Japanese Breakfast is paying tribute to its leader Michelle Zauner’s Korean heritage with the release today (July 20) of a Korean-language version of its track “Be Sweet.” The new recording features vocal contributions from So!YoON!, the frontperson of eclectic Korean band SE SO NEON.
“Be Sweet” is a key track from Japanese Breakfast’s latest Dead Oceans album, Jubilee, which garnered two Grammy nominations. The song has been played on Saturday Night Live, found its way into The Sims 4 video game and even had a beer named after it by Goose Island Brewery.
“We thought it would be fun to put out a special Korean version of ‘Be Sweet’ preceding our upcoming performance in Seoul,” which will take place Aug. 6 at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. “I’m very grateful Yaeji helped me with the translation over a year ago. So!YoON! is one of my favorite indie artists in Seoul right now and I’m so happy we got to collab.”
After not having played since December 2019 or released new music since 2020, SE SO NEON wrapped a spring world tour in mid-April. The latest single from So!YoON! is 2020’s jazzy ballad “Wings” with Thai singer Phum Viphurit.
As for Zauner and Japanese Breakfast, they’ll be on tour for the next four months around the world, including appearances at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas, and three installments of the South American edition of the Primavera Sound festival in mid-November. The group also has opening dates this fall with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Florence + The Machine.
