Nell (band)

---

title: "Nell (band)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["south-korean-indie-rock-groups", "musical-groups-established-in-1999", "musical-groups-from-seoul", "mama-award-winners", "korean-music-award-winners", "melon-music-award-winners", "1999-establishments-in-south-korea", "woollim-entertainment-artists"] description: "South Korean band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nell_(band)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary South Korean band ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist "]

Field	Value
name	Nell
image	Nell.jpg
landscape	yes
origin	Seoul, South Korea
genre	{{flatlist
years_active	–present
label
associated_acts	Seo Tai-ji, Pia
website
current_members	*Kim Jong-wan
past_members	*Jung Jae-won
::

| name = Nell | image = Nell.jpg | caption = | image_size = | landscape = yes | alias = | origin = Seoul, South Korea | genre = {{flatlist|

• Alternative rock}} | years_active = –present | label = | associated_acts = Seo Tai-ji, Pia | website = | current_members = *Kim Jong-wan
• Lee Jae-kyung
• Lee Jung-hoon | past_members = *Jung Jae-won Nell () is a South Korean alternative rock band formed in 1999 and debuted in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist Kim Jong-wan, lead guitarist Lee Jae-kyung, bass guitarist Lee Jung-hoon and previously drummer Jung Jae-won until his departure from the group in June 2023. The group was named after the film, Nell, that starred Jodie Foster. The band is known for their gloomy and psychedelic sound, and has achieved fame with hits such as "Stay" from **, "Thank You" from **, "Good Night" and "Losing Heart" from ** and "Time Walking On Memory" from **. Their third studio album Healing Process was chosen as one of five best recordings of the year by South Korean critics. Nell's fourth studio album Separation Anxiety was a hit in South Korea, ranking number one in various real-time album charts.

Musical career

Early years and turning point

Nell was formed in 1999 by four students who had failed to pass the college entrance exam. The group performed at clubs around the Sinchon-dong area and released two indie rock albums, ** and **, in 2001, causing a revival of emotional rock in the country.

While performing at live clubs in Hongdae, they were picked up by Seo Taiji, and soon became the first band to promote under the record label Goesoo Indigene, a subsidiary of Seo Taiji Company in 2002. In 2006, the band decided to finish their contract with Goesoo Indigene. They signed with Woollim Entertainment.

The band is heavily influenced by numerous British bands such as Radiohead, Placebo, Travis, and Muse. They also performed a number of covers of Muse, Coldplay, Sting, and Bob Dylan during their gigs.

Nell has participated in both the 2006 and 2007 Pentaport Rock Festival of South Korea, where Placebo and Muse also performed each year.

2012–2013: Comeback after hiatus, ''Gravity'' mini-album series and Japanese debut

After a long hiatus due to compulsory military service, they released their fifth studio album titled ** on April 10, 2012, with the title track "The Day Before". Its music video starred Lee Min-ki and Song Jae-rim, but none of the Nell members appeared. Slip Away was a hit in South Korea, placed top rank on various real-time music charts, such as Mnet, Bugs, and Olleh Music. Kim Jong-wan featured in G-Dragon's song "Today" in his 2012 album One of a Kind.

On November 22, 2012, Nell's official homepage included a new picture signaling Nell's comeback. The picture showed a large moon that had a kind of explosion going on. Nell's new album, Holding onto Gravity was released on December 3. On December 2, 2012, Woollim's YouTube official channel released the music video for "White Night" starring Im Soo-jung.

In January 2013 Nell made their Japanese debut with the Japanese edition of Slip Away, released by Home Game Records, a Watanabe Music Publishing label dedicated to Korean rock. In May 2013, the official Woollim YouTube channel uploaded a teaser for the upcoming mini-album which was scheduled for release in June. Nell's official homepage was updated on June 3 confirming the release date for the second part of their three-part mini-album series of Gravity, **. The music video for the mini-album's title track, "Ocean of Light", was released on June 9. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/2014_K-Pop_Night_Out_at_SXSW,_Nell.jpg" caption="Nell at 2014 [[K-Pop Night Out at SXSW"] ::

2014: participation in U.S. concert and ''Billboard'' recognition

On March 11, 2014, the band performed at the second K-Pop Night Out at SXSW in Austin, Texas along with Hyuna and Jay Park and others. On December 11, their album ** was selected as number two on "Billboard's 10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2014" by Billboard K-Town with the write-up, "The strongest rock album of the year, Newton's Apple highlights Nell's vocalist/chief composer Kim Jong-wan's clever and honest songwriting skills, best heard on the single 'Four Times Around the Sun' and 'Grey Zone' ... All the lyrics are wrapped in warm, lush arrangements and instrumentals that enchant the listener simply by themselves."

