🎥 The official ‘performance’ video

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DESCRIPTION:

“Please (Studio)” is the studio version of the Pretty City Lights song “Please,” first released as a live recording. The earliest beginnings of this song trace back to 1993, with this fully realized studio version finally released on Ryno’s 50th birthday, December 18, 2025. A meticulously layered DIY home‑studio production, it’s the work of Ryno—an American songwriter based in Seoul—known previously for his work as Amateur Blonde (with music featured in film and television, notably *The Walking Dead*). Ryno performs every part on the track except trombone, played by J. Walter Hawkes, with cover artwork by Shane Tise. Dense and detailed, the song rewards close listening with headphones on, you can spend real time inside it, discovering new moments with each pass. www.prettycitylights.com copyright © Ryan OToole 2025

SPECIAL THANKS:

My wife, @noogoo_jeeb @timelessmastering @puremixonline @upliftseoul @jwalterhawkes @debasermagazine @timecapsulenyc @jmstudio_recording , 🏋🏻 김창주, 📸 박정석

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

film by Ryno

Some still images of the making

The Process.

I normally spew my mind into this space, talking about gear and how I made things. I’m no longer going to do that because no one seems interested.

Here’s a short video I spent a couple weeks making. This video was edited, baked and re-edited multiple times. It began from still images.

RYNO

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

“This recording accidentally too a long time to complete. It’s amazing to be done. I’m very proud of this creation. I don’t normally talk like this about a song, but I spent so much time tinkering and learning how to do make weird sounds, it deserves this beastly moniker. “Please” is a unique song. It can absorb and withstand anything you throw at it. It’s easy for the band to play. It’s easy to sing. The lyrics have multiple meanings. Its layers of sound invite listener to lean in. It’s rather long. I believe I solved this dilemma in the second half’s fascinating misdirection. The journey of making this song dates back to 1991, when I first chopped at the riff, recording on my 4-track. This original cassette recording featured my friend Shane Tise. I so happy that he accepted my request of designing the cover art, which is in itself filled with mystical wonderment. I hope everyone enjoys this version, “Please (Studio)”. I’ve shot video of myself recording all the parts, which I will be releasing steadily. ✌🏼 Ryno”

“Please (Studio)” released Dec 18, 2025.
Listen on Bandcamp & iTunes

Subscribe to Pretty City Lights, here.

Purchase on Bandcamp
Purchase on the official Pretty City Lights Website.
Stream it on those places.
Or right here…

PLEASE (STUDIO) - audio

Debaser Magazine Article

by Jess Howell

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

All “Please” song versions share this similar scene. It was created in combination of Ai and hand made. The story depiction is derived from the lyrics, mostly. Attaching visuals to music is a heady thing. More on that below

Handwriting Video

Ai Acquiescence

At this moment in history, every single human on the planet is aware of Ai. We are all having to come to terms by what it means for art. There’s a lot of negatives. It’s delete design jobs and human touch. I was very reticent when Shane started working with it. He’s a fine artist of many many mediums, so I had to trust him. It was an experiment that lasted over a month and generated over 200 potential cover designs. Imagine picking one? It was surpassingly easy for me, the picky picker. Shane worked really hard.

I promised myself and Shane that it wouldn’t be a big challenge, but once he started pumping out designs it became heady. Ultimately, I really had to search my soul for what this song meant to me personally, the lyrical experience for the listener, and come up with solid instructions for Shane to paint with. I knew that this image would represent many different releases of the same song. I wanted to be able to look into it and feel like it was a real place one could visit while listening to the song. In the same way I cherish looking into album cover art while listening.

Shane made enough art for a coffee table book. Ultimately,

“I picked this image because it reminded me of how it feels to be on a first date. As you get to know this perfect stranger, a perceived notion of being half-monster can set in. What is supposed to be light conversation, can feel like a job interview for lifetime companionship. That's at the core of where the lyrics for "Please (Studio)" came from”

Giving in to Ai didn’t take long, after seeing the first results. It’s fun to dive into this world.

Ai is driven by ‘prompts’. It’s useless in the hands of the ignorant. The images created by Shane required an extensive knowledge of art history, technique, and design concepts. One has to articulate into the machine the commands that deliver a desired outcome. The results are never as dreamed. Shane told me he was feeding the technology all kinds of information about brush technique, lighting, art history, poetry, animal traits and instincts. Read on…

Please (Studio) - released Dec 18th, 2025

You can listen to the track here, but please consider subscribing to this free newsletter by Pretty City Lights.

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Here are some of the outtakes

Shane Tise: Artist image

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

There is already a post about this performance you can read here.

