No Brain

The group formed in 1996 in a small club in Hongdae (an artistic district of Seoul). They are part of the first generation of indie bands in Korea, along with Crying Nut. Their first album, Our Nation Volume 2, was a split album with the group Weeper. They also contributed a cover of "Lithium" to the Nirvana tribute album Smells Like Nirvana, and several tracks to the Korean punk compilation Here We Stand.

In 1999, they left Drug Records, establishing their own label, Munwha Sagidan. They only printed 5000 copies of their first release, the EP Youth 98, and all were sold out.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}}

In 2000, bassist Jeong Jaehwan left the group in order to carry out his mandatory military service, but the group pressed on without him. The same year, the band dubbed itself the anti-Seo Taiji band and held a live event to commemorate the occasion.{{cite web|title=No Brain|url=http://www.jpopasia.com/group/nobrain/|publisher=J-Pop Asia|access-date=23 May 2014}}

April 2001 found the group releasing a song-for-song cover of the Sex Pistols album Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols, dubbed Never Mind The Sex Pistols Here's The No Brain. Several months later, the group released the album Viva No Brain. The group then performed at the 2001 Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. The group created something of international incident when Lee Sung Woo, the lead singer of the group, ripped up the Rising Sun Flag while singing the Korean national anthem, in order to criticize the distortion of history on war crimes of the Japanese Empire inside Japanese history textbooks.

The band contributed a track to the Red Devils 2002 World Cup album. The band also embarked on a national club tour in Korea and a tour of Japan. That same year, Cha Seung-woo left the group. The group recruited Jeong Minjun, formerly of the bands Real Sshang Noms and Samchung, and recorded the album Goodbye, Mary Poppins which was released in June 2003.

This 3rd album was a big change and challenge for No Brain, beginning the band's second era. Overall, this album was a turning point for the band.

In 2006 they appeared in the film Radio Star, portraying a garage band named East River.{{cite web|last1=Jung|first1=Hyun-mok|first2=Jun-gyu|last2=Kang|title=Crying Nut and No Brain keep rocking|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2878682|work=Korea JoongAng Daily|access-date=2014-03-22|date=1 August 2007}}{{cite web|title=Band No Brain|url=http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=130000&biid=2007092034498|work=The Dong-a Ilbo|access-date=2014-03-22|date=20 September 2007}}

In 2007, No Brain sold the rights to their song "넌 내게 반했어" (You have a crush on me) to be used by the presidential campaign for Lee Myung-bak with the substituted title "이번엔 이명박" (This time Lee Myung-bak).{{cite news|last=Kim|first=Jak-ga|title=그래, 노브레인은 변했다 (Yes, No Brain has Changed)|url=http://h21.hani.co.kr/arti/culture/culture_general/21310.html|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Hankyoreh|date=7 December 2007}} Although No Brain did not endorse Lee's presidential campaign, they faced much backlash from fans.{{cite news|last=Twitch|first=Jon|title=The No Brain President|url=http://daehanmindecline.com/broke/broke5.pdf|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Broke in Korea|date=Fall 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523225741/http://daehanmindecline.com/broke/broke5.pdf|archive-date=23 May 2014|url-status=dead}} The reaction was especially exasperated due to the fact that, in 2005, Lee – at the time the Mayor of Seoul – had previously called for a blacklist of independent musicians.{{cite news|title=Seoul Mayor Blasted for Authoritarian Mindset|url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2005/08/02/2005080261010.html|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Chosun Ilbo|date=2 August 2005}}

In 2013, No Brain performed at SXSW. They toured North America as part of the Seoulsonic 2K13 tour funded by KOCCA alongside Goonam and Lowdown 30, performing in Rhode Island, New York, and California, as well as Toronto, Canada for Canadian Music Week (CMW).{{cite news|last=Dunbar|first=Jon|title=Korean bands tour North America|url=http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=107172|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Korea.net|date=17 April 2013}} Their performance at CMW was seen by record producer Seymour Stein. Surprised by his interest, the band invited him to their next performance in Brooklyn. The show was delayed for two hours, and the 71-year-old Stein fell asleep, only to be woken up when their performance began.{{cite news|last=Yim|first=Seung-hye|title=Seymour Stein has no ears, his new act no brain|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2979124|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Joongang Daily|date=21 October 2013}} No Brain signed a recording contract with Stein to release an album on Sire Records. Stein visited No Brain in Korea for the Seoul International Music Fair (Mu:Con).{{cite news|title=Korean funk rock band enters U.S. market joining with Madonna's producer|url=http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2013101252888|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Donga Ilbo|date=12 October 2013}} The album, produced by Julian Raymond, is set to be their first English album.{{cite news|last=Park|first=Jin-hai|title=K-bands ready to rock the world|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2014/02/386_151256.html|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Korea Times|date=9 February 2014}}

