On December 20, 2023, THE CROSS (더크로스) released the new song "Poem of the Wind" (바람의 시). Marking the band's 20th anniversary, it is a song that vocalist Kim Hyuk Gun (김혁건) and member Lee Si-ha (이시하) made together, twenty years on.
This article follows how "Poem of the Wind," the centerpiece of the 20th anniversary project, came to be, along with "Don't Cry (2023)" and "To Reach You," released before and after it.
01.A Song Begun in One Home: "Poem of the Wind"
"Poem of the Wind" is a song the two made together, with Lee Si-ha playing the melody at Kim Hyuk Gun's home. It was produced by the singer The One (더원). Of the new songs, The One said, "They carry THE CROSS's original color, and they also include a refined arrangement and sound."
Ahead of the 20th anniversary stage, Kim Hyuk Gun said, "I hope our song becomes a 'poem of the wind' that brings courage and hope to many people." Twenty years separate the 2003 debut song and the 2023 new song, and the same two people stand at either end.
"Poem of the Wind" was also sung in a rock arrangement, "Rock Ver." It is a collaboration between THE CROSS and Maha (마하) and can be heard on the official channel.
02.Three Songs of the 20th Anniversary Project
The project began on October 29, 2023, with "Don't Cry (2023)," the debut song recorded again by the same voice, and continued with "Poem of the Wind" on December 20 and "To Reach You" (너에게 닿기를) on December 26. Both new songs were produced by The One. The story of the original and the 2023 version is told in Don't Cry: The 2003 Original and the 2023 Anniversary Recording.
| Release date | Song | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2023.12.20 | Poem of the Wind (바람의 시) | Centerpiece · new song · produced by The One |
| 2023.10.29 | Don't Cry (2023) | New recording of the 2003 original |
| 2023.12.26 | To Reach You (너에게 닿기를) | New song · produced by The One |
03.The Stage of JTBC "Re:Alive"
The songs of the 20th anniversary carried on to the stage of JTBC "Re:Alive." The first episode, on December 19, 2023, centered on Kim Hyuk Gun, and on December 26 a joint performance by THE CROSS and a digital twin that used AI to restore the range of his prime was broadcast. The program followed Kim Hyuk Gun, Lee Si-ha and The One, who joined as producer, as they made the new songs. The stage and the technology behind it are covered in Re:Alive (2023): Kim Hyuk Gun and His Digital Twin.
04.The Songs After the Anniversary
The songs kept coming after the 20th anniversary project: the solo single "Just One Step (Comfort)" (한걸음만 (위로)) in August 2024, THE CROSS's single "A Little Ball Launched by a Dwarf" (난장이가 쏘아올린 작은공) in September, and "Interlude of Farewell" (이별의 간주곡) in 2025. The full list is on the Music page.
05.Listen Again
All three songs are available on music streaming services and on THE CROSS's official YouTube channel, THE CROSS OFFICIAL. Subscribing to the official channel is the quickest way to hear about new music. If you are new to Kim Hyuk Gun's songs, A First Guide to Kim Hyuk Gun's Music is a good place to start.
A year that began with singing a twenty-year-old song again carried on into "Poem of the Wind," the song the two made together.