oceanfromtheblue Talks take off, Luv-fi 2026, Healing Through Music & Creative Evolution | Exclusive Interview
By Brenessa Roach | April 15, 2026
Kang Juwon, known by his artist name oceanfromtheblue (오션프롬더블루) and formerly known as Ocean (오션), is a South Korean singer-songwriter under Nostalgia Music. Since his debut on March 12, 2018, with the album Luv-fi(2018), he has built a discography rooted in vulnerability, memory, and emotional introspection.
His music exists in a deeply vulnerable space, reflecting on memory, emotion, and the quiet weight of past experiences. Blending introspection with fluid, emotional soundscapes, oceanfromtheblue creates music that feels less like storytelling and more like remembering.
“I started making music by uploading tracks on SoundCloud, and at the time I was going by the name “OCEAN” because I wanted to show a wide spectrum of sounds. When it came time to officially release my music, I felt the need for a more unique name and something with a bit more weight. So I combined “OCEAN,” which reflects my desire to explore a wide range of music, with “blue,” which represents a deep, submerged emotional state that I always carry within me. That’s how I became oceanfromtheblue. I still feel that it represents both my music and myself very well, so it’s a name I truly cherish.”
That emotional depth carries throughout his discography, particularly in his album take off, released on April 7, 2020 which feels less like a structured album and more like an unfiltered emotional archive.
““take off” is an album made by compiling songs I created over one or two years without much thought. Looking back, that period felt like I was trapped in a vast darkness. As I honestly poured out my situation and thoughts into the music, it naturally came together as an album. When I listened to it myself, I realized, “Ah, this is what I was going through.” It became a rather interesting moment of self-awareness.”
Previously described as embodying his depression, take off captures a period of heaviness with honesty. Rather than distancing himself from those emotions, oceanfromtheblue transformed them into something he could eventually look back on with clarity.
“To be honest, I find it hard to listen to that music now. Since my songs are made by collecting fragments of those moments and turning them into sound, listening to them feels like being forced back into that time, which can be overwhelming. Even though it’s just sound, it feels like going through old photos stored on your phone. When you look at those, what do you feel? At first, you get lost in memories like “I remember how things were back then,” but eventually you realize it’s all in the past. In that sense, the album has become something I’m grateful for—it helps me leave that period behind.”
For oceanfromtheblue, music doesn’t just capture emotion, it reshapes his relationship with it.
“Music made during difficult times helps me endure those moments when I listen back to it, while music made during happy times acts like a time machine that takes me back to better days when things get hard.”
On February 2, 2023, hereleased his first full-length self-titled album, oceanfromtheblue which is a 12-track project that explores his life and artistic growth, serving as a snapshot of his 30-year-old self at the time. Blending genres like ballads, R&B, and pop, the album highlights both sonic and emotional evolution.
One standout track, “Past Life,” carries a cinematic quality inspired by historical Korean films. When asked what drew him to the idea of past and present lives intersecting, he shared:
“I was inspired by the Korean films Masquerade and The Throne. While watching them, I felt that love in the past and love in the present are essentially the same—only the methods differ. Although I’m not a Buddhist, there is a concept of “reincarnation” in Buddhism—the idea that if you live sincerely and kindly, you are reborn and may encounter the same people in different relationships. I used that idea as the foundation for the song. It’s a track I’m personally very fond of.”
With that intersection of past and present in mind, we asked him, now at 33 what his 25-year-old self, who released Luv-fi (2018), was trying to understand about love at the time.
“It was a very confusing time. Rather than observing things from a distance, it was all expressed from a first-person perspective—almost like shouting out my emotions. Luv-fi(2018) reflects that. When I look back, I feel a sense of nostalgia seeing how honestly I expressed emotions I didn’t fully understand. I don’t think I could recreate that kind of inspiration now. To answer your question—honestly, I don’t think I understood anything back then (laughs).”
His latest release, Luv-fi(2026), arrives eight years after his debut. The Luv-fi series, spanning Luv-fi (2018), Luv-fi(2020), and now Luv-fi (2026) feels interconnected, prompting us to ask whether he sees it as a continuous narrative or a series of snapshots from different stages of his life.
“I think it’s both. “Luv-fi” wasn’t something I planned out—it’s more like expressing how I’ve experienced love throughout my life. As I grow older, my perspective and way of expressing love naturally change. So no matter how you look at it, there are connections throughout the series, and I think it’s interesting to follow each part along the way.”
Now at 33, Luv-fi (2026) presents a noticeable shift in tone.
“There are still songs told from a first-person perspective, but don’t you feel a sense of distance growing? Instead of sharing overly personal stories, I think my tone is gradually shifting toward something more like advice from an adult—something I didn’t even realize was happening myself. I think this is also something to look forward to in future projects.”
Love remains a deeply personal theme in his work, particularly evident in the track “accident.”
““accident” captures a youthful and clumsy side of love very well, and it resonates with me personally. It also carries a similar emotional tone to the earlier Luv-fi works, which makes me especially attached to it.”
For oceanfromtheblue, Luv-fi (2026) holds a special significance.
“No matter what people feel, I’m just grateful. I make music for myself, and to be honest, it’s hard to fully imagine how listeners will feel when they hear it—though I can guess to some extent. But when I receive messages saying that my music helped someone get through a difficult time, I feel incredibly thankful—almost to the point where I wonder if I deserve to hear that.”
We closed the conversation by reflecting on his growth across the Luv-fi series, asking him to consider which track from Luv-fi (2026) he would want his 2018 self to hear, and what it might reveal about how far he’s come, both emotionally and artistically.
“I’d recommend “ordinary love.” I think it would allow that version of me to feel how much I’ve matured as a person. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect on myself through this interview. I hope to see you again next time!”
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