Pretty City Lights is the lifes-work of Ryno.
Subcribe to the offical band newsletter and get shares like this before others, right in your email inbox. We don’t bother people. It’s convenient and you may enjoy it.

Subscribe to Behind the Lights.

Subscribe here

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

For those who do not wish to join substack, please follow this link-button below to subscribe directly with Pretty City Lights. You shall receive all the same benefits in this publication. It’s free.

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“Please (Studio)”: Exclusive First Listen

Listen here.

For those who prefer Soundcloud (Substack fights external audio embeds, boooo)

Soundcloud link

Song worldwide release: December 25, 2025

PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE

Purchase the downloadable track through the links below and it will automatically join your sound library Dec 18, 2025

PRE-ORDER > BANDCAMP

PRE-ORDER > iTunes

Message from Ryno

How incredible was that!

I hope you get a chance to listen to it a few times. This song accidentally took me over a year to complete.

"Warning, sometimes I act a fool"

I’m very proud of this track. It’s a technical masterpiece. In addition to my growth and personal achievements in songwriting, film, and clever DIY home studio recording techniques, this song announces my arrival as a highly skilled audio mixer. It had over 100 tracks of audio. You will proudly hear ‘weird’ things.

I’m excited to tell you more about all these discoveries in time. This song has a 30 year history you can discover in my Demotron series. I have a hard-drive treasure chest full of video of me making this song. These will be making Live Show Replays (performances), behind the scenes Recording Ennui, and other fun content available in the coming weeks, months. This may be too much for one song, but there’s a lot of interesting things unpack on why I spend so much time making it. I feel obligated to prove I’m not crazy. ha ha.

“Please just enjoy the sun.”

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About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

Video (3.5mins) Vertical 1080

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(not Substack, but linked). It’s free. I don’t annoy.

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About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

The Poster

📣 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 & 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 (𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄)

✨INCREDIBLE SHOW✨

FRIDAY - DEC 19, 2025 - @upliftseoul - 7pm-late - FREE

ARTISTS: FAT HAMSTER, KONTRAJELLY, ROB NICHOLS, PRETTY CITY LIGHTS

VIDEO PREMIERES: Kontrajelly “Untitled Days” & Pretty City Lights “Please (Studio)”

TIMELINE & DESCRIPTION:

7:00-8:00 PM: Opening Reception 🍹 – Grab a drink, chill, meet the artists and get a good spot for the screening!

8:00 PM: Music Video Premieres 🎬 – Fresh music videos will kick things off right! Kontrajelly “Untitled Days”, created by Ryno; “Please (Studio)” live in the ‘studio’ performance video + bonus footage.

9:00 PM: Pretty City Lights ⚪️ – A songwriter with a smoky baritone voice, whose melodic sounds have been featured in film & television shows like The Walking Dead. Join Ryno of Pretty City Lights as he celebrates the premiere of his latest song, “Please (Studio)” [DEC18]. www.prettycitylights.com

9:45 PM: Rob Nichols 🎸 – Local legend and leader of the band Honey Jam Sam writes and performs his songs regularly around HBC. “Noksapyeong” & “외국인 Blues” are merely the tip of Nichols’ hit-song-iceberg.

10:30 PM: @Kontrajelly 🎶 – The artist’s self-description is fascinating: “From the universe to the particle, Kontrajelly konsists of quintaphony.” Come out and discover for yourself why this well loved analog-electronic dancing duo have recently experienced a huge surge in fandom with their unique brand of live performance. [”Untitled Days” - video premiere!] https://linktr.ee/kontrajelly

11:00 PM: Fat Hamster 🐹🥁 – This well known “bass heavy electronica” South Korea-based artist has enjoyed instant acclaim, performing in more international music festivals than you can count. Here’s your chance to catch a the highly energetic distorted synth sounds of Fat Hamster in person. https://linktr.ee/fathamster

VENUE Address:
238 Noksapyeong-daero, 2nd Floor, Yongsan District, Seoul

For those you use the largest show listing site in the world, Bandsintown

Bandsintown Showlisting

For those who use Songkick

Songkick Showlisting

“Please (Studio)” - Dec 18th, 2025*

It’s is with great pride that we finally get to share a completion date for the studio version of our song PleaseIt’s been a gargantuan learning experience. The results are out-of-this-world. While we want you to listen to the song right now, we hope that you’ll trust us that we will not disappoint. The wait will be worth it.

*Ryno turns 50 years on on this same day.

Early Listen (Dec 11)

Subscribers to Pretty City Lights get early listen notifications. We do things a little differently, so those who do not want to subscribe to Substack may sign up via are cleaner Pretty City Lights subscriber form.

