The autumn gaming culture festival, GXG, returns this year and will be held for two days on September 11 and 12 around Pangyo Station Square.

Going beyond the moment of playing games, GXG champions a festival where game-created culture and human stories converge. As such, it is growing into an urban festival where people across generations and genres can enjoy and connect together through various cultural content surrounding games, including music, art, story, and performance.

Alongside GXG, which celebrates its 4th edition this year, the annual GXG Game Music Competition—"GXG SOUND TRACK"—is entering its 3rd edition. After fierce preliminary competition among many applicant teams, six finalist teams have been selected. The six teams that advanced to the finals will perform on the main stage at Pangyo Station Central Square on Friday, September 11.

This year's finalist teams will also present music inspired by various games—from Lies of P, MapleStory, League of Legends, and Blue Archive to PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and Dungeon Fighter Online! Ahead of the final stage, Inven interviewed the six finalist teams to hear about their musical motifs, key highlights to watch for, behind-the-scenes stories, and their resolutions for the finals.

Please introduce your team.

= We formed our team after bonding while playing music together at the same school. Our team name, NOX, means "night" in Latin. We chose this name because we felt it best expresses the dark fantasy atmosphere and worldview of our final song.

Why did you apply with this song?

= The title of our song is 'Bite the Lie.' It literally conveys the meaning of "biting through lies to reveal the truth"! The song unfolds from the perspective of Lea, the legendary Stalker in Lies of P: Overture. We interpreted Lea not merely as a hero or savior, but as a strong-willed character who fights for the truth until the very end. So rather than simply explaining official lore, you can think of this song as an original OST that reinterprets the worldview and message centered on Lea from our own perspective.

What aspects of the featured game gave you inspiration?

= Lea struggles and agonizingly wrestles inside a world built on lies before ultimately choosing the truth by her own will, and that process gave us the greatest inspiration. That's also why we decided on the title 'Bite the Lie' together. We structured the song to start quietly, build up tension step by step, and let emotions explode in the chorus to express the protagonist's inner conflict and resolve through music.

What should the audience listen for or watch most closely during the finals performance?

= Rather than simply performing, we plan to fully immerse ourselves in our respective roles on stage. The vocal and all instrument parts will take the stage with the mindset of becoming a single warrior! We hope you feel that energy and immersion with us!

Could you give a slight spoiler on a key highlight for the final performance?

= While we've prepared a lot for visual aspects and stage performance as well, following along with the lyrics and emotions told from Lea's perspective will allow you to enjoy it with even deeper immersion.

Is there a memorable episode from writing or practicing this song?

= Honestly, our vocalist Chaewon went through a lot of hard work preparing for this competition. She kept traveling back and forth between Busan and Seoul, and I recall her staying up all night researching lore to properly understand the game's worldview and completely rewriting the lyrics. Also, our team got so engrossed during ensemble practice that we missed the last train and pulled an all-nighter together. That's how much heart and soul went into making this song.

What is your team's unique musical color or strength?

= Each member of our team has different strengths. Someone excels at lyrics, someone at stage performance, and someone else at sound and arrangement—and combining those distinct strengths to create great synergy is our team's biggest advantage. Also, as musicians, we know very well how important a never-give-up mindset and spirit are. We felt that trait closely resembles Lea as she moves toward the truth, and we tried to convey that emotion directly through our performance.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope the audience experiences while listening to this song?

= We hope this song reaches the audience as something that can be enjoyed lightly for its punchy sound, while also offering a deeper experience as you reflect on the lyrics and story!

What do "games" mean to your team? Also, what is the biggest appeal of "game music"?

= To us, games are an art form that allows you to experience someone else's reality—a life you've never lived—in the most emotional way. And we believe game music plays a vital role in connecting the boundaries between that world and reality in the most seamless way.

A final word for the judges and audience who will watch your performance

= We sincerely hope our performance becomes a memorable scene that stays with you for a long time. Thank you, and please keep an eye on us.

Please introduce your team.

= Hello! We are 'Catalog', a rookie band composed of applied music students from Hanyang University ERICA. Band 'Catalog' consists of vocalist Noh Young-hyun, guitarist Yoon Hyung-bin, drummer Park Kyung-ho, bassist Park Woo-hyun, and pianist and band leader Ahn Chi-hyun. When you spell out our name with spaces, it becomes "Cat A Log." We chose 'Catalog' as our band name because our unpredictable, intense, and sharp musical style fits cats ("Cat"), and it aligns well with our desire to leave our own records ("Log") in this band.