2016: Space Bohemian

On March 22, 2016, it was announced that Nell ended their contract with Woollim Entertainment and set up an independent record label named Space Bohemian. On August 18, 2016, they released their first album with their new label, C, with the title song "Dream Catcher".

Members

Current

• Kim Jong-wan (김종완) – vocals, guitar, keyboard, drums
• Lee Jae-kyung (이재경) – lead guitar
• Lee Jung-hoon (이정훈) – bass guitar, tambourine, keyboard, chorus

Former

• Jung Jae-won (정재원) – drums

Discography

Studio albums

::data[format=table] | Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | KOR | Reflection of (Indie album) | Speechless (Indie album) | Let It Rain | Walk Through Me | Healing Process | Separation Anxiety | Slip Away | Newton's Apple | C | Let's Part (행복했으면 좋겠어) | Colors in Black | Moments in Between | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | — | rowspan="6" | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 38 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Extended plays

::data[format=table] | Title | Album details | Let's Take a Walk (Re-arranged album) | The Trace (Live album) | Escaping Gravity | |---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Single albums

::data[format=table]

Title	Album details	Holding onto Gravity
::

Singles

::data[format=table] | Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales (DL) | Album | KOR | "Stay" | "Thank You" | "Good Night" | "Losing Heart" (마음을 잃다) | "It's Okay" | "Time Spent Walking Through Memories" (기억을 걷는 시간) | "Recede" (멀어지다) | "Part 2" | "The Day Before" (그리고 남겨진 것들) | "White Night" (백야) | "Words You Shouldn't Believe" (믿어선 안될 말) Live ver. | "Ocean Of Light" | "Four Times Around The Sun" (지구가 태양을 네번) | "Green Nocturne" (청춘연가) | "Star Shell" | "Lost In Perspective" (3인칭의 필요성) | "Dream Catcher" | "Vain Hope" (희망고문) | "Loop" (그리워하려고 해) | "Life Is Ninano" (사는게 니나노) | "Broken" (부서진) | "Today" (오늘은) | "See U in Five" (오분 뒤에 봐) | "Duet" (듀엣) | "Don't Hurry Up" | "Wanderer" | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2003 | — | rowspan="8" | Let It Rain | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2004 | — | Walk Through Me | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2006 | — | Healing Process | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2007 | — | Let's Take a Walk | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2008 | — | Separation Anxiety | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | The Trace | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2012 | 3 | | Slip Away | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | Holding Onto Gravity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2013 | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | Escaping Gravity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2014 | 11 | | Newton's Apple | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | Non-album singles}} | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2015 | 77 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2016 | 93 | | C | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 37 | | Non-album singles}} | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2017 | 99 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2019 | 147 | rowspan=4 | Colors in Black | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2020 | — | Moments in Between | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2021 | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2023 | — | Wanderer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Other charted songs

::data[format=table] | Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales (DL) | Album | KOR | "Go" | "The Ending | "Cliff Parade" | "Standing In The Rain" | "In Days Gone Bye" | "Slip Away" | "Losing Control" | "Beautiful Stranger" | "Hopeless Valentine" | "Holding Onto Gravity" | "Blue" | "Coin Seller" | "Perfect" | "Haven" | "Boy – X" | "Burn" | "Walk Out" | "Memories Of A Stranger" (타인의 기억) | "The History Of Silence" (침묵의 역사) | "Fantasy" | "The Great Escape" (소멸탈출) | "Night Of Reincarnation" (환생의 밤) | "Grey Zone" | "Newton's Apple" | "Sunshine" | "Decompose" | "Dear Genovese" | "Horizon of Time" (시간의 지평선) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2012 | 33 | | Slip Away | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 37 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 40 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 45 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 47 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 52 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 39 | | Holding Onto Gravity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2013 | 67 | | Escaping Gravity | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 90 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2014 | 63 | | Newton's Apple | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 87 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 91 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 93 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | — | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2016 | — | | C | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Soundtrack appearances

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Album	"Run"	"Waiting for You" (기다린다)	"Breath" (숨)	"Blue Moon"
2013	Two Weeks OST
2016	Beautiful Gong Shim OST
The Good Wife OST
2020	Tale of the Nine Tailed OST
::

Awards and nominations

::data[format=table]