Subscribe here

Regular Substack users get notified the same.

Picture Galleries

Pretty City Lights is the music of Ryno, an American songwriter and DIY recording artist living in Seoul, South Korea. Ryno plays everything on his songs, makes all the videos, and mixes everything—mostly from his home studio.

Here’s some video stills from the production. Ryno set up video cameras on nearly every moment of this production. These will become available over time to subscribers.

The drums were recorded at JM Studio in Seoul. Everything else was ‘stolen studio’ time, recording in some unusual spaces, stairwells, parking garages, etc.

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The Shows (summary).

• December 5th - Goyo Room - “The Quiet Extravaganza” - 8pm (7:30 doors) - Tix 10,000원 (at door). Limited seating.

• December 18th - Please (Studio) song release - worldwide

  • Pre-Order on BANDCAMP

  • Pre-Order on iTUNES

• December 19th - Video Premiere and Live Show - Uplift Seoul (Free) - 7pm reception - 8pm screening - 9pm performances

• December 28th - Club Bbang - 6:30pm - tix at door 25,000원

The Shows (Details)

Please visit this link for more details

https://www.prettycitylights.com/shows

We are also on Bandsintown and Songkick.

PCL on BANDSINTOWN

PCL on SONGKICK

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—his music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His tunes have been described as, “alternative rock for people dying of middle age”. Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a VIP multimedia fan-zone connected to the Pretty City Lights website.

LIVE CLUB BBANG • SUNDAY, OCT 5th, 2025 - 6:30pm

Solo Performance by Pretty City Lights at…

CLUB BBANG (since 1994)

Admission is 25,000원 at the door.

Doors 6:20pm, PCL hits at 8:30pm-ish

Club Bbang (Club “Bread”) is a long running indie rock venue in Hongdae, Seoul (since 1994). 

Respect their longevity by purchasing drinks and saying nice things.

There will be chairs available + standing room.

ARTIST LINEUP: 
Each artist will perform for 35 mins

(Doors 6:20pm)

6:30pm = 지나가던조씨
7:05pm = 달위의콜린스
7:40pm = 이호영
8:15pm = 주영호
9:00pm = 라이노 (RYNO of Pretty City Lights)

@clubbbang

DIRECTIONS:

12 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul

서울 마포구 와산로29길 12

Links

www.prettycitylights.com/links

Follow the Lights on Instagram/Facebook (same handle)

@prettycitylightsmusic Ryno

PICS

LIGHTBOX

Essentially, you just need some black foam-core, a razorblade, a cutting board (or surface), some black tape, and dream.

Not really much to say, but this takes light from the LED tube and directs it into a bar or beam of light. It’s very practical over the keyboard. It allows for you to lower the exposure on a camera and have that rich black background without the subject dying out.

I’d say it’s 3 f-stops brighter than the background.

My measurements are in metric.

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona with too many film degrees, who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—a new music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His songs have been described as, "alternative rock for people dying of middle age". Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a freemium substack publication, documenting the Pretty City Lights song & album creation process with the slogan, “watch me make music”.

GO TO THE STORE

Please (Studio) - the kick ass full band studio version - is available as of Dec 18th 2025. This video starts during Verse 3.

Thoughts.

Since I arrived in Korea, I’ve been purposefully trying to immerse myself in Korean culture. I am a foreigner. There’s no escaping that. I’m constantly reminded by this fact, minute to minute, living here. Little kids in their parents arms stare at my strange features like I’m an alien creature. It’s nice.

To an extent, this commitment to immersion has led me to hold back on mixing it up with foreigners—not completely though. I’m over in Haebangchon (HBC) once a week now performing or visiting a venue (like Uplift Seoul) to catch a band I like.

In late September, there’s a yearly music festival called Block Party, specifically located HBC. This 2 day festival was what drove me to check out the vibrant art scene (mostly driven by foreigners) bubbling along there.

I first became aware of Block Party back in NYC. I spent quite a bit of time trying to discover what the music scene in Seoul would be like for me—knowing we were talking a lot about moving there. Debaser Magazine was one of my first discoveries (formerly called Platform Magazine). The same people who work hard at Debaser Magazine also put on Block Party Korea.

I arrive in Korea April of 2022. I applied to perform in 2023 and 2024. In 2025 I was accepted into the 2 day lineup. So rad.

The show.

This Pretty City Lights performance turned out great! There was a sizable audience. I felt like I played well. I was really impressed by the crowd’s overall behavior. I would have been fine if everyone was chatting, but their overall respectfulness for my quiet songs did not go unnoticed. That kinda thing makes me play better—obviously.

