Crezl

Crezl () is a South Korean crossover male vocal quartet formed through the JTBC singing competition program, '' Phantom Singer 4'', which aired in 2023. They officially debuted as a group after advancing to the final round of competition. The name, Crezl, is a portmanteau of the English word "creative" and the Korean word "" meaning "joyful/fun" to reflect their aspirations to enjoy and create music that displays the unique qualities and personalities of the four members who come from different music genres and share that joy with those that hear their music.

The group consists of K-pop idol singer Jo Jin-ho, Korean traditional music artist Kim Su-in, classical vocalist Lee Seung-min, and musical actor Lim Kyu-hyung. Unprecedented in the four seasons of the popular ''Phantom Singer'' show, Crezl gained recognition as a 'true' crossover vocal quartet that draws from the different genres of pop, musical theatre, western classical, and Korean traditional music called "", showcasing each unique color while also displaying a seamless harmony among them.

History

Background

Before appearing in ''Phantom Singer 4'', Jo Jin-ho was active as the main vocalist in the K-pop group, Pentagon. He made history by becoming the first K-pop idol to advance to the final round of the ''Phantom Singer 4'' competition. Kim Su-in was performing as a Korean traditional musical actor in the National Changgeuk Company (''The Merchants of Venice'') while taking part in ''Phantom Singer 4''. Lee Seung-min was a student at the famed Department of Vocal Music at Seoul National University at the time of the show's production. Lim Kyu-hyung also continued to perform as a musical actor in productions ( ''Hero'', ''William and William's Williams'') while he participated in the program.

2023: ''Phantom Singer 4''

While on ''Phantom Singer 4'', the group differentiated itself from the other vocal groups through a diverse spectrum of song choices and musical elements, while showcasing a dynamic stage presence. The first round brought together Jo Jin-ho and Kim Su-in with another contestant ('rocker' and financial advisor, Kim Kwang Jin) to an unconventional pop/rock/gugak rendition of Charlie Puth's "Dangerously" that elicited high praise from the producers. Lee Seung-min and Kim Su-in then joined forces in the second duet round to perform a pop song, Bishop Briggs' "River", that raised the bar in their willingness to experiment, producing an unexpected and never-before-seen collaboration of western classical vocals (parlando) with Korean traditional music vocals, introducing also a version of gugak rap and beat-box. In the trio round, with the addition of Lim Kyu-hyung, the group revived a beloved old-school pop song, "Hwang Jini", from a legendary Korean pop singer Cho Yong-pil. Kim Su-in's powerful and unique tonal vocals were used once again to give the song a different color and drama. Lim Kyu-hyung, having excelled in performances that range from pop and rock to French chanson, earned from the producers the moniker 'vocal genius' for his musical versatility and expression. The trio, due to their individual schedules and obligations outside of the program, began to room with each other, to use whatever downtime they had to devote to developing their music and performances, which is said to have helped build a strong bond among the members. Crezl welcomed Jo Jin-ho as its fourth and final member, affectionately nicknamed 'angel' Jo by one of the producers because of his signature high notes reminiscent of a 'heavenly angel'.

As reflected in the four songs of the final round of competition, Crezl members expressed that their greatest asset was that they all come from different musical backgrounds, each with their own strengths. Crezl distinguished itself by covering pop music from all parts of the world and languages (Korean, English, Spanish) while using the stage to great effect to emit drama, personality, and fun in their performances. Their rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Faith" in the final round, which combined vocal range, choreography, and overall musical performance, resulted in the highest high-low scores (99-98 out of 100) of all time. The iconic Blackpink's " Kill This Love", also performed in the finals, was the first K-pop idol song to be covered in ''Phantom Singer'' finals history, especially in its reinterpretation with Korean traditional music. The performance was lauded with a standing ovation from the audience. They also performed Mexican pop song, Jesse & Joy's "¡Corre!", and Michael Bublé's "Higher" in the finals. While Crezl placed third in the overall competition, critics noted the potential of the group to establish a new frontier, to create their own genre of music.

