Korean alt-pop indie quartet The Rose crafts a world of reflection and dreaming within a tender yet uplifting soundscape. Known for their genre-bending artistry, the band's latest EP, WRLD is a raw, honest, and deeply emotional collection that encourages us to celebrate humanity and hold onto our dreams in hopes for a better tomorrow.
A powerful project rooted in soul-stirring instrumentals, unwavering passion and a penchant to push artistic boundaries, The Rose is currently on their “Once Upon a WRLD 2025” Tour, captivating audiences across the world with their charming musicality and alluring stage presence.
Having kicked off on June 9th in Zurich, Switzerland, the band is set to traverse Europe, North America, and Latin America, concluding in Seoul, South Korea, on August 30th – drawing us into heartfelt and hopeful world.
Speaking to Earmilk, the four-piece delve into their sonic evolution, the message behind their album, career highlights, what's next for them and much more.
Tell us a bit about your new album, WRLD. What’s the message behind it?
Woosung – WRLD is about humanity. It reflects everything we’re all experiencing right now—the chaos, the pain, the disconnection. There’s war, pollution, division… and through it all, so many people feel alone. With this album, we wanted to create a space that felt like a break from that. Somewhere to breathe. To dream. To feel again.
But it’s also deeply personal. We’ve gone through a lot in the past few years—traveling the world, changing as people, growing as a band. All of that is woven into this record. We didn’t want to filter it. The joy, the uncertainty, the in-between moments—they’re all part of the story. It’s messy sometimes, but so is life.
And honestly, we thought a lot about our Black Roses. You’ve been with us through everything, and we wanted this to feel like a conversation with you—like a heart-to-heart. That’s why the tour is different, too. We stripped everything back to make it more intimate, more raw. Not just performing to you, but being with you.
What’s your creative process like—and how has it evolved over time?
Dojoon – Over the years, we’ve explored a lot—working with different writers and producers, experimenting, learning. But with this album, we made a conscious decision to return to ourselves. Every note, every lyric came directly from within the band.
We wanted this record to be honest. Vulnerable. Imperfect in a way that’s beautiful. There were moments we could’ve polished or rewritten, but we left them as they were—because they were real. Each song is a snapshot of who we were at that exact moment. It’s a time capsule—raw, human, and deeply personal.
It’s also a reflection of what we’re still learning on this long journey—about ourselves, about what it means to be true. In a way, this album is an invitation. A window into a world that might look like yours, but with just a little more peace, softness, and stillness.
When the world moves too fast, this album reminds you to slow down. To look around. To notice where the real beauty and gratitude quietly live.
Where do you draw inspiration from—both personally and as a band?
Hajoon – We’ve never been the type to sit down and say, “Let’s make something that sounds like this.” It’s more about the feeling than the formula. That said, we definitely found ourselves naturally tapping into the music we grew up with on this album. 60s 70s vibes. The rawness of Nirvana, Oasis, and Radiohead, as well as the timeless songwriting of The Beatles—those influences are in our DNA, and they have surfaced in unexpected ways.
But even if the final songs don’t sound like those bands, the spirit is there. That journey—from something familiar to something entirely our own—that’s what excites us. Watching a song evolve into something we never could’ve planned… that’s where the magic happens.
Where do you see your music heading next?
Taegyeom – It’s always changing. Each project brings new experiences, new emotions, and new inspirations. A lot of the songs on this album were born from moments we didn’t see coming. Some were planned, some happened by accident—and that unpredictability is something we really embrace.
We don’t always know where we’re going when we start. And honestly, I think that’s a good thing. The only promise we can make is that we’ll keep following what feels real to us. We’ll keep making music that reflects where we are, what we feel, and what we believe in at that moment.
What’s been a highlight of your career so far?
Woosung – Releasing our documentary, Come Back To Me, this year was a big one. It premiered at Tribeca, which still feels surreal. It was our first time stepping into film, so everything about it was new—and kind of scary—but also really rewarding.
The process forced us to slow down and reflect. On our journey as a band, but also on who we are as individuals. There were moments we hadn’t talked about in years, and things we didn’t even realize we were still holding onto until we saw them on camera.
But more than that, the film touches on themes that are really important to us—healing, growth, identity. Being able to share that story visually felt powerful. Now, we’re just hoping to find the right platform for it—somewhere it can reach people who might need it, or even just want to understand us a little more. That’s the goal.
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