I did some fun things with guitar effects to make it different. This took a lot of time to perfect in rehearsal. I split the guitar into two separate elements I could control with my feet—one ‘tone’ and the other ‘guitar effects’. Check out my pedal board (image). I made my usual songbooks for the performance, as well as sold my vinyl and cds. Some people wanted me to sign the vinyl, which was neat.

I’m grateful for all the people who came up to me after and said nice things. I am refueled.

Subscribe to Behind The Lights

This montage is a compilation of moments and experiences in music from the past couple years.

This past year has Pretty City Lights performing live in Seoul over a 2 dozen times, as a band & solo.

WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT!

Recordings are in the works. Live performances are happening still.

You can learn more about upcoming shows on the official website (linked to this substack).

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

LISTEN TO THE LIGHTS

LINKS

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona who writes songs under the band name, Pretty City Lights—a new music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His songs have been described as, "alternative rock for people dying of middle age". Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a freemium substack publication, documenting the Pretty City Lights musical journey.

Prologue

Here’s some pictures of Seoul based musicians performing in an intimate space, June 15th, 2025. Sometimes I do this - take pictures.

Location: The Cement Room (Hapjeong, Seoul)

ARTISTS:

Jinu Konda - https://www.instagram.com/jinukonda/
Lydia Hahm - https://www.instagram.com/lydia.s.hahm/
Alexander Cera Schmid - https://www.instagram.com/hasareod/
Kontrajelly - (pictures will be used in a music video, soon) - https://www.instagram.com/kontrajelly/

Gear:

• Panasonic Lumix GH5

• Lens 1 - Lensbaby 22mm - Sol - f/3.5 (swing & shift focus)

• Lens 2 - 12-60mm Lumix Vario-Elmarit Zoom - f/1:2.8-4.0

• Small plastic tripod for long shutter speeds

• Shutter Speeds 1/6th - 1/30th

• ASA/ISO - 200-800

The feel.

BEWARE! YOU ARE ENTERING THE GEEK ZONE

Cement Room is a cafe/cultural venue, filled with kitsch memorabilia sporadically placed. They have a racing green upright piano in the corner. I like it. It feels like a place Tom Waits might call his living room.

The location was very low light. Dusk light was pouring in from the outside window for the shots of Jinu Konda & Lydia Hahm (w/ Alex). This made for a bright background (usually defeated by a flash).

The police showed up because someone in the neighborhood doesn’t like acoustic guitar drowning out their home-shopping channel. The metal curtain doors closed us in to curtail the sound bleed from the venue - and it became very dark.

Later photos of Alex (on piano) (and Kontrajelly, featured in a forthcoming video post) performing were taken as the sun has nearly down, under regular living room illumination.

The Technique.

In my grade school / high school years, my first love was photography. I mainly took pictures of skaters, but I also took images for the school yearbook. This was the last era of celluloid film (late 1990’s), so developing just a few pictures was expensive. Nowadays, I can take as many pictures as I want, without having to worry about changing rolls, losing rolls, light leaks, or mistakes - so I do. The romance of waiting to see what I captured is gone, but money is saved. Much of the same techniques still apply.

I knew Cement Room would be a low light situation. I don’t have any flash gear. I brought along a lightweight tiny plastic tripod and 2 lenses, with intention of lower the shutter speed past acceptable norms. The tripod was completely loose. I used it like a mono-pod, keeping the camera still enough for a 1/6th shutter.

I love my LensBaby lenses.

They excel at re-focussing the eye WITHIN the frame. What’s interesting is that it’s proven that our eye looks at the brightest thing first, then follows leading lines, when hunting for the subject of a photograph. These lenses do break those rules of perception. In pictures, completely blurred out images are abstract, and therefore ‘flat’, with regards to depth. These lenses allow for a ‘sweet spot’ within that blurred out abstraction. So they partially remove depth. They also make nonsense beautiful - like a a pile of audio cables. They do wild things when pointed at lights too.

Their drawback is they are VERY challenging to focus, especially with a subject in motion.

These are the nuggets…

The Night.

Pretty City Lights performed their 3rd band show ever on a rainy Friday night - June 13th, 2025. to a packed house—despite the rain. That attendees were a mixture of: total strangers (mostly Koreans) who were visiting the venue because it’s an amazing hang; friends of band; local artists; office workers blowing off steam; and foreign language students. Jebi boasts regular patrons. It’s what makes it so great. People go there because special things happen.