July 2023–present

Crezl took part in a national tour of the ''Phantom Singer 4 Gala Concert'' series with the other two finalist teams (Forténa, Libelante) across nine cities throughout South Korea from July 14, 2023 to September 10, 2023. Crezl members have stated that they are in preparation and working hard to bring new music to their fans in the near future. Following the end of Phantom Singer-related activities, Crezl performed at the Samrangseong History and Culture Festival () on October 7, 2023 and the Blue House Outdoor Concert () on October 8, 2023.

On November 29, 2023, Cheetah Company (also known as CHXXTA) announced that Crezl joined the agency as its newest artists. CHXXTA cited that they see "infinite potential" in the group and plans to actively support them as they pursue new musical endeavors as Crezl . It is reported that there is "great anticipation for the synergy that Crezl will create with CHXXTA", which also represents I’ll, a Korean singer-songwriter and front man of Hoppipolla, the winning band from JTBC's ''Superband''. As a gift to long-awaited fans, Crezl held its first fan meeting concert at Sogang University's Mary Hall Grand Theater on December 23 and 24, 2023. Crezl also performed as a special guest on the KBS New Year's Eve annual live broadcast counting down to the new year on the "2024 Welcome a New Day" () program.

Crezl is expected to continue to pursue both group and individual activities in 2024. Crezl began the new year with a special performance at the National Orchestra of Korea 2024 New Year Concert () on January 12, 2024. They held a joint concert with their fellow ''Phantom Singer 4'' finalist team, Forténa, at the Kyung Hee University Wonderland Theatre Peace Hall () on January 27-28, 2024 . The following month, Crezl held a joint concert with another crossover group, RabidAnce, the second place winner from the 3rd season of ''Phantom Singer'', titled "2024 RabidAnce x CREZL 〈Suddenly Festival〉" at the Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center () on February 18, 2024, Ansan Arts Center () on February 24, 2024, and KBS Changwon Hall (KBS 창원홀) on March 10, 2024. Crezl recently performed on MBC M Show Champion (쇼챔피언) and was also featured on the cover and pictorial of the March issue of Queen magazine.

Crezl released their first mini-album on April 11, 2024, titled 'Cre: 㘉', which surpassed the total number of pre-orders of more than 10,000 copies, achieving platinum status through pre-orders alone. The album includes songs, "Forbidden Love", "Fall Flower", "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing", and "Fall On Me". Notably, the title song, "Forbidden Love", was composed by member Lee Seung-min with Kim Su-in contributing on the lyrics, showcasing also their songwriting ability. In the same month, Crezl held their first solo concert ackstage: Roughat the Seoul KEPCO Arts Center (서울 한전아트센터) on April 13-14, 2024 and Daegu Chunma Art Center Chamber Hall (대구 천마아트센터 챔버홀) on April 27-28, 2024. A special performance concert was also held at the Cheongju Arts Center (청주예술의전당) on May 25, 2025. In addition to new covers, songs from their recently released mini-album were performed at the concert, meeting the high expectations of their live performances.

Crezl continues to appear in various online, radio, and broadcast programs, including on MBC M Show Champion on July 17, 2024 to perform their title song "Forbidden Love." A fan concert concluded on August 3-4, 2024 at Dongduk Women's University Centennial Memorial Hall in Seoul, where new covers were added, including duet performances of a traditional Korean song "찬비가" and "We Both Reached for the Gun", a number from the musical ''Chicago'', which drew enthusiastic responses from the audience. A collaboration concert titled "The Masterpiece" with fellow crossover groups, Forténa, Libelante, and RabidAnce, from ''Phantom Singer 3'' and ''4'' was also held at the Inspire Arena in Incheon on August 10-11, 2024.

Members

* Jo Jin-ho () - pop vocal / tenor
*Kim Su-in () - Korean traditional music vocal / tenor
*Lee Seung-min () - classical vocal / baritone
*Lim Kyu-hyung () - leader of Crezl, musical vocal / tenor

The members of Crezl each walked different paths before joining the group and remain active in their respective music genres. v is well-known for the chemistry and teamwork between the members, not only musically but also in the personal relationships they have forged with one another.

