Epik High recently sat down for an interview to discuss the release of their latest album “sleepless in __________.”

“sleepless in __________” is the group’s first album since the release of their ninth studio album “We’ve Done Something Wonderful” in October 2017. The album was made for those who have trouble falling asleep, and the latter part of the title is composed of 10 underscore symbols so that listeners can fill up the empty spaces themselves.

The album features a star-studded lineup of featuring artists and producers, such as Crush, Sunwoo JungA, BTS’ Suga, Code Kunst, and Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna.

Top celebrities such as IU and actress Jin Seo Yeon also starred in the music video for the album’s title track “Love Drunk.”

During the interview, which was held ahead of the album’s release, the group was asked about making their comeback after a year and five months. They replied, “As this is our first album to be released at a new starting point, we were pretty tired and lonely as we prepared for it. At this point, before the album release, we’re overcome by mixed feelings indistinguishable from excitement and dread. That’s why we feel more attached [to the album], and we were able to produce a work we’re proud of. Most of all, we’re overwhelmed by the fact that so many people continue to support a 16-year-old group, and we cherish all of these moments.”

The group then went on to explain the album’s title, which deals with the topic of sleep. They commented that many people have different reasons for being unable to sleep, so the underscores found in the title can be a blank space to represent a place or location. The group then commented, “For us right now, it’s ‘sleepless in Seoul.'”

Epik High also discussed their many collaborators throughout the years, including IU, Crush, BTS’ Suga, Lee Hi, Younha, and many others. “We thought of the album as a film and approached our collaborators as if we were casting for a movie. If the melody and lyrics that we prepared are the screenplays, we’ll find the people who will best express the scenes that we want to portray. The fact that so many outstanding people think that working with us is special and enjoyable… we feel surprised and blessed every time,” they said.

The members of Epik High then talked about the process of how they were able to bring in the director and actors for the “Love Drunk” music video, saying, “When we made the title track ‘Love Drunk,’ we worked with the idea of making a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist. Fortunately, after director Bae Jong, who directed ‘Welcome to Dongmakgol,’ gave the song a listen, he said that he liked the song and that it sounded like film music, so he decided to direct [the music video]. We were really surprised and grateful when the two actors, IU and Jin Seo Yeon, readily accepted our casting offer. The concept of the music video is unique, so they had to act in action scenes, and they both gave up their valuable time despite their busy schedules. We still can’t believe it.”

The group finally concluded the interview by sharing their hopes that listeners who find it hard to fall asleep can find comfort in their new album. They then brought up their future plans of touring overseas, holding a summer concert in Seoul, and communicating with fans through their YouTube channel.

Epik High released their album “sleepless in __________” and the music video for “Love Drunk” on March 11 at 6 p.m. KST. Check out the music video here!

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