Her version of the song is set to be released on major streaming platforms next week.
"Blue Lagoon" made Matsuda a household name in Japan, with its bright melody and lyrics about the jitters of young love helping cement it as one of her signature songs.
In South Korea, the song has an odd backstory of its own: long before Japanese pop was officially distributed here, it circulated through unofficial channels and became a kind of open secret among listeners who followed Japanese music on the sly.
The song resurfaced in the spotlight in 2024, when NewJeans' Hanni sang it at an event for Japanese fans in Tokyo, drawing attention in both countries.
SH Gold Networks described Lee's clear, warm vocals as adding a new texture to the song's breezy original feel, retaining its sense of anticipation while giving it her own emotional touch.
The release slated for next Tuesday also marks a rare solo outing for Lee outside AKMU.
More broadly, the project reflects how older Japanese pop songs are being reintroduced to South Korean audiences.
AJP Takeaways:
- AKMU's Lee Su-hyun will release a remake of Seiko Matsuda's 1980 J-pop classic "Blue Lagoon" on Aug. 18, according to SH Gold Networks.
- "Blue Lagoon" became one of Matsuda's signature songs in Japan and also gained a following in South Korea before Japanese pop music was officially distributed there.
- The song returned to wider attention in 2024 after NewJeans' Hanni performed it in Japan.
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