The same year, No Brain also headlined the V-Rox Festival in Vladivostok, Russia.{{cite news|title=V-ROX festival kicks off in Russia's Vladivostok|url=http://rbth.asia/culture/2013/08/22/v-rox_festival_kicks_off_in_russias_vladivostok_48595.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140523072144/http://rbth.asia/culture/2013/08/22/v-rox_festival_kicks_off_in_russias_vladivostok_48595.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2014|access-date=23 May 2014|newspaper=Russia Beyond the Headlines|date=22 August 2013}}

• Bulldaegal {{small|(이성우; Lee Sung-woo)}} – vocals
• VOVO {{small|(정민준; Jeong Min-jun)}} – guitar
• BBogle {{small|(정우용; Jeong Woo-yong)}} – bass guitar
• Hyoonga {{small|(황현성; Hwang Hyun-seong)}} – drums

• 2008 Korean Music Awards - Netizens Choice: Rock Artist of the Year
• 2007 Korean Music Awards - Band of the Year
• 2007 Korean Music Awards - Rock Song of the Year - Nominee[http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=75123 "2007 Mnet KM Music Festival Part1"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026064533/http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=75123 |date=2014-10-26 }}. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
• 2005 Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs - Culture Award
• 2001 Mnet Asian Music Awards Professional Judges Special[http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=6487 "2001 MMF part 1"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615055532/http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=6487 |date=2018-06-15 }}. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
• Nominated: 2001 Mnet Asian Music Awards - Best Indie Performance - "Go To The Beach" (해변으로 가요)
• Nominated: 2000 Mnet Asian Music Awards - Best Indie Performance - "Songs for the Rioters" (청년폭도맹진가)[http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=6484 "2000 MMF part 1"]. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
• 1999 MTV International Viewer's Choice Award - Korea - Nominee{{cite web|title=No Brain|url=http://schedule.sxsw.com/2013/events/event_MS21940|publisher=SXSW|access-date=23 May 2014}}

• Here We Stand (Asian punk compilation) 1997, All System Fail
• Smells Like Nirvana 1997, Drug Records
• Our Nation 2 1998, Drug Records split with Weeper
• Youth 98 1999, Munwha Sagidan
• Songs for the Rioters 2000, Cujo/Munwha Sagidan/Pony Canyon Korea
• Never Mind the Sex Pistols. Here's the No Brain 2001, Cujo, Munwha Sagidan
• Viva No Brain 2001, Cujo/Munwha Sagidan
• Christmas Punk compilation, 2001, Cujo/Munwha Sagidan
• Munwha Sagidan Compilation 2002, Cujo/Munwha Sagidan
• Dreams Come True, compilation with Crying Nut, YB, etc. 2002, Red Devils/Jave
• The Blue Hearts Super Tribute tribute compilation to Japanese band The Blue Hearts
• Goodbye, Mary Poppins 2003, Cujo
• Stand Up Again 2004, Rockstar Music
• Songs to be sung again 2005, Egg Music/Ministry of Patriots' & Veterans' Affairs
• Boys, Be Ambitious 2005, Rockstar Music
• Shout out, Korea! 2005, Rockstar Music
• That is Youth 2007, Rockstar Music
• Dragon Fighter 2007, Rockstar Music for the TV show Seoul Martial Arts
• Absolutely Summer 2009, Rockstar Music
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas digital single, 2009, Rockstar Music
• Soldiers of Korea single for World Cup 2010, Rockstar Music
• High Tension 2011, Rockstar Music
• Super High Tension, 2013, Roxtamuzik & Live
• 96 [2014], split album with Crying Nut
• Brainless 2016, Roxtamuzik & Live
• 20, 20th Anniversary, 2016, Roxtamuzik & Live
• 직진, 2019, Roxtamuzik & Live

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|No Brain}}

• {{official website|http://www.nobrainpunk.com}} {{in lang|ko}}
• {{IMDb name|nm15380094}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:South Korean punk rock groups

Category:South Korean indie rock groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1996

Category:South Korean rock music groups

Category:MAMA Award winners

Category:Korean Music Award winners