As One (musical duo)

Lore & Background

As One debuted in 1999 with the album Day by Day, and their first hit was the song '너만은 모르길' (Only You Wouldn't Know), released in 2000 by Rock Records. Between their fourth and fifth albums, their contract with Rock Records expired and they signed with EMI Music Publishing Korea, a label that also managed other K-pop stars like DJ DOC and Baby V.O.X. In 2007, As One released their fifth album 12 Tears of Farewell, and started promotional activities with the lead track '십이야' (12 Nights). In 2012, the duo signed to Brand New Music.

In contrast to their usual style, As One released a 19+ rated music video ahead of their October 29, 2014 release date for the single '오늘같은 날' (For the Night). The music video featured labelmate Jae Woong from 4-member hip hop group Troy and fitness model Kim Hae Na. On June 20, 2016, As One made a comeback with a new single titled 'The Pain I Caused', from their sixth album Outlast, released June 21, 2016. The album features eleven tracks along with the lead single 'Don't Say Anything', released the same day. The pair appeared on JTBC's Sugarman 3 on December 13, 2019.

On August 5, 2025, the duo's management agency Brand New Music confirmed that Lee Min died at age 46 in Seoul, South Korea, thereby ending the group activities.

Reader's Guide

As One holds significance as a long-running South Korean R&B duo whose career spanned over two decades, from their 1999 debut to Lee Min's death in 2025. They navigated multiple label changes—from Rock Records to EMI Music Publishing Korea and later Brand New Music—and adapted their sound over time, including a notable 2014 single with a 19+ rated music video. Their sixth album Outlast (2016) and appearances on shows like Sugarman 3 demonstrated their continued relevance. The duo's hiatus in 2017 and reunion in 2019 reflect a career marked by both longevity and interruption. Their legacy is tied to their consistent output of R&B music and their role in the Korean music industry, though their activities ultimately ceased with Lee Min's passing. The group's discography includes studio albums, compilation and live albums, extended plays, singles, collaborative singles, and soundtrack appearances, as well as awards and nominations.

Did You Know?

• As One's first hit was the song '너만은 모르길' (Only You Wouldn't Know), released in 2000 by Rock Records.
• In 2014, As One released a 19+ rated music video for the single '오늘같은 날' (For the Night), featuring labelmate Jae Woong from Troy and fitness model Kim Hae Na.
• The duo appeared on JTBC's Sugarman 3 on December 13, 2019.
• Lee Min died at age 46 in Seoul, South Korea, on August 5, 2025, as confirmed by Brand New Music.

Origins: From Buenos Aires to the Bay

Mica Tenenbaum arrived in the United States as a one-year-old, her family relocating from Buenos Aires to settle in Miami. Matthew Lewin, born locally in Miami with Argentine heritage through his father, shares with Tenenbaum a Jewish upbringing and a deep connection to that city. Their paths first crossed in 2011 within a program at Live! Modern School of Music, where they were initially assigned to a classic rock cover band. That arrangement quickly gave way to something more ambitious: the two, alongside other musicians including drummer Nick Villa, began composing original progressive rock under the name Tabula Rasa, eventually putting out a self-titled EP and album. After college years—Tenenbaum pursuing communications at the University of Pennsylvania and Lewin studying music business at Northeastern—they formed Magdalena Bay in 2016 during a vacation break, continuing to collaborate remotely. The project's name honors Maggie Bay, an administrator at a former workplace of Lewin's. The duo, who are also romantic partners, relocated to Los Angeles in 2018, where they remain based today.

Aesthetic DNA: DIY Glitter and Digital Nostalgia

Magdalena Bay's visual and sonic identity is inseparable from the internet culture of the early 2000s. Tenenbaum designed a Y2K-inspired promotional website for their debut album, and the duo's music videos and live presentation lean into a deliberately kitschy, handmade sensibility that feels like a love letter to that era's web aesthetics. Their TikTok presence, which features informational videos breaking down how the music industry actually works, extends that same DIY ethos into the realm of education and community building. Musically, their roots trace back to the progressive rock experiments of Tabula Rasa, but the Magdalena Bay project was specifically conceived as a vehicle for channeling the alternative pop of artists like Grimes, Chairlift, and Charli XCX into something fresh. The Mag Minis YouTube series—short, playful music videos that began in early 2019—became the creative springboard that attracted the attention of indie label Luminelle Recordings. Together, these elements form a cohesive brand: two writers and producers who treat every visual, every track, and every social media post as part of a single, self-directed creative universe.

From Viral Moments to Festival Headliners

The duo's path to wider recognition was neither linear nor instantaneous. After a string of self-released singles between 2016 and 2018—including a Tears for Fears cover and tracks like Neon and Ghost—they packaged remastered material into the paired EPs Day/Pop and Night/Pop in early 2019. The breakthrough moment arrived when Killshot caught fire on social media in 2021, used as a soundtrack for fancams and propelling the track into broader circulation. That momentum carried into the October 2021 release of Mercurial World, their debut studio album, which they supported with a Y2K-themed website, a series of music videos, and a deluxe edition the following year that incorporated fan-submitted content. The festival circuit became their proving ground: Primavera Sound in 2022, Porter Robinson's Second Sky, Coachella and Lollapalooza in 2023. By 2024, after signing with Mom + Pop Music, they released Imaginal Disk to widespread critical acclaim, and in the summer of 2025 they opened for both Halsey and Billie Eilish before returning to Lollapalooza in July.

Beyond the Album: Film, Double Singles, and Ongoing Expansion

Following the critical success of Imaginal Disk in August 2024, Magdalena Bay have continued to push their creative output into new formats. On the one-year anniversary of that album, they announced a visual album film directed by Amanda Kramer, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 4, 2026. Kramer indicated at a screening that the project is planned for eventual release on physical media and streaming platforms, though a public release date remains undetermined. Musically, the duo has maintained a steady stream of new material: a series of double singles in late 2025, including Second Sleep and Star Eyes (which they framed as a spiritual successor to Imaginal Disk), Human Happens and Paint Me a Picture, Unoriginal and Black-Eyed Susan Climb, and This Is The World (I Made. Their touring footprint has expanded significantly, with appearances on triple j's Like a Version, III Points Music Festival in Miami, and multiple festival returns. Across two studio albums, three EPs, and three Mini Mix mixtapes, the pair have built a catalog that rewards both casual discovery and deep listening.

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