Why did you apply with this song?

= Because we were confident that this song could most perfectly display our unique musical identity on a meaningful stage. On this stage where everyone strives to bloom, we felt the song 'Maehwa' (Plum Blossom) was a perfect fit. Beyond music you simply listen to, all of our band's strengths—visual and narrative immersion along with stage performance—are condensed into this single song, [Maehwa]. As a band that has been with GXG since its beginning, we applied to decorate the finale of the stage brilliantly and without regrets using an overwhelming sound built on three years of experience.

What aspects of the featured game gave you inspiration?

= Our original song [Maehwa] was composed around the motif of 'Ren', one of MapleStory's classes. Ren features plum blossom-related skills, wields a long sword as a martial-arts swordsman, and uses the power of an Imugi (lesser dragon), making it a widely beloved class. [Maehwa] is a rock track built on Ren's personality, skills, and overall concept. We wrote the lyrics based on Ren's beautiful yet flashy plum blossom concept and expressed Ren's relentless slashing attack style through technical instrumentals.

What should the audience listen for or watch most closely during the finals performance?

= Please pay attention to our intricate and fast technical play—so fast your eyes can barely track our hands—and our live performance. Starting with the image of beautiful, brilliantly blooming plum blossoms, followed by refreshing yet sharp vocals transitioning into an intense, explosive guitar solo, the sudden energy shift is our absolute highlight.

Could you give a slight spoiler on a key highlight for the final performance?

= As a band that has been with GXG for three years since its inception, we plan to pour everything into this final stage based on our past experience. Amid the serene beauty of the plum blossom, the sudden burst of crisp high notes and live energy will get the audience's hearts pounding.

Is there a memorable episode from writing or practicing this song?

= To conduct thorough research for this song, team member Park Woo-hyun and I played MapleStory during the Burning Event and raised a Ren character all the way to Level 270. We really felt that MapleStory's Ren class is fantastic.

What is your team's unique musical color or strength?

= Built on intense, technical musicianship and powerful, soaring vocals, 'Catalog' is a band that radiates overwhelming energy on stage. In particular, actively utilizing MTR sound on stage to fill the space with a rich sound that highlights our sharpness is our main strength and musical identity.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope the audience experiences while listening to this song?

= We hope it gives you chills. We want people passing by the show to stop in their tracks, headbang along with us, and feel that this is music they won't forget for a long time.

What do "games" mean to your team? Also, what is the biggest appeal of "game music"?

= To us, a game is an experience of living in and directly exploring another world. In particular, games we've spent a long time with like MapleStory go beyond simple content—they build major memories in a person's life. We consider game music to be the language of that world. The power of game music to instantly bring specific situations, characters, and emotions back to players' memories when listened to is its greatest charm.

A final word for the judges and audience who will watch your performance

= We hope you will be the very first to open the first page of 'Catalog.' Please enjoy the music.

Please introduce your team.

= Our team, Hahyeon, is a group where members with distinct personalities and musical styles blend together into a single melody.

Why did you apply with this song?

= 'Love Race' is a song created around the motif of Wakamo from Blue Archive. Rather than simply portraying the character, we wanted to express her contrasting emotions—obsessive madness and pure love—within a single piece of music. We applied because we wanted to showcase the storytelling power of game music.

What aspects of the featured game gave you inspiration?

= We drew the most inspiration from Wakamo's emotional arc. In the beginning, we expressed madness through an anxious, tense mood, and in the chorus, we portrayed all-out love with a bright, refreshing melody. Since she is a character with a twist, we invested the most time into making the transition between these two emotions feel natural.

What should the audience listen for or watch most closely during the finals performance?

= Please focus on Wakamo's emotional shift, where madness and pure love coexist.

Could you give a slight spoiler on a key highlight for the final performance?

= We hope you focus on our performance using fox masks, stage directing exclusive to the live show, and the stagecraft expressing Wakamo's emotions.

Is there a memorable episode from writing or practicing this song?

