Maggie’s Garden Plants the First Seed of Their Musical Journey
Written by Samantha Firmin | April 23, 2026
Photos by Samantha Firmin
Tucked away along the quieter streets of Donggyo-ro, a neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, lies a quaint cafe called 공상온도 (Gangsongondo). With walls lined with books, albums, vinyls, and artwork, the space offered the perfect venue for a 1st EP [Seedling] Showcase of South Korean band, Maggie’s Garden. The debut show, ‘Maggie’s First Seed,’ was simplistic yet offered a warm, peaceful, and comforting environment that embodied the core themes surrounding the band’s creation and sound.
Maggie’s Garden is a duo consisting of musicians Goo Seulhan and Eun Dohee. The pair met while working on arrangements for Dohee’s second album as a soloist, Blue Comedy, and clicked after discovering similar tastes in music. Maggie’s Garden introduces a genre they call “gardening pop” to the world. Drawing from genres such as folk rock, folk pop, and indie pop, their music is meant to elicit the relaxed and peaceful feelings of tending to a garden, enjoying the sunlight in a nearby park, or simply being amongst nature. This new sound marks a transition away from the more serious work from their individual careers into something lighter and more carefree.
Photos by Samantha Firmin
Just as the band curates their music around this gardening theme, the show was well curated to reflect the same concept. Upon entering the venue, attendees received a small card to commemorate the showcase, whether intentional or not, the size and shape resembled a seed packet. Each member of the concert staff also wore a garden apron (name a more perfect uniform). The room was lit with warm, ambient lighting, with sun rays peaking through from windows near the ceiling. All of these elements, combined with the soft chatter and mingling of attendees, created a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Although their first EP, Seedling, only contains four tracks, the band surprisingly performed ten songs throughout the showcase. Focusing on the four EP songs — “Falling Down,” “With You,” “Year After Year,” and “Peace” — there were almost no noticeable differences between the studio versions and the live performances. In an interview with Korea Indie, Seulhan explained that they chose to record in one take with little audio effects in order to achieve a more raw and natural sound. This was reflected throughout the performance in stripped-back arrangements that felt uncluttered and allowed each element, from the drums and guitars to the bass and vocals, to shine respectively.
Lyrically, Maggie’s Garden kept it fairly simple. They sang about themes of reminiscing and enjoying simple moments, often set within nature or with a partner. Even their delivery reflected the calm and mellow mood they aim to create. The duo used a minimal style with little dynamic variation that drifted gently over the instrumentals, creating an atmosphere that felt like floating through the wind.
Photos by Samantha Firmin
The thematic shaping of the event carried through until the very end, with nearly every audience member receiving individually wrapped flowers passed out by the members themselves. This was a lovely token of appreciation for a crowd who had shown nothing but love and devotion to everyone on stage throughout the show. Afterwards, the gratitude continued further as both Seulhan and Dohee returned to the floor to greet fans and sign autographs.
Through this showcase and their EP, it’s clear that Maggie’s Garden have spent a great deal of time conceptualizing their identity as well as creating music with intention. They have a gentle sound and calming presence that invites the listener in and encourages them to stay for a while. With such a clear sense of direction already taking shape in this seedling, it will be exciting to see what emerges when the band is in full bloom.
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Maggie’s Garden
Instagram: @maggiesgarden_official
Spotify: Maggie’s Garden
