ZION.T (real name Kim Hae Sol) is launching a new sound design label called MATE, through his creative company Standard Friends.
Standard Friends is a creative agency known for collaborating with talented artists on a variety of projects. With the launch of MATE, the company aims to provide artists with more professional and in-depth sound services.
MATE consists of three engineers: Park Jun Woo, Yoon Jun Hyuk (also known as HRBstage), and Kim Sun Gyu. The team recently handled sound design, direction, and mixing for ZION.T’s EP album “POSER”, and also garnered attention for their mixing work on the full-length album “MINISERIES 2“ by Sumin & Slom, which won at the 2025 Korean Music Awards.
The engineers at MATE have contributed to a wide range of projects, including Chaeyoung’s (TWICE) debut studio album “LIL FANTASY vol.1“, as well as works by IU, QWER, BADVILLAIN, Giriboy, and Wonstein, earning continued recognition in the industry for their expertise.
Founder ZION.T stated:
“Sound design is one of the most thoughtful and time-consuming parts of music creation. With MATE, we want to provide artists and the industry with efficient, high-quality solutions and contribute to the growth of Korea’s music scene.”
He added:
“As AI continues to evolve, we believe that sound designers who can bridge cutting-edge technology with traditional expertise will become key talents for the future. Through Standard Friends and MATE, we aim to foster that talent and improve the creative environment.”
Looking ahead, MATE plans to offer cost-effective service packages for artists and companies, ranging from vocal tuning and mixing to full-scale sound direction. The label also aims to set new standards in sound design by developing user-friendly plugins tailored to artists’ needs.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS MATE, ZION.T