Late Drummer:

All shows must start on time. The rain came down hard this night. On this occasion, a band member did not show up on time for the gig. For those who just waltzed into the venue, nothing could be wrong, but the band it was a big let down. 3 x rehearsals and a lot of preparation had transpired to make this Jebi show amazing. This preparation went out the window.

The show had to be reinterpreted on the fly, calling on the improvisational & entertainment skills of the band. The audience had no idea, which proved to be an asset. Jebi Dabang hosts artists of all kinds. For the audience, we were performing as planned. How could they know a drummer was missing?

In a rather unscripted way, having no drums on the first few songs was a just fine (for the audience). When the drummer arrived, he took the stage, joining the band in the middle of the 5th song. You can feel the energy in this fun moment. Never have you hear a ride cymbal or tambourine sound so good...

«INSERT LIVE VIDEO HERE»

JEBI DABANG - is a iconic folk/indie-cultural mainstay in Seoul (since 2012). It’s run by a collective. By day it’s called, Jebi Dabang / 제비다방, translation “Swallow (the bird) Cafe”. At night they slide the outdoor ‘Jebi’ sign over, and the venue becomes ‘Drunken Jebi’ - 취한제비. Shows are 5 times a week, and Free (on site donation to artists, via QR code or cash). Jebi hosts only 1 performer/band per evening. The show must go on a solid hour.

PHOTOS / VIDEOS (crowd sourced)

🎤 JEBI DABANG • FRIDAY, JUNE 13th, 2025 at 8:30pm-9:30pm - PACKED HOUSE!!!!!

Recap posts click, here.

Band Performance at the famous
JEBI DABANG
Admission is FREE
Arrive early, limited seating
Performance @ 8:30pm
Jebi Dabang (Drunken Swallow (the bird, you sicko)
is a long running indie rock venue in Hongdae, Seoul.
It's a community venue, supported by artists themselves
The stage is tiny
There will be tiny chairs to sit in.
The stage is in the basement,
with an open top view from above.

Pretty City Lights performs for an entire hour.

VENUE WEBSITE
DIRECTIONS/ADDRESS:
Closest Subway is Sangsu (6 line), Exit 3, Walk toward river 100m
24 Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Follow Pretty City on Instagram
@prettycitylightsmusic Ryno

JEBI INSTAGRAM

🎤 SHIVA PUB • SATURDAY, JUNE 14th, 2025 at 7:00pm - Wonderful Venue

Solo Electric Guitar Performance by Ryno
at the fabulous…
SHIVA PUB - 7pm (6:45doors)
Admission is FREE
42-24 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

EVENT LINK

7pm
Jinu Konda - @jinukonda
The Lavelies - @the.lavelies
Pretty City Lights - @prettycitylightsmusic

8pm
Lilia - @liliam7b5
Geoffrey Lewis - @geoffreylewismusic
Anthony Wallace - @ant0pop

9pm
SoundsLikeNicky - @soundslikenicky
Noah - @knowasound
Neverdie - @diy.illegirl
Alan - @alanbaostuff

@shivapub

Follow Pretty City on Instagram/FB
@prettycitylightsmusic Ryno

🎤 LIVE CLUB BBANG • FRIDAY, JUNE 20th, 2025 - 8:00pm

Band Performance by Pretty City Lights at…
CLUB BBANG (since 1994)
Admission is 25,000원 at the door.
Doors 7:20pm, PCL hits at 8pm
Club Bbang (Club “Bread”) is a long running indie rock venue in Hongdae, Seoul (since 1994).
Respect their longevity by purchasing drinks and saying nice things.
There will be chairs available + standing room.

ARTIST LINEUP:
Each band will perform for 35 mins

(Doors 7:20pm)
7:30pm 공영오
8:10pm Pretty City Lights
8:50pm 더픽쳐스 (The Pictures)

@clubbbang
DIRECTIONS:
12 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
서울 마포구 와산로29길 12

Links
www.prettycitylights.com/links

Follow the Lights on Instagram/Facebook (same handle)
@prettycitylightsmusic Ryno

It's possible in 2025 to feel large quantities of hope and doom at once. These days, the phrase, "what a time to be alive," can easily be read both sarcastically and sincerely. Noise Between The Lines examines tensions such as this. Their new album is a welcomed, non-AI addition to Korea's already vibrant underground music scene.

Opening with a cacophonous 52-second experimental track called "Collective Monologue," the album begins with the sound of two bands wildly sound-checking at once. Atop this chaos lies a messy cake of overlapping prattle, meant to mimic the dramatic deterioration in our social discourse. I asked the band's singer, Hamin Kim (김하민), to translate the chatter. He replied, "It's not going to be that fun, but here's a few: 'why is it?', 'that is lame,' 'metric accents are different,' 'anything else to talk about?' I think the point is that it's a mass [of crosstalk and sound]."

