Many musicians believe in the idea of “art for art’s sake.” This phrase, created by French philosopher Victor Cousin in the 1800s, means that art does not need to serve a purpose and focuses on self-expression. Elizabeth Yi and her indie rock band, Korea Girl, embraced this concept when they released their song “Reunion” in 1997. At that time, the song did not become popular and was largely forgotten until Gen Z discovered it on TikTok. Now, “Reunion” has over 92 million streams on Spotify.
Korea Girl was started in 1996 and included members Elizabeth Yi, Tobin Mori, Summer Farnese, and Mark Duarte. They recorded their initial songs in March 1996 and released their self-titled album, Korea Girl, in 1997. This album received a “Bammie” nomination from the Bay Area Music Awards, which was established by BAM magazine in 1977. Other nominees that year included well-known bands such as Metallica and Journey. However, the band did not produce a second album and disbanded in 1999.
Elizabeth Yi wrote “Reunion” in 1996 after she received an invitation to her 10-year high school reunion in Edmonds, Washington, which she chose not to attend. Her bandmate, Tobin Mori, noted that Yi was not typically an indie rock person but was very honest, which showed in her music. In the book Elvis is Dead, I’m Still Alive by Mike Huguenor, “Reunion” is described as “jangly and mid-tempo,” featuring Yi’s straightforward lyrics, including the line about spending time with people she disliked.
Recently, Gen Z found the song on TikTok, where it began to gain popularity in the fall of 2025. Yi’s niece, Jamie, learned that “Reunion” had gone viral after a friend played it for her without knowing her connection to the lead singer. Jamie was surprised to realize that her aunt was part of the band.
Korea Girl’s journey shows that art can endure over time. According to producer Kato, Yi did not spend years trying to make the song popular. He commented that the song remained the same, but the audience changed. He emphasized that for many artists today, success is expected to happen quickly, and if it doesn’t happen in a short time, it can feel like a failure. However, “Reunion” demonstrates that lasting music does not have a time limit. What do you think about the resurgence of songs from the past?
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Source: Upworthy, by Emily Shiffer