Ask Hyowon: Behind the Odd Whales

A. About ten years ago, I was living through a very challenging time, and I had lost all of my courage to live another day. I had to be honest with myself. In 2017, I decided to quit the university. Choosing to be a musician wasn't too difficult, as it had always been my dream, but I was burnt out. Even getting out of bed felt impossible. Over the next few years, I struggled to overcome a series of health issues while studying at a music school. Finally, in 2022, I was ready for my first release. 

I chose Odd Whales as the artist name, inspired by a story about whales saving divers from danger in the ocean; even though we're different species, and humans have harmed them in many ways, the whales still took the risk and helped strangers. This "odd" behavior stirred something inside me.

As a side story, I just couldn't come up with a name at first, so I ended up using a band name generator. I got a list of names after filling out the questionnaires, and when I saw Odd Whales, it instantly resonated with me. I recalled the whale story I mentioned above, and that's how everything started!

A. Odd Whales didn't start with a precise shape, but it always had the story of altruistic whales. I had many different ideas in my head, such as humans seen through the eyes of whales (they might think humans are weird "whales" that live on land; I imagined a whale looking at a city from the shore), or even just clouds in whale shapes. Without a clear direction, I continued making music following my heart. 

Then one day, I wanted to give a face to the singing voice and came up with the whale character, Melvin. She has a very loving personality, and she tries to understand others, embracing differences. I believe these traits are what we call "human", which are at the heart of solving many problems. 

The other two, Winona and Ollie, were born during the making of the debut album Pinwheel Apartments. While the album was sung from Melvin's perspective, Winona comes from All I Can Show You, which was inspired by a funny cat I met outside my home. Ollie Oliole is the oriole mentioned in Riddle to Me; the birds I hear in the summer from my forest side window.

A. Actually, they're "Odd" Whales for that very reason. Melvin was originally the only "odd" whale who wandered alone through the dead of night, carrying the Golden Heart to light up the places that needed it. Later, Winona and Ollie (who are not whales, hence the "odd" whales) joined her and happily became part of the story that inspired me; as long as there's love, we're all "whales" together.

A. Kelp Forest City, or The Kelp Forest, is a metaphor for the human mind. The three characters are neighbors living at the Pinwheel Apartments, which represents hope. Each character represents a different persona. Melvin embodies an imperfect persona: we can try our best, but mistakes will happen. Winona symbolizes a dark persona we try to escape from but will always be part of us; it may seem like a threat, but in fact, it is there to help us. Ollie represents an ideal persona; the version that Melvin wants to become.

As I wrote the narrative for the second LP with these characters, the puzzle started to come together: The Kelp Forest being the mind, the characters being our personas, and the Golden Heart being kindness and love.

But this metaphor is only an example; it can be anything the listener imagines!

A. Odd Whales helped me get through difficult times, and I'm hoping that the healing can now reach others who need it. I want to make Odd Whales everyone's story, not just mine; something that anyone can relate to, something that reconnects us to the inner child we all have. Of course, if it can reach actual children, that would be amazing too!

A. Most of the time, I sketch the outline including lyrics at my piano and move on to putting the details together on Logic Pro. I prefer to use acoustic virtual instruments with manual MIDI inputs. I record the vocal tracks and other instruments in the bedroom because it's the quietest place in the house. Occasionally I team up with my friends, family, or fellow musicians.

Regarding visual art, I take photos or videos myself, source stock photos from other photographers, and edit them. I also draw illustrations in Procreate, but since I'm not a trained illustrator, it's pretty painful and demanding. In the past, a small number of edited generative AI images were used as album covers, but they have been replaced with new, handcrafted images. As of February 2026, no generative AI content is used in Odd Whales' works.

A. Odd Whales is about perspectives; to whales, humans are the odd whales. To humans, whales are the odd ones. However, as long as we don't give up being kind across these perspectives, we just might see another beginning beyond ourselves. (This kindness may also extend to oneself, the closest "other" we often forget.)

In the real world, the moon may not be heart-shaped like the Golden Heart of The Kelp Forest, but Odd Whales live beyond the boundaries of land and sea. I hope the world of Odd Whales can help us find our way through the darkness and remind us of how love has always brought hope, even in the darkest times.