Meet Lubless—the South Korean duo redefined alt-pop with their haunting melodies and poetic lyricism. Composed of powerhouse vocalist Lena and enigmatic guitarist Bong Woo, Lubless emerged in 2020 with their debut single Bluebird, a track that juxtaposed raw emotionality with dreamlike soundscapes. Their name, a fusion of “lust” and “bless,” encapsulates their mission: to transform human desires into art that resonates like a whispered prayer.
In this exclusive interview, Lena and Bong Woo pull back the curtain on their creative alchemy, the symbolism woven into their music, and their vision for a world where boundaries between reality and fantasy dissolve. Welcome to the universe of Lubless—where every note is a spell, and every silence speaks volumes.
The Meaning Behind the Name: “Lubless” stands for “Lust Bless You.” How does this provocative yet hopeful concept manifest in your music and performances?
“‘Lust will save you’—it’s a mantra I repeat constantly, being someone prone to fear. Korea is a country where life often feels like a track with rigidly set paths. By stepping off that track, I tell myself: Let’s no longer have moments of regret from lacking courage! And You can become whatever you want to be. To me, these words bring flexibility to a stiffened body and mind. In my music, I strive to embody this ethos, refusing to be bound by genres or rigid ‘rules.’”.
Your debut single Bluebird (Parangsae) revolves around themes of freedom and longing. What inspired this choice, and how does it reflect the band’s artistic direction?
“Bluebird is a song tied to my first love. After experiencing my first heartbreak, I realized that the private world we’d left behind—once taken for granted—felt both unfamiliar and beautiful in hindsight. Happiness, they say, is much the same: you seldom cherish it while it’s yours, only grasping its value once it’s gone. This resonated with the message of the fairy tale Bluebird, which I loved as a child, particularly its ending where the characters return home after their journey to find the bluebird waiting there all along.
The name ‘Lubless,’ which means ‘Lust Bless You,’ also shares the same Korean pronunciation as ‘Loveless’ (사랑이 없다). Just as I recognized the bluebird’s worth only after letting it go, losing love left me alone—yet in that solitude, I discovered another ‘bluebird’ within myself: the realization of my own value. It’s a metaphor for how we often overlook the treasures already within us until life forces us to see them anew.”
Lubless combines rock instrumentation with poetic lyrics. How would you define your musical style, and which artists or genres have influenced your work?
“Our genre is a ‘fairy tale for broken adults.’ Just as a story can embrace any narrative, we aim to weave together diverse musical genres. However, since it’s a ‘fairy tale,’ we constantly ask: How can we create melodies that feel even more comforting? Like adults who revisit childhood tales and uncover hidden layers only they can grasp, we love embedding subtle ‘codes’ within accessible melodies—secrets meant to resonate with grown-ups.
Unquestionably, our deepest inspiration is Korean pop music, from its pre-K-pop era to the present. This is why, no matter the genre we explore, we prioritize crafting melodies that feel universally inviting. Beyond that, we set a broad conceptual or stylistic framework for each song and build within those boundaries.
As the main vocalist, Lena delivers powerful emotions through her voice. How do you prepare to express such raw intensity during performances?”
“Honestly, I find the greatest joy in creating album concepts and bringing them to life through recording. When I first started performing on stage, I could barely make eye contact with the audience. After COVID, doing more live shows helped me improve, but truthfully, my timid nature means I’m not someone who can fully enjoy live performances. Still, for those who come to see us, I simply give my all to bring them joy (ㅜ.ㅜ). And I will keep striving to push past these fears.”
Bongwu’s Journey: You were born in Munich, Germany, and later moved to Korea. How has this multicultural background shaped your music and creative process?
My mother is a classical composer, and my father is a rock enthusiast. Growing up, I was immersed in both classical and rock music, and my friends in Germany shared similar influences. Germany’s cultural landscape is vastly different from Korea’s—there, free-spirited thinking and self-expression are deeply respected. In contrast, adapting to Korea’s social dynamics and expectations was a long, challenging journey. But these struggles became my motivation to create music without boundaries.
I constantly reflect on how to break free from conventions and craft sounds that defy rigid frameworks. Every note I write is a rebellion against limitation, a celebration of the freedom I yearned for during those tough years of adaptation.
It’s known that you debuted during the 2020 pandemic. What difficulties did you face, and how did you adapt to connect with fans?”
Right before the pandemic fully erupted, we held our first solo concert. So many people came to support us, and it was incredibly uplifting—but shortly after, the pandemic hit. We desperately wanted to show fans more through live performances, but that became impossible. In the early days, we experimented with creating YouTube cover content and even hosted weekly live streams for over a year. At first, the lack of a structured system led to a lot of internal conflict, but looking back, those struggles became an invaluable part of our journey. It taught us resilience and creativity in ways we’d never imagined.”
How has your music evolved since Bluebird, and what themes will you explore in upcoming works?”
“If Bluebird gazes backward, longing for the past, our follow-up album Mermaid tells the story of a protagonist rising from memories to move forward. The cover art mirrors Bluebird’s imagery but in inverted colors—a visual metaphor for stepping beyond nostalgia into renewal.
The motif for Mermaid is Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. In the original tale, the mermaid sacrifices her voice for love and dissolves into sea foam—a tragic ending I’ve always disliked. Our version rejects both Andersen’s sorrow and Disney’s fairy-tale romance. Here, the mermaid keeps her voice, choosing to forge ahead alone. It’s a lonely, Loveless path, but as the lyrics say, ‘Lust will bless you’ (a play on ‘Lust Bless’ and the Korean pronunciation of ‘Loveless’).
Moving forward, we’ll continue drawing from fairy tales or fleeting, storybook moments in our music videos. These protagonists stumble, regress, and wander—yet ultimately carve their own paths. Their journeys mirror ours: imperfect, nonlinear, but fiercely alive.
Could you walk us through your lyric-writing and composing workflow? Which comes first—lyrics or melodies—and how do the members collaborate?”
“Having worked together for so long, it’s less about rigid roles and more about piecing the song together organically. Broadly speaking, Bongwu leads the composing, while Rina focuses on lyrics. Rina scribbles down lines during downtime and curates concepts she wants to explore. Bongwu crafts demos. When a melody and lyric feel like they belong together, we fuse them. It’s like solving a puzzle where each of us holds missing pieces—until suddenly, they click into something whole.”
Is there an artist or producer you’d love to work with someday?”
Rather than musicians or producers, we’d love to collaborate with poets or novelists. We’re deeply inspired by literary creators who share our sensibilities but bring narratives we’ve yet to imagine—stories that challenge and expand our own. Their words could unlock new worlds for our music to inhabit.
Your official fandom name and color haven’t been revealed yet. Is this an intentional choice? How do you hope fans engage with Lubless’ identity?”
At the core, we simply dream that our music brings comfort to those who listen. That’s what music has always been for us. We want to deepen this connection and share more stories with our listeners. We do have a fan name in mind, but we’d love to announce it once a few more people find their way to us! 🙂
For now, we’d rather focus on the raw, unlabeled bond between our art and those who resonate with it. Fandom colors and titles can wait—what matters is the warmth we build together through the music itself.
Do you plan to expand your music beyond Korea? Any specific regions you’re eyeing?”
If there are audiences who seek us out, we’d go anywhere. We’re especially eager to make our mark in the Philippines! See you there soon!
What do you hope to convey through Lubless’ music, and what can we expect from your next chapter?
“It’s okay to be unapologetically yourself. Even your flaws are beautiful. So love every part of who you are!
Our next chapter will reflect this philosophy—raw, honest, and unafraid to embrace the messy, glorious journey of self-acceptance. Stay tuned ;)”
Dive deeper into Lubless’ enigmatic world— and whispers of their next sonic spell. Stay connected via the icons below. 🖤
Welcome to City Writer 
Leave a comment