Did the waste of words in pseudo-conversations like this—where people talk over each other without listening—inspire the band to make an album? Yes, it did. In this indifferent online world, I believe the struggle to find meaning is worth at least 1 record—maybe even ten?

With the release of Monologuing Collection, Noise Between The Lines makes its introduction as a unified group. They don’t care how you describe them. They play instruments, do live shows, and record at home together. No one person claims a leadership role. Eager to let their sound evolve through experimentation, the album proves their commitment to discovery in each successive track.

Here's What Will Happen to You...

If you listen to this album…

Neeha (니하), the bass player, says:
"It might feel noisy, dreamy, melancholic, or even nostalgic, but if you listen while reflecting on something personal, you might find yourself becoming part of the collective monologue."

Drummer JunYoung Park (박준영) says:
"You might feel a sense of fragmentation, even anger at points. But at the same time, the lyrics—maybe even philosophical in nature—could help you discover a more complete version of yourself."

My Description of Their Sound

Based on what I've seen and heard so far, NBTL writes songs that are vocally and lyrically driven, falling into the genre of alternative rock. "Noise" isn’t their genre, but they can get loud, layering blankets of experimental shoegaze guitar distortion. The lyrics explore symbiotic, opposing themes—existential detachment and disillusionment, impermanence and nothingness, the weight of words and miscommunication. Their words aren’t just about what’s happening externally—they’re about how it feels to drift through a world where nothing is solid, nothing is certain, and nothing is truly yours to hold onto. That’s the doomy part.

But they’re not nihilistic. There is hope in their message, found in their rejuvenative search for meaning—even when the hunt may never end.

"Always imagining a perfect place that exists nowhere"
(어디에도 없는 온전한 곳을 늘 상상하며), sings Hamin in “Slow Dance” (느린 춤).

As a live act, NBTL plays with singular melodic singing and intense volume crescendos. Their volume feels earned. Think The Bends-era Radiohead crossed with Mogwai. The four members—Hamin Kim (vocals/guitar), Gyurim “Qrim” Lee (guitar/arranging/mixing), Neeha (vocals/bass), and Junyoung Park (drums)—bring an interesting range of tools. Hamin, a classically trained pianist, has written most of the band’s songs so far, handles lead vocal, rhythm guitar, and keyboard duties. Qrim’s electric guitar is where the sonic experimentation feels located, vacillating between an instrumental form of lyrics and the literal embodiment of "noise" between the lines. Qrim has an inverted notion of this, thinking of his guitar as the lines, and not the noise in between.

"I think less about melody and more about filling out the sonic space [with the guitar]," says Qrim. "Since the guitar is an instrument with distinct pitch, it sometimes takes on the role of defining the lines in NBTL."

The Album’s Production Details

For those who prefer albums over singles, Monologuing Collection fulfills the promise of a deeper listening experience. The songs rely on juxtaposition for meaning, embodying multiple genres that define the band’s personality. It’s not over-produced or overly complex.

They employed a tracking method I like to call "studio drums, bedroom band," where the drums were recorded first in a studio, and the rest was tracked at home—relaxed and affordable. Qrim mixed the record.

Is There a Song That Holds the Weight of the Album?

For Neeha, it’s “느린 춤 (Slow Dance).” “I deeply love its lyrics,” she says. “It’s a song that hits me emotionally every time we play it live.”

Hamin highlights two tracks, “17시 (5 PM)” and “느린 춤 (Slow Dance).” “This album plays with textures—fractured, volatile emotions alongside lyrical, melodic moments. These two tracks, in particular, embody that tension.”

JunYoung agrees: “The two title songs of the album that carry the weight are '17시 (5 PM)' and '느린 춤 (Slow Dance).'”

Hamin’s Code

I met Hamin in 2022, before NBTL even existed. He and a friend sat down at my table at Café Unplugged while I was studying—a rare occurrence in Seoul. I noticed in his notebook some kind of numbered code. Turns out, it was his lyrics.

"Lyrics feel like overdue homework," Hamin explains. "I’m not good at them, so I cringe, erase, and start over. If I write in public, I don’t want anyone reading over my shoulder, so I use a code only I understand."

Here’s a shot of Hamin’s coded lyrics. He says one of these made it onto the album—but which one? That’s up to you to figure out.

