I know, I know. I promised last week that I’d come with some hiphop today. But there’s something else I want to write about today instead.

I’ve been a fan of FT 아일랜드 or FT Island since their debut. They’re a five member boyband – and by band, I mean an actual band. They don’t all sing and dance – they actually play their instruments, and generally suck pretty bad at dancing. There’s 이홍기 on vocals, 최종훈 on guitar, 이재진 on bass, 최민환 on drums, and 오원빈 on guitar and backing vocals/’rap’, and my favourite. They debuted in 2007 and since then they’ve released two albums and repackages, and a Japanese mini album and single, as well as performing songs on a couple of drama OSTs.

[youtube:https://youtube.com/watch?v=G2ekbT4rCAI 490 409]

The above is the first single, 사랑후애, from their second album Colorful Sensibility.

[youtube:https://youtube.com/watch?v=dhurpYA160A 490 409]

They are also awesome live. This was shortly after their debut, doesn’t 이홍기 have a great voice?

Sadly though today it was announced that 오원빈 has decided that he’ll be leaving FT Island. There’s been a lot of different rumours flying around about it, but the official site mentions musical differences.

They will apparently be replacing him with one of the company’s other recruits, though details about it haven’t been confirmed yet as far as I can tell.

I’m so sad about this, I’ve spent the last few years watching them together and seeing each of them grow into who they are right now, they have come so far since debut and the thought that one of them would leave never actually crossed my mind. But at the same time it doesn’t completely surprise me, and I hope that 오원빈 will do well in whatever he decides to do after this point. I honestly hope though that he isn’t thinking about a solo career, because his voice isn’t strong or good enough to be solo or lead vocals – but if that’s what he wants to do, then I hope he does well.