[Gonari, EPN Enpinow reporter] AKMU returned with their fourth full-length album, Bloom (開花), and shared a special evening with fans on KBS2's The Seasons — Sung Si-kyung's "Eardrum Boyfriend" during the broadcast on the 17th.
On the show, AKMU energized the room with performances of the title track "Paradise of Rumors" and the album cut "Get the Bugs Out."
After a long hiatus, the siblings took the stage and were visibly stunned by the audience's rapturous reaction. Lee Chan-hyuk said he found the choreography's inspiration while hiking, and when Sung Si-kyung mimicked the moves, the moment turned playful and lighthearted.
The episode centered on Lee Su-hyun's struggle with burnout and depression—and how she recovered.
Lee Su-hyun revealed she had completed the Camino de Santiago, candidly describing the insights and self-reflection she found there, even as she endured severe foot pain.
Those experiences are woven throughout the new album. In particular, the song "Joy, Sorrow, Beautiful Heart" was written by Lee Chan-hyuk for his sister during a period when she was largely confined to her room.
The lyrics urge listeners to "open the curtains and see the sunlight," offering a depth of empathy that goes beyond simple consolation.
Lee Su-hyun said one comment has stayed with her: a listener who had been in the same place two or three years earlier wrote that they "opened their curtains" after hearing the song. Knowing her music could change someone's everyday life moved her deeply.
Since their debut on K-pop Star Season 2, AKMU's musical evolution and Su-hyun's use of music to navigate psychological hurdles have resonated widely with the public.
The siblings' strong bond and AKMU's willingness to accept even deep sorrow and transmute it into song have offered profound comfort to many listeners.
AKMU's music does more than encourage people to overcome pain; it invites listeners to hold sadness as it is, a message that has soothed many hearts.
As AKMU continues to evolve and tell candid stories, audiences are watching to see what new resonance their music will bring next.
Photo: KBS2's The Seasons — Sung Si-kyung's "Eardrum Boyfriend"