Tagger

Neeha’s one song on the record, Tagger, gets its name from a the kids game, ‘tag’. Also, in counterpoint, “Tagger” expands the band’s range of sound. Neeha recorded this hypnotic patchwork of looped, harmonized voices and bass entirely on her own and delivered to the band. It lands with a Philip Glass, Einstein on the Beach quality—precisely the moment when I was ready for it in the sequence of songs.

Neeha explains how she was sketching around a drumbeat, adding breathy harmonized voices, using non-words, and a bass line to the rhythm. When it came to the lyrics, she hit a wall,

" When I first wrote the song, I started writing from the part where the drum rhythm comes in. There are two melodies in the bass, so I wrote that part first, added the rhythm, and then I stared at the screen blankly for a while, sighing as I wrote:

'내가 만든 말로 너는 속고 네가 만든 말로 나는 속고 우린 울고 멍들고 다치고 치료해 우리는'
'You are fooled by my words, I am fooled by yours, we cry, get bruised, get hurt, and heal, we.'

I wondered, can I put this all in the song? I decided, why not—just make it narration."

“This song is about ordinary people living together. People comfort me and hurt me, but I also comfort and hurt others. It makes me feel very helpless, but on the other hand, if I were a stone that couldn't give and receive emotion, I wouldn't be able to write songs, so I think it's fortunate that I can feel like this,” Neeha reflects.

What the Band Is Listening To

• Neeha (니하): Yard Act. "I watch their live performances more than listening to recordings. Their energy is incredible, and James Smith is captivating."

• Hamin (하민): Messiaen, Domenico Scarlatti, 3호선 버터플라이 (3rd Line Butterfly), 무키무키만만수 (Mukimukimanmansu), The Beatles, ゆらゆら帝国 (Yura Yura Teikoku).

• Qrim (이규림): Fall Out Boy, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

• Junyoung Park (박준영): Duke Ellington, Yuseff Dayes, Fourplay, Polyphia, Yellow Days, Coldplay, The Volunteers, CHS

Conclusion

This is my first piece for Debaser Magazine. I embedded myself with NBTL for a few days, shooting photos, video, and even playing a show with them. I invite you to listen to NBTL’s “Monologuing Collection”. I hope Debaser asks me back!

Song by Niall Connolly
Performed by Pretty City Lights (with permission)

Explanations:

I can’t explain why this song has a Christmas/Holiday feel to it, but it does for me. I love this album, The Patience of Trees, by Niall Connolly. This song bear a lyric that gives the entire album a name. It’s a wonderful song about thrashing about, fretting, and making positive changes to your life.

Listen to Niall Connolly

Support Niall Connolly

He would do the same for you. Visit his kingdom, here.

Lyrics & Chords

“Kind To Everyone” by Niall Connolly

Kind To Everyone Niall Connolly

63.5KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Under the Covers

I hope you enjoy this rendition. I’m planning to share more of these ‘off the cuff’ style covers of my favorite songs. I’m calling this series “Under The Covers”. I’m focussing on artists I know personally. There is no competition amongst artists, ever*.

Under The Covers (Series)

*Even if I’m way better than everyone else 🤪

About the author

Ryan OToole (aka, RYNO) is a skateboarder from Arizona with too many film degrees, who writes songs for Pretty City Lights—a new music project based in Seoul, South Korea. His songs have been described as, "alternative rock for people dying of middle age". Formerly associated with the band, Amateur Blonde, his songs have been featured in television and film - notably, The Walking Dead (S10 Ep21). RYNO is the author of Behind The Lights a freemium substack publication, documenting the Pretty City Lights song & album creation process with the slogan, “watch me make music”.

Get your Pretty City Lights T-Shirt & Embroidered Hoodie!

Take Me To The Store

♫ Songs For The New Year @ Senggi Studio 1월 31일 금요일 7시

🗓️ 일시 DATE
2025년 1월 31일 금요일 오후 7시 (6:30p 문)
FRIDAY - JAN 31, 2025 - 7pm (6:30pm doors)

📍 공연장소 VENUE LOCATION
생기스튜디오
마포구 와우산로 137
(별도의 주차공간이 없습니다. 근처 공용주차장 이용 부탁드립니다.)
Senggi Studio
137 Wausan-ro Mapo-gu Seoul
There is no dedicated parking. Please use nearby parking lot.

♫ Band Order (7pm)

7시 - Pretty City Lights

8시 - 행간소음 // Noise Between The Lines

9시 - 김마스타 // KIMMASTER

*Alcohol will be sold at the event

**NEWS: Senggi Studio has installed a ‘winterized’ bar on their rooftop that will be accessible at this show.

TICKETS INFORMATION

TICKET LINK:

URL = https://forms.gle/QzyUvZ93ya3vE5DZ6

🎟️ EARLY TICKETS PRICE!

