4MEN
Polished Korean R&B defined by soaring vocal harmonies and heart-wrenching piano ballads. The sound of a rainy night spent reflecting on what went wrong.
Polished Korean R&B defined by soaring vocal harmonies and heart-wrenching piano ballads. The sound of a rainy night spent reflecting on what went wrong.
This is the sound of high-drama emotional catharsis. 4Men specializes in a very specific type of Korean R&B that prioritizes vocal technicality and immense, sweeping sentimentality. Their music often begins with a delicate, lonely piano melody before layering in lush orchestral strings and building toward a massive, multi-part vocal climax where every member pushes their range to the limit.
What makes them distinctive is the 'vocal group' architecture. Unlike solo balladeers, 4Men uses intricate harmonies and call-and-response patterns to create a sense of shared grief or collective longing. Their voices are treated with a pristine, studio-polished sheen that emphasizes every breathy intake and powerful vibrato, making the emotional stakes feel incredibly immediate and cinematic.
Newcomers should start with the 'The 3rd Generation' or 'The Artist' albums. These eras showcase the group at their commercial and technical peak, offering a masterclass in how to blend traditional pop balladry with the rhythmic sensibilities of 90s-inspired soul and R&B.
4Men (Korean: 포맨) is a South Korean rhythm and blues group formed in 1998. The group consists of three members: Haeun, Joseph, Hanbin. Originally a four-member group composed of Yoon Min-soo, Jeong Se-young, Han Hyeon-hee and Lee Jeong-ho, 4Men released their debut album Four Men First Album on February 1, 1998. Two years later, they released their second album Ireoke Cheonildongan Moeumyeon Ibyeori Sarajindago Haetda on December 29, 2000. In 2001, Yoon Min-soo withdrew from the group, forming R&B group Vibe in 2002 with Ryu Jae-Hyun and Yoo Sung-Gyu, meanwhile 4Men continued as a three-member group until J1 joined the group in 2006. In 2008, all members withdrew from the group, Jeong Se-young and Han Hyeon-hee join and form R&B group Someday in 2009, however, although, it later disbanded in 2011, later Jeong Se Young and Yoo Sung-gyu, better known as Noblesse, join and form the r&b duo, Takeout. However, following later that year, the group was revamped with three new members: Shin Yong-jae, Kim Young-jae and Kim Won-joo. 4Men promoted as a duo after Kim Young-jae's withdrawal from the group in 2014. On August 31, 2019, it was announced that Shin Yong Jae and Kim Won Joo had departed from Major9 after their exclusive contracts expired and formed vocal duo, 2F. On April 5, 2021, a teaser video was released and announced that 4Men would be making a comeback on April 14 with the single "Still". The following day, Major9 confirmed that the group would have a new, 4th generation lineup for the comeback, consist of Haeun, Joseph, and Hanbin.
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