DJ Peggy Gou releases her first full-length album

It may be unfamiliar to those not interested in house music or DJs, but Peggy Gou is currently the most famous Korean DJ in the world. She was the first Korean to perform at Berghain in Berlin, Germany, a renowned international club, and she ranked 9th in the 'DJ Top 100' selected by electronic music magazine DJ Mag last year, the highest ever for a woman. The British BBC ranked her as the 3rd artist to watch in 2024, noting that she is a superstar in the DJ world and that anyone who knows house music can’t help but know who Peggy Gou is.

Born in Incheon, Peggy Gou moved to London, England, to study at the age of 15. After entering college, she fell in love with DJing, and after releasing her first mini-album in 2016, she worked mainly in Europe. In particular, her track "(It Goes Like) Nanana," released last year, gained widespread popularity and brought her global recognition. This techno house track, with its addictive melody and dreamy vocals, has been streamed over 460 million times on Spotify.

Peggy Gou's sensuous music videos, which blend music with elements of Korean culture, offer a refreshing experience for overseas fans. Her song "Starry Night" music video was inspired by the traditional Korean dance Ganggangsullae, and "I Go" featured lyric subtitles reminiscent of Korean karaoke screens. She writes a mix of Korean and English lyrics and uses Korean visually, such as incorporating the Korean word ‘gu’ on the album cover. Her new album contains 10 songs, including "(It Goes Like) Nanana" and "Seoulsi Peggygou," which samples the sound of the gayageum.


Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com