= While some members were already fans of Wakamo, we felt we needed a deeper understanding of the character to compose the song. So we individually revisited various story beats, such as Wakamo's first appearance and the episode where she prepares a marriage registration, studying the character in detail. That research gave us plenty of ideas for the song's direction. Also, seeing team members prepare cosplay for the stage revealed a different charm from their usual selves that made us laugh, while their passion to perfectly embody the character felt truly impressive.

What is your team's unique musical color or strength?

= Reinterpreting a character's emotions musically rather than simply following game lore is our team's biggest strength.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope the audience experiences while listening to this song?

= We hope that while listening, you feel both tension and excitement as if you stepped right into a scene inside the game. Even after the performance ends, we hope the melody of Love Race stays with you for a long time.

What do "games" mean to your team? Also, what is the biggest appeal of "game music"?

= To us, games are spaces to experience new stories and single works of art born from the effort and passion of countless people. Creating a game means deeply researching eras, cultures, history, and worldbuilding, then blending them into a single result. We feel that games are the culmination of creations built up by creators in various fields—developers, graphic designers, sound designers, composers, and more—working in their respective roles.

Among those, we believe game music is the language that breathes emotion into the story. Depending on what music plays during the same scene, the player's remembered emotion can change completely. Therefore, the greatest charm of game music lies in building lasting memories and emotions alongside the player.

A final word for the judges and audience who will watch your performance

= We would be grateful if you enjoyed our performance as if watching an episode of a show.

Please introduce your team.

= We majored in classical music, but restricting ourselves to *only* classical music felt like a waste of our passion. True to our identity of being "Nomads making Music," Momad pursues uninhibited music. We are a new-genre band that crosses genre boundaries by combining classical string instruments with modern sound. Gaining attention nationwide, String Band Momad consists of leader/violinist Bae Ha-rim, cellists Cho Hye-won and Noh Yoon-jung, keyboardist Wi Cho-yeon, and drummer Kim Do-kyung.

Why did you apply with this song?

= String Band Momad's 'Nova X' captures the tension of survival, unpredictable gameplay, and the catharsis of final victory. Since String Band Momad is an instrumental band without a vocalist, we thought we might be at a slight disadvantage in general music festivals or competitions. However, because this festival is a competition centered around game music, we saw it as a special opportunity for us and decided to enter.

We believe instrumental music allows players to freely project their own emotions and stories into the track, creating a powerful pull into the game world. Leveraging our team's identity of crossing genres on a foundation of classical strings, we wanted to deliver music that conveys intense narrative and emotion even without vocals. Through 'Nova X', which holds powerful energy and victory, we want to prove in our own way that instrumental music can also make a game scene and its emotions unforgettable.

What aspects of the featured game gave you inspiration?

= We captured the tension and catharsis of victory from the moment a player drops into the battlefield up to the final circle. Within PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS' narrative arc of air drop - loot - survival - final winner, we captured the anticipation of dropping, the tension of the first engagement, the racing heart rate inside the shrinking safe zone, and the euphoria of ultimate victory. Combining classical performance with modern sound, we sought to dynamically express PUBG's unique competitive and festive energy. The track was produced with the goal of maximizing immersion for players and spectators across various moments, such as match openings, esports stages, and season events. Combining classical strings with modern sounds, 'Nova X' hopes to deliver PUBG's competitive and festive atmosphere with even greater intensity.

What should the audience listen for or watch most closely during the finals performance?

= On stage, 'Nova X' has so many moments you wouldn't want to miss. This track features a lot of fast virtuoso playing and solo sections, packed with detailed musical expressions even in brief passages. In particular, focusing on the fast passages passed between the violin and two cellos, as well as each part's solo driving the song's tension, would be great. Along with the music, the movements and energy of our five members will also be key highlights. Watching how the three string players lock in their respective passages and solos with precision, and how the drums and keyboard elevate that energy, will make the piece feel far more multi-dimensional.

Could you give a slight spoiler on a key highlight for the final performance?

= As mentioned earlier, the movements, energy, and skill of the five members of String Band Momad will be the main highlight. Each individual solo is a moment showing off personal charm, while moments when all five play together showcase Momad's collective energy. Please focus on each member's performance and movement, and the synergy created when it all comes together as one.

Is there a memorable episode from writing or practicing this song?

= Honestly, when composing the song, we started with the idea that "fast and flashy playing will sound amazing," but once practice began, it felt like we got defeated by our own creation. It felt like the song was putting our entire team through boot camp. Because of many fast passages, the solo violin and two cellos had to lock in with exact precision simultaneously, so during practice or recording, a single mistake meant restarting from scratch. We even joked among ourselves, "Isn't this basically a battle royale survival game?" Practicing like that, flawlessly executing this track has become a game and a battle in itself for us.

What is your team's unique musical color or strength?

= While based on classical strings, we are a team that doesn't limit ourselves to classical music. Adding drums, keyboards, and modern sounds to the deep tones of the violin and cello, we freely cross genre boundaries. Our strength lies in this "unfamiliar combination." Reinterpreting familiar string sounds in a new way, and weaving various genres—from classical, rock, pop, and jazz to game music—into our own language. That is the new-genre string band we strive to be.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope the audience experiences while listening to this song?

= We hope you experience the tension of survival and fierce moments before ultimately reaching victory while listening to this song. And through the music, we want you to feel the thrill and joy of victory that comes at the end of survival.

What do "games" mean to your team? Also, what is the biggest appeal of "game music"?

= A game is a world, and game music is that world's "perfume." Just as catching a scent of perfume instantly brings back forgotten memories, hearing just a single bar of game music has the power to recall those scenes and emotions. That's why to us, game music goes beyond background tracks describing a game—it's the most powerful tool that pulls back memories of that world.

A final word for the judges and audience who will watch your performance

= We dynamically captured the joy of victory at the end of fierce survival, along with our diverse emotions, inside this music. We hope this stage becomes one where we can enjoy that joy and energy together with all of you.

Please introduce your team.

= We are Unreal Odyssey, a team that expresses journeys beyond reality through music. All of our members share a common background of enjoying game music for a long time and beginning our music careers through game music. We applied because we believed this GXG SOUND TRACK competition would serve as the starting point for another journey. Formed after meeting in school, our team creates a rich sound by adding keytar and a three-member choir to the standard band line-up (drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, vocal).

Why did you apply with this song?

= We had always wanted to turn the story of Dungeon Fighter Online's Female Slayer—a game we enjoy playing—into a song, and we took the opportunity of this competition to complete and enter it. The track captures the narrative of the Female Slayer enduring a tragic fate and the pain of imperial experimentation while steadfastly forging her own path. In particular, inspired by the Sword Master skill Gloria, we wove the resolve to reclaim lost glory into the skill and story, expressing it musically.

What aspects of the featured game gave you inspiration?

= We drew our greatest motif from the Female Slayer's tragic destiny and pioneering spirit. We were deeply impressed by her story of picking up a sword to forge ahead on her own instead of giving in to despair. To express this through music, we put the most care into emotional buildup. The opening starts with delicate piano and wistful vocals conveying pain and solitude, but as the song unfolds, righteous anger expands into the intense band sound characteristic of a rock ballad. In the latter half, backing vocals blend with explosive leads to deliver the overwhelming emotion of finally overcoming fate and reclaiming glory.

What should the audience listen for or watch most closely during the finals performance?

= The backing vocal harmonies providing a solid foundation for the lead vocal's emotional line, alongside the harmony of lyrical yet grand piano and band sounds. We paid special attention to a wide, multi-dimensional sense of space that is hard to find in standard band setups. In particular, the climax section in the latter half where every instrument and voice converges into an explosion is the most captivating moment, so please listen closely.

Could you give a slight spoiler on a key highlight for the final performance?

= Beyond simply playing music, we aim to visually and audibly bring the Female Slayer's narrative and emotional shifts onto the stage. A performance utilizing the sword—the symbol of the Female Slayer—is prepared, and the point where the main vocal's power explodes against a majestic soundscape is our highlight. We hope to leave a deep, cinematic lingering impression as if you just watched a movie.

Is there a memorable episode from writing or practicing this song?

= Since we have many members, balancing the sound was a constant challenge. Organizing the MR backing track, live instruments, backing vocals, and lead vocals so their sounds wouldn't get muddy wasn't easy. But I remember the moment during our very first ensemble rehearsal when our intended grand sound and vocals locked into place perfectly. At that moment, we gained confidence that this song could deeply move the audience's hearts.

What is your team's unique musical color or strength?

= Exuding the raw, intense energy of a rock ballad while never losing delicate, lyrical expressiveness. Since all our members are skilled musicians with extensive musical backgrounds, bringing out the charm of a band sound while realizing classical grandeur is Unreal Odyssey's unique strength.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope the audience experiences while listening to this song?

= Through the journey of starting from a position of weakness like the Female Slayer and setting off to punish those who torment them, we hope listeners gain courage knowing that no matter how difficult the situation, you can overcome it. We hope you listen to this song with the mindset that whatever adversity comes, you can fight through and prevail using your own weapons.

What do "games" mean to your team? Also, what is the biggest appeal of "game music"?

= To us, games are not mere entertainment, but cherished memories. And game music acts like a switch that instantly flips those memories back on. The power to transport you back to childhood days spent gaming just by listening, recovering the lost innocence inside our busy lives, is game music's greatest appeal.

A final word for the judges and audience who will watch your performance

= A song we poured our entire hearts into is finally taking the stage. We want to leave a lasting impression on many people with our full sound and sincere performance. We would appreciate it if you could forget reality for a moment and immerse yourselves in Unreal Odyssey's new journey!

Please introduce your team.

= Solaris is a team formed in June 2026 under the scorching sun, when five people inspired by Azir gathered with the single-minded goal of realizing his desire through music. Gathering as if responding to Azir's call, the five of us wrote music with earnest hopes for his wish to come true, and before we knew it, that wish became a dream we wanted to achieve together. Rise, Azir! Shurima, be great once more!

Why did you apply with this song?

= 'Arise!' is a song originating from the narrative of League of Legends character 'Azir.' Trapped in a void world without even knowing he was betrayed by his most trusted friend Xerath, Azir spends eons in isolation. When he finally opens his eyes thousands of years later, what awaits him is not the brilliant empire of Shurima he loved so much, but only a desolate desert. Recreated through the sands, the resurrected Azir witnesses the final moments of the past—his people and family dying and his empire collapsing—and finally realizes that at the center of all that tragedy was the betrayal of Xerath, whom he trusted the most.

However, what impressed us most in Azir's story was what came after. His story doesn't stop at betrayal, loss, and revenge. Standing atop ruins where everything was lost, he harbors a new desire to rise again and rebuild the Shurima he loved. We believed this "power to rise again" symbolically embodies the character Azir and the narrative of Shurima, and we wanted to express through music his journey moving past tragedy toward new hope.

Following Azir's narrative and emotional arc, the lyrics were written overall from the perspective of "Azir's words." Centered on the repeated cry "Sun, rise again," we embedded a strong determination toward Shurima's revival, while in verse 2 and the bridge, we expressed the betrayal and anger Azir must have felt upon belatedly confronting the truth about Xerath. At the end of the song, we wanted to convey that even in ruins, Shurima and its will have not vanished. The track's title 'Arise!' was taken from Azir's W skill, 'Arise!'.

As a shout symbolizing Azir in-game, we wanted to condense two meanings into a single word across thousands of years: "Azir risen again" and "Shurima to rise once more." Musically, we actively utilized exotic colors reminiscent of ancient Egypt and the Middle East so listeners could intuitively envision Shurima's universe. Implementing MIDI instruments reminiscent of traditional tones from that region, we expressed the majestic yet mysterious imagery of the desert and ancient empire based on the Phrygian dominant scale.

Combining this with a modern band sound, we sought to paint musical grandeur as if a sleeping giant empire were re-emerging over the sands alongside Azir's resurrection. Rather than merely describing Azir's story, 'Arise!' captures the character and universe in music through his eyes and voice. We decided to enter with 'Arise!' believing it's a song that showcases our affection for League of Legends lore, our interpretation of Azir, and our team's musical style all together.

What aspects of the featured game gave you inspiration?

= Our biggest motifs were the narrative of Azir's resurrection and Shurima's reconstruction, as well as Shurima's desert and ancient empire imagery. Inspired particularly by Azir returning after thousands of years having lost everything to rebuild ruined Shurima, we sought to express the entire song like "the moment the sleeping emperor and empire re-awaken."

Translating this musically, our biggest dilemma was "how to naturally combine Shurima's distinct exotic atmosphere with a modern band sound." We focused on enabling the majestic images of the desert and ancient empire to come naturally to mind upon hearing the song, while maintaining strong energy as a band track.

To achieve this, we used the Phrygian dominant scale as the main musical color of the track and implemented MIDI instruments with tones recalling Egypt and the Middle East. Combining this with a band sound, we sought to capture Shurima's mysterious, ancient vibe alongside Azir's regal majesty as emperor. We also wanted to capture Azir's emotional progression through the flow of the song. Rather than emphasizing only grandeur from start to finish, we expressed a trajectory starting from memories of loss and betrayal, growing stronger in resolve to rise again, and culminating in confidence toward Shurima's revival.

What should the audience listen for or watch most closely during the finals performance?

= What we hope you listen for most closely is how Azir's changing emotions throughout the song and their progression are expressed musically. In 'Arise!', we sought to convey Azir's emotion and story not just through lyrics, but through vocals, instrumental performances, and arrangement. It would be great to focus on how the song's mood and energy shift and expand—from the moment he confronts past loss and betrayal to rising again as emperor and advancing toward Shurima's rebirth.

Could you give a slight spoiler on a key highlight for the final performance?

= For the final stage, please keep an eye out for our costumes and performance, which visually express Shurima's splendid and majestic image. If we expressed Shurima's universe musically through the song, we prepared flashy costumes capturing Shurima's atmosphere so you can feel that imagery visually on stage as well. Adding performances tailored to the song's mood and flow, we aim to present a stage that goes beyond playing music to make you feel as if you stepped right into the League of Legends universe. Please look forward to the final stage where the Shurima we painted through music will unfold!

Is there a memorable episode from writing or practicing this song?

= The part we pondered most while creating 'Arise!' was the topline melody. Wanting to capture Shurima's grandeur and Azir's intense image while crafting a memorable melody you'd remember after hearing once, we went through trial and error, rewriting the topline as many as 5 or 6 times. Amusingly, while grinding away like that, we couldn't get a melody we liked—until one day, while washing up, the current topline suddenly popped into mind.

Thinking I mustn't forget it, I stopped washing, grabbed my phone with wet hands to record immediately, and that melody that came by chance ended up becoming 'Arise!'s final topline. The answer we couldn't find no matter how many times we agonized and remade it came in the most unexpected moment—in the bathroom—making it our most memorable episode during song production.

What is your team's unique musical color or strength?

= We are a team formed specifically for this GXG. Bringing together members with diverse musical backgrounds and experiences, rather than starting from a pre-determined musical identity, we built a style that best fits this song together. We actually see that as our team's strength. Gathering various ideas from our respective fields into one direction without limiting ourselves to a single genre allowed us to freely craft music that best fits the song and universe.

'Arise!' was also completed through the interplay of exotic colors, modern band sounds, and each member's performance and arrangement. Being able to harmoniously melt individual musical styles into a single song to create a brand-new color is our team's greatest musical strength.

What thoughts and emotions do you hope the audience experiences while listening to this song?

= While listening to 'Arise!', we hope you immerse yourselves in the emotions and resolve of Azir—who once lost everything—rising again. In particular, we hope you feel the sadness and anger stemming from betrayal and loss alongside the flow of the song, as well as the strong determination to overcome it all and rebuild the Shurima he loved. At the same time, we hope this song's emotion doesn't remain confined to the story of Azir and Shurima. Since everyone can have moments where they feel crushed, we hope the message of 'Arise!'—that "you can rise again"—provides a small comfort to someone.

What do "games" mean to your team? Also, what is the biggest appeal of "game music"?

= To our team, we think "games" are the medium that brought us, different individuals, together. Though our musical backgrounds and experiences vary, our shared interest in games and the emotions and experiences felt within them allowed us to create a single song together.

In particular, being able to share our musical colors and work toward a single goal through this GXG gives games an even more special meaning to us. And since games contain countless worlds, characters, and stories, we believe the greatest appeal of "game music" is that the music expressing them can freely traverse various genres, such as rock, orchestral, electronic, and traditional music.

A final word for the judges and audience who will watch your performance

= Shurima, your emperor has returned! When the sleeping empire rises again, we hope you will shout together with us. Arise!