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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-01-21 06:05:51
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap 21) -- “We hope people will say, ‘This combination of K-pop sounds and traditional Korean music actually works better than I expected.’ We want to work hard and even win a rookie award by the end of the year.”
Na Young-ju, 25, and Lee Song-hyun, 22, who caught viewers’ attention on KBS audition program “The Ddanddara,” are joining forces as a female duo named dodree.
Branding their music as “K-rossover Pop,” a crossover of gugak and K-pop, the duo expressed bold ambitions to captivate not only domestic audiences but also fans overseas.
In a recent interview with Yonhap News at its Seoul office, dodree said they are confident they can present a genre that feels new to the public. “With music that incorporates Korean elements, we want to become artists who resonate not only at home but also abroad,” they said.
Dodree's debut single “Dreamlike” comes out on Wednesday. The duo consists of Na, who majored in traditional Korean music and comes from a family with three generations of gugak musicians, and Lee, who majored in Korean dance.
Lee, who placed fourth, and Na, who finished fifth on “The Ddanddara,” prepared for their debut under INIT Entertainment, a subsidiary of JYP Entertainment. Their team name combines “dodree,” a rhythmic pattern in gugak, with the English word “free,” reflecting their aim to transcend genre boundaries.
“We naturally formed a team while training together at the company,” Na said. “Since we both have strong Korean elements, we felt we were a good match to present crossover pop.”
The debut single includes the title track “Dreamlike” and “Bon.” The title song blends pop melodies with gugak vocal techniques and choreography inspired by Korean dance, expressing longing for someone who passed by like a dream.
Na explained that she studied practical music vocals to find a balance between gugak and more mainstream singing styles. “Learning a new vocal technique was difficult, but I eventually found the sound I wanted,” she said.
Lee added that she carefully considered choreography that would feel Korean without leaning too heavily on tradition. “The movements using long skirts and drawing lines with the body should be interesting to watch,” she said.
The two emphasized that they grew as a team by complementing each other’s weaknesses during the album’s production process. Na taught Lee gugak vocal techniques, while Lee helped Na with dance movements.
“I had taught myself gugak by watching YouTube videos, so my vocal range was limited,” Lee said. “After learning pansori from her, my range expanded a lot, from vocal bends to harmonizing.”
Na recalled struggling at first with Korean dance movements. “I couldn’t keep my balance when turning or sitting down, but Song-hyun helped me with the basics, including foot angles,” she said.
Family members have also played a key supporting role for both artists.
Na said she initially faced opposition from her family when she expressed her desire to pursue a crossover genre, but they have since become her strongest supporters. “My late grandmother suggested I stick to tradition when she taught me pansori, but after hearing my determination, she encouraged me,” Na said, adding that she now seeks advice from her mother to preserve Korean elements in her music.
Lee, who began learning dance at age three under her mother’s guidance, also expressed gratitude for her mother’s support. “I often send her videos of my choreography to get advice,” she said.
Ahead of their dreamlike debut, dodree said their goal for this promotion is to leave a strong impression with music that reflects their unique identity.
“I’m happy to open a new genre I’ve always wanted to try. I want people to say we suit each other well and make good music,” Na said.
“We want to continue making music that feels both accessible and fresh, and become artists who are loved for a long time,” Lee added.
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