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result	Ref.
2004	2nd Korean Music Awards	Artist of the Year (Group)	**
2005	2005 Mnet Asian Music Awards	Best Rock Performance	"Thank You"		url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201021842/http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=6499
2006	4th Korean Music Awards	Artist of the Year (Group)	**
Best Modern Rock Album
2006 Mnet Asian Music Awards	Best Rock Performance	"Losing My Mind" (마음을 잃다)		url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026053216/http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=9552	date=2014-10-26 }}. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
2007	5th Korean Music Awards	Best Modern Rock Artist of the Year Picked by Netizens	"Let's Take a Walk"
2007 Mnet KM Music Festival	Best Rock Performance	"It's Okay"		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.
2008	10th Mnet KM Music Festival	Best Rock Performance	"Time To Walk Memories"
23rd Golden Disk Awards	Best Rock Award	–
2011	5th	Best Performance	–
Best Moment
2012	14th Mnet Asian Music Awards	Best Band Performance	"The Day Before"
4th MelOn Music Awards	Music Style Award – Best Rock
2013	15th Mnet Asian Music Awards	Best Band Performance	"Ocean Of Light"		title=2013 Mnet Asian Music Awards (part 1)
2014	16th Mnet Asian Music Awards	"Four Times Around The Sun"		title=[Full Ver.] 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards Part1	url=http://mwave.interest.me/mnettv/videodetail.m?searchVideoDetailVO.clip_id=165563
2015	17th Mnet Asian Music Awards	"Green Nocturne"		title=MAMA Nominees	url=http://mama.mwave.me/nominees
2018	MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards	Song of the Year	"Today" (with Groovy Room)
Band Music Award
Genie Music Popularity Award	Nell and Groovy Room
::

References

References

1. Kang, Bo-hyun. (January 20, 2012). "넬 컴백, 1집 앨범 중고 최고가 30만원을 기록했던 그들이 온다".
2. Park, Jae-deok. (January 17, 2007). "넬 공연, 예매 시작 2분만에 매진". Joy News 24.
3. Kang, Ji-hoon. (April 1, 2008). "넬, 앨범판매 1위-콘서트 매진 '겹경사'". My Daily.
4. (April 10, 2012). "넬, 앨범공개 '4년 공백'에도 동시 차트올킬".
5. Kim, Jin-kyung. (April 10, 2012). "넬 '그리고 남겨진 것들' 폭발적 반응…진정성 담은 음악 통했다".
6. Yoo, Ji-yoon. (September 3, 2012). "GD, 새 앨범 트랙리스트 공개 '김윤아-김종완-타블로로 참여'".
7. Hong, Grace Dan-bi. (November 12, 2012). "Nell Signals Comeback with Teaser Photo". CJ E&M enewsWorld.
8. Park, Se-yeon. (December 3, 2012). "임수정, 넬 '백야' 뮤비서 폭풍 눈물 열연".
9. Lee, Yeon-jung. (January 23, 2013). "넬, 일본 데뷔…'슬립 어웨이' 앨범 발표".
10. Lee, Geum-joon. (June 3, 2013). "'컴백' 넬, '여름의 바다' 담은 새 앨범 콘셉트 일러스트 공개 – 아시아경제".
11. Jin, Eun-soo. (June 10, 2013). "Nell back with melodic synthpop".
12. Lee, Sang-hyun. (March 6, 2014). "넬·현아, 美음악축제 SXSW 무대 선다".
13. (December 11, 2014). "The 10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2014". [[Billboard (magazine).
14. Kim, Hyun-sik. (March 22, 2016). "밴드 넬, '10년 동행' 울림 떠나 독립레이블 설립".
15. Kang, Nae-ri. (August 19, 2016). "넬, 2년 만에 돌아온다…오늘 정오 정규앨범 'C' 발표".
16. "2012년 Album Chart".
17. "2014년 04월 Album Chart".
18. "Album Chart 2021.09 Month".
19. "2013년 03주차 Download Chart".
20. "2013년 06월 Download Chart".
21. "2014년 12월 Download Chart".
22. "2015년 12월 Download Chart".
23. "2016년 34주차 Download Chart".
24. "2016년 12월 Download Chart".
25. "2017년 30주차 Download Chart".
26. "2017년 46주차 Download Chart".
27. "2012년 04월 Download Chart".
28. "2012년 16주차 Download Chart".
29. "2012년 12월 Download Chart".
30. "2012년 50주차 Download Chart".
31. "2013년 25주차 Download Chart".
32. "2014년 10주차 Download Chart".
33. link. (2016-02-01 . ''Mwave''. Retrieved 2014-08-28.)
34. link. (2014-10-26 . ''MAMA''. Retrieved 2014-10-26.)
35. link. (2014-10-26 . ''MAMA''. Retrieved 2014-12-14.)
36. "Winners from Past Years: 2008". MAMA.
37. "2013 Mnet Asian Music Awards (part 1)". MAMA.
38. "[Full Ver.] 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards Part1". MAMA.
39. "MAMA Nominees".
40. (October 1, 2018). "2018 MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards Announces Nominees + Voting Begins".
41. (October 1, 2018). ""BTS·워너원·트와이스·볼빨간"…'2018 MGA' 후보 공개, 투표 시작".

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