The South Korean rock band Sanulrim was formed in 1977 by brothers Kim Chang-wan (vocals, guitar), Kim Chang-hoon (bass, keyboards), and Kim Chang-ik (drums). Sporting a punk-inspired rock sound reminiscent of the Sex Pistols, Sanulrim debuted in December 1977 with Volume 1: Already Now. The album reinvigorated South Korea's rock scene and turned Sanulrim into a mainstream act. It also marked the beginning of a wildly prolific period that found Sanulrim releasing nearly a dozen albums in less than a decade, with highlights including Volume 2: Spread Silk on My Heart (1978), Volume 9: Want To Keep It as a Smiling Memory (1983), and Volume 11: Will It Rain the Day You Leave? (1986). Along the way, the band's sound evolved to include a broader range of influences, including psychedelic rock, new wave, and folk rock. Sanulrim's productivity slowed during the 1990s, with the band only releasing two albums — 1991's Volume 12: Dreaming Park and 1997's Volume 13: Rainbow — during the decade. The following decade, drummer Kim Chang-ik was killed in a traffic accident in 2008, and his death marked the end of the band's career. Sanulrim received the "Achievement Award" at the Korean Music Awards in 2009 and continued to appear on the charts of several Asian countries for years to come, even reaching number 27 on the Top 100 Albums K-pop chart in 2023.
