[Photo&] Akmu caps ‘Buminla’ finale… in the heart of the city, 펼쳤 the ‘Paradise of Rumor’ live

A ‘Paradise of Rumor’ that overtook the city at night — Akmu’s return

An enormous oasis bearing the name ‘Akmu (AKMU)’ unfolded across the harsh concrete. On the 31st, in Seoul’s Mapo District, ‘Culture and Arts Reserve Base’ was transformed into a musical utopia created by the sibling duo. Stepping in as the headliners on the second day of the outdoor music festival ‘Beautiful Mint Life 2026’, they poured out songs from their regular fourth album ‘Gae-hwa’ one after another, overwhelming the crowd. This new release, completed with Lee Chanhyuk’s full production after seven years, has been praised for reinterpreting the group’s early, pure acoustic sensibilities in a more sophisticated way. With the album out for just about two months, the scene was already vibrating with tight-knit singalongs, underscoring their steadfast ‘musical authority’.

Proof of a 12-year debut run, the sibling duo’s ‘Live Spectacle’ made into a genre

Onstage, the unmistakable clarity of ‘Lee Suhyun’ and the relaxed groove of ‘Lee Chanhyuk’ were, in themselves, a genre. The duo’s 12 years of know-how erupted in a hit-song relay connecting ‘The way people move’, ‘Love Lee’, and ‘200%’. The stage, combining a lush band sound with saxophone melodies, boasted a polished production that left no room for even a single beat of interruption. After digging into the depths of emotion with the new album’s title track ‘Joy, Sorrow, and a Beautiful Mind’, the control of pacing—then surging straight to the festival’s climax with ‘Nakha’ and ‘DINOSAUR’—was nothing short of overwhelming. Under flags that fluttered their logo, they breathed with the audience and proved their true ‘stage-commanding power’.

‘Musical Gae-hwa’ blooming from oil tanks, the lingering impression left by Buminla

Cold oil storage tanks from the past were reborn into the hottest furnace of culture through ‘Buminla 2026’. The finale—Akmu’s ‘For Long Days, For Long Nights’ and a blaze of dazzling fireworks that painted the night sky—delivered deep comfort and catharsis at the same time. The varied energy released by capable artists such as Ha Jang-ha and DAY6’s Wonpil blended with the romance of the lawn, creating a perfect synergy for a spring day. Even though operational ‘growing pains’ remained, in the form of lingering heat and waiting time, it was still not enough to drown out the feelings produced by the abundant things to enjoy and the artists’ gripping performances. This year’s Buminla, where innovation in space combined with the power of music, will be etched into the minds of viewers as a fierce ‘masterpiece’.