🎟️ 예약 및 티켓 안내 TICKET PRICING INFO
티켓가격 : 25,000원 / 현매 : 30,000원
Advance Tickets = 25,000원
(티켓가격 Ends JAN 30 - 5pm)
At Venue 30,000원 (매진되지 않는 한)

TICKETS: https://forms.gle/QzyUvZ93ya3vE5DZ6

티켓 예매 온라인 - RESERVE TICKET & PAY
이 예약 양식을 읽고 작성하여 제출해 주십시오.
Please read and fill in this reservation form, then submit.
자동 알림이 즉시 귀하의 이메일로 전송됩니다.
An automated notification will be immediately emailed to you.
양식 작성 후 2시간 이내에 결제를 완료해야 합니다.
Payment must be completed within 2 hours, after submitting the google form.
티켓 결제를 위해 예약금 전액을 아래 은행으로 이체해 주시기 바랍니다.
To pay for tickets, please deposit the entire reservation amount to the bank below.
결제 확인 후 문자와 이메일로 티켓번호가 발송됩니다.
After payment confirmation, a ticket number will be sent via text message and email.

⏰ 사전 주문 마감일 PRE-ORDER DEADLINE
예약 종료 : 1월 30일 목요일 오후 5시
공연 당일 티켓은 공연장 입구에서 구매하실 수 있습니다.
Advance Ticket Sale Ends: Thursday, January 30th, 5pm
Day of show tickets can be purchased at the venue entrance from 6:20pm

TICKETS: https://forms.gle/QzyUvZ93ya3vE5DZ6

-------------------------------------------------------

📍공연관람 공지사항 ENTRY TO VENUE
사전 티켓 구매자는 오후 6시 30분부터 행사장에 입장할 수 있습니다.
Advance ticket purchasers can enter the venue from 6:30 PM (doors open).
쇼에 입장하려면 티켓 번호와 예약을 한 사람의 이름을 확인해야 합니다.
To enter the venue, you must provide the ticket number and the name of the person who made the reservation.

📍 기타 중요 정보 // OTHER IMPORTANT INFO

생기에는 겨울을 대비해 리모델링된 새로운 옥상 바가 있습니다.
Senggi has recently remodeled their rooftop bar for winter access!

입장은 선착순입니다. 좌석은 비지정석이며 공연장 내 물품 보관소가 없습니다. 좌석과 입석 혼합.
Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is non-reserved and there is no storage space in the venue. Mixed seating and standing.

러닝타임 오후 7시 - 오후 10시 30분 (예정) Show Run Time 7pm-10:30

카메라로 사진을 찍고 녹화하는 것은 허용됩니다. 삼각대와 셀카봉은 허용되지 않습니다.
Taking photos and recording with a camera is permitted - OK
Tripods and Selfie Sticks - NO

공연 중에는 늦게 입장이 가능합니다. Late entry is permitted during the performance.
재입장 시 티켓을 제시해 주세요. Please present your ticket upon re-entry.

정해진 인터미션 시간이 없습니다. 팀별 셋체인지가 완료되면 바로 공연이 시작됩니다.
The bands play one after another without stopping.

추가 문의 사항이나 쇼 관련 질문이 있으시면 music@prettycitylights.com 으로 이메일을 보내시거나 Instagram @prettycitylightsmusic 으로 DM 메시지를 보내주세요. For further inquiries or show related questions, please email music@prettycitylights.com or DM message us on Instagram @prettycitylightsmusic.

TICKETS: https://forms.gle/QzyUvZ93ya3vE5DZ6

📍취소 및 환불 정책 CANCELLATION /REFUND POLICY

어떤 이유로든 공연에 참석할 수 없다면 티켓을 취소하지 마세요. 대신 티켓 번호를 다른 관객에게 양도하세요.
If you cannot attend the performance for any reason, please do not cancel your ticket. Instead, transfer your ticket number to another audience member.

취소 및 환불 문의는 예약 이름과 계좌 번호를 music@prettycitylights.com 으로 이메일로 보내주세요. 예약은 접수 순서대로 처리됩니다.
For cancellation and refund inquiries, please email your reservation name and account number to music@prettycitylights.com. We will process your reservation in the order it is received.

01/29 오후 5시 이전 : 전액 환불
Before Jan 29, 2025 : Full Refund

01/29 오후 5시 이후 : 취소수수료 5,000원을 제외한 전액 환불 After January 29, 2025 : Refund + cancellation fee (-5,000 won)

🚫 No Refunds 이후/After - January 30, 2025 - 5pm

POSTERS AND PROMOS: