Review: Brother-Sister Band Akdong Musician Steal Fans' Hearts With 'I Love You' Duo's Signature Sound Favors Light Production Touch [VIDEO]

Brother and sister duo Akdong Musician probably don't look like what most people think of when they imagine a K-Pop star.

Modest, goofy and even a little bit dorky, the group trades in well-worn staples of the K-pop genre like revealing outfits and synchronized dance moves, for baggy sweatshirts and acoustic guitars.

Their originality appears to be paying off.

In addition to winning the singing competition "K-Pop Star 2" on the South Korean television network SBS earlier this month, Akdong Musician currently have a top ten hit on Billboard Magazine's Korea K-Pop 100 with their song "Foreigner's Confession."

On April 24, the K-Pop duo released their new single "I Love You" online and announced the song would be included in an upcoming episode of the SBS drama "All About My Romance."

The music video is scheduled for release next month.

Although easy to overlook in its hypnotic sweetness and simplicity, "I Love You" is a bold step forward for the band.

The unexpected plinks of a toy piano are in danger overpowering the entire backing band, creating a track that is about as stripped down as K-pop gets.

One can only hope that Akdong Musician continue to make their sound even more minimalist, like the endearing single-camera duets that the band seems to be constantly releasing on YouTube.

Although there are plenty of K-pop who write and perform their own material and undoubtedly plenty of other acoustic balladeers in the genre, there is something that feels fresh about the look and sound of Akdong Musician, almost like a Korean folk version of the Detroit, Mich. retro rock band The White Stripes.

Although musically the bands have little in common, the real life brother-sister duo of Lee Chan Hyuk and Lee Soo Hyun has a similar endearing quality to the fake brother-sister duo of Jack and Meg White, particularly in the latter's fireside stompers like "We Are Going To Be Friends" and "Hotel Yorba."

Like the White Stripes, Akdong Musician is an arrestingly different band to look at, but they would be well advised to take a page from Jack White's book by making their music even rawer. Their decision could effect the entire direction of the K-pop industry.

The record moguls of the world of K-pop are undoubtedly following Akdong Musician's career quite closely. The pair, will reportedly have their pick of record labels when they return from a family trip to Mongolia.

If the duo continues having this kind of chart-topping success, they could open up an entirely new avenue for up and coming K-pop bands to aspire to--folky, acoustic songwriters who focus on the music instead of the glitz and glamor of show biz.

And who says reality shows never discover anyone original?

Listen to Akdong Musician's new single "I Love You" RIGHT HERE:

Check out ee Chan Hyuk and Lee Soo Hyun of Akdong Musician behind the scenes at the "I Love You" video shoot RIGHT HERE:

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akdong musician
I Love You
Lee Chan Hyuk
Lee Soo Hyun
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