Korea Girl


Korea Girl was an American indie rock band from San Jose, California. The band's best known lineup was composed of Elizabeth Yi, Tobin Mori, Summer Farnese, and Marc Duarte. Drummer Scott Landucci and bassist Jennifer Yee replaced Duarte and Farnese after both members left the band in 1997. Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart was also briefly a member of the band. The band's name was suggested by a female friend of Mori's after he told her he was "jamming with this Korean girl"..
They released a demo cassette shortly after forming in March 1996. They released one CD and one 7" on Asian Man Records, and they appear on various Asian Man compilations. Korea Girl was declared Album of the Year in 1997 by Santa Clara University radio station KSCU. The album was re-released again in 2023 by Los Angeles indie label 7th Heaven.. The group received a Bammie nomination in 1997 for Outstanding Independent Album.. In 1999, Korea Girl disbanded following increasing tension between Mori and Yi, culminating in Mori's depature shortly before the group's disbandment. Mori would later form Ee.
In 2025, the band achieved significant mainstream recognition after their song "Reunion", released in 1997, became popular on the short-form video platform TikTok.

Artistry

Korea Girl's music was described as a indie rock, indie pop, slacker rock, and twee pop band, featuring both male and female vocals and using clean and undistorted guitars in the manner of such earlier indie rock groups as Blake Babies. Mori describes being inspired by Pavement's "Slanted and Enchanted" during the recording process. A 1999 review for In Music We Trust called it "sweet indie-pop that also contains enough energy to wrestle with the rockers, while never losing any sincerity or emotions contained in the soft moments It is sweet, innocent, and very gentle, without being too soft"..

Band members

;Principal lineup
  • Elizabeth Yi – vocals, guitars
  • Tobin Mori – vocals, guitars, keyboards
  • Summer Farnese – bass guitar
  • Marc Duarte – drums, percussion
;Other members
  • Jennifer Yee – bass guitar
  • Scott Landucci – drums, percussion
  • Jamie Stewart – unknown
;Touring members
  • Che Chou – bass guitar

Discography

Korea Girl Korea Girl Reunion
  • ''Korea Girl''