithra Jin (C) and DJ Tukutz attend the press conference for their annual experimental concert “Now Playing” in central Seoul on July 21, 2016.

On rising expectations for the group’s next album, the members said they are working on new songs every day, like daily exercise. They agreed that they feel pressured to release a new album next year, but wanted to stick to concerts longer, since they are “fun.”

Yang Hyun-suk, chief of the group’s management YG Entertainment, sent the members text messages, telling them to stop having fun with concerts and work on recording.

“We are having so much fun with concerts. We understand that musicians are obliged to release new albums, but we still want to prioritize spending more time meeting our audience,” Tablo said.

A spokesperson of YG Entertainment said the tickets sold out fast for all eight concerts in last year’s event, adding that they are crossing their fingers for the same success.