Jo Jin-ho is a vocalist, lyricist, dancer, composer, vocal coach, musical actor, and member of the idol group, Pentagon. In 2008, he won the SM ''Everysing'' Contest and earned a spot as an SM Entertainment trainee. He debuted in 2010 as a member of the project group SM the Ballad alongside Super Junior's Kyuhyun. He also debuted as a musical actor in 2013. He left SM Entertainment in 2015 and joined Cube Entertainment, where he later debuted as the main vocalist of Pentagon. He continues to release covers on his monthly Magazine-Ho channel (), act in musicals (''Summer Snow'', ''All Shook Up'', ''Iron Mask'', ''The Goddess Is Watching'', ''Midnight Sun'', ''Oceans, A Thousand Blue''), and is a vocal coach to fellow labelmates. He also released his first solo mini-album titled ''Cho:rd'', on August 28, 2024, a five-track Japanese project.

Kim Su-in is a Korean traditional musician and actor. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Traditional Arts from Chung-Ang University. Starting from an early age, he learned " " from his mother, Gwangju Intangible Cultural Heritage Kim Seon-yi Master Singer (), and studied dance for a long time. He is a member of the national music theater of Korea, the National Changgeuk Company, where he continues to perform as a Korean traditional musical actor, including in the Korean reinterpretation of ''The Merchant of Venice'' () and the critically acclaimed ''My Name is Sabangji'' ().

Lee Seung-min is the youngest and the only classically trained baritone member of Crezl. He comes from a family of classical vocalists, including his father (tenor), mother (soprano), and younger brother (baritone). He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Vocal Music from Seoul National University. He has won numerous awards and appeared in performances at Ewha Women's University (''Così fan tutte''), Seoul National University (''Gianni Schicchi'', ''La Bohème''), and the Seoul Arts Center (''Ode to Youth''). He continues to perform in operas as a classical vocalist, such as the comic opera, G. Rossini's ''Il Signor Bruschino'' and Mozart's ''Le Nozze Di Figaro''.

Lim Kyu-hyung, a musical actor, is the leader of Crezl. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Musical Acting from Chung-Ang University. He made his debut with a role in the 2019 musical, ''Aranga'' (), and has since performed in many more musical productions (''Island: 1933-2019'', ''Something Rotten'', ''Wicked'', ''Legendary Little Basketball Team'', ''Hero'', ''William and William's Williams''). He also participated in other singing competitions, ''Vocal Play 2'' and ''Double Casting,'' before ''Phantom Singer 4''. He placed 2nd in the ''Double Casting'' competition. He was most recently cast in the Asian premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical ''Dear Evan Hansen'' as Evan Hansen, the first lead role in a major musical production since his debut. The musical opened on March 28, 2024 in Korea to great reception. He won the Rookie of the Year award at the 18th Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF) and signed with Palm Tree Island, a company founded by musical actor and singer Kim Junsu.

Musical style

The members of Crezl have said that their diverse musical backgrounds and experiences lend themselves to a broader perspective and freedom to experiment with different musical styles. The members have said they hope that ''Crezl'' might be eventually used to describe similar sounds to that of their music.

The vocal versatility and musicality of each Crezl member provide a wide range of possible repertoire for the group, as shown in the diverse performances (pop, ballad, jazz, rock) on the ''Phantom Singer 4'' program. Lee Seung-min's smooth, warm baritone vocalization provides a low register anchor, while Kim Su-in's soulful tonal voice characteristic of Korean traditional music gives the group's sound a distinctive edge and color. Lim Kyu-hyung and Jo Jin-ho's vocals fill the spectrum in between with melodic harmonies, punctuated with dramatic high-pitch notes. Lastly, Crezl's live performances have been noted as a strength of the group, which were in full display during the final round of the ''Phantom Singer 4'' competition. Throughout the airing of the program, the producers opined that a group as diverse as Crezl is the reason that the show was created - to showcase music that crosses the boundaries of genres.

In an interview, Lim Kyu-hyung described themselves as a group "like a palette with four very different colors." The members also noted that having a K-pop idol, Jo Jin-ho, as a member of the group would help their unique blend of music to appeal to a broader mainstream and global audience.

Discography

Extended plays

Singles

Concerts

References

{{reflist

External links

Official Crezl (크레즐) YouTubeCHXXTA Company - Crezl (크레즐)

2023 establishments in South Korea
South Korean musical quartets
Musical groups established in 2023
Musical groups from Seoul
Singing talent show winners
South Korean boy bands