Sin Se-gyeong's Song Picks

Before she started receiving compliments that she was “innocent-looking, pretty and attractive”, what Sin Se-gyeon heard the most from other people was that she was “mature”. The look in her eyes, which made her seem that she knew more about the world than her peers, helped her play the high-schooler role in “My Little Bride” which was several years above her actual age, and also portray the young Seo-hee in the SBS TV series “Land” as a confident and classy character. In her role as Princess Chun Myung in MBC’s historical drama “Queen Seon-deok”, Sin had the opportunity to show her confident and mature acting skills as well as confirm her ability to also do well in “the kind of acting that other actors can do”, thanks to some rare yet not-so-serious scenes. The girl who knew how to put on adult-like facial expressions was slowly growing up into an adult who can smile a little girl’s smile.

In MBC’s “High Kick 2”, Sin seemed to be at a halt with her nice, quiet demeanor, compared to other characters who have very colorful personalities. But Sin -- who honestly admits that she was “worried and upset because people expected to see a funny sitcom and were disappointed because the show was too serious and pathetic” -- says that her character on the show has not been fully revealed. “The introductory part of my character is over, so I think it’s going to get lighter and she might even get involved in romance. I love the role because it makes people laugh and touches their hearts too.”

Just like she said, Se-gyeong recently started showing a different side to her character by getting angry with kids who made fun of her and running around drunk. Here, the smart young lady who loves to make people laugh but also wants to challenge herself by playing lighter roles and taking on a new genre, recommends some of the best songs for wintertime.

1. "Twinkle Twinkle" by Lucite Tokki
“I’m very sensitive to cold weather, so I honestly don’t like it that winter is approaching. But strangely enough, my heart starts fluttering and pounding when I go outside and feel the cold air. You know, like the feeling you get when you’ve dated someone for about three months.” Lucite Tokki, a Korean folk duo composed of two female members who were music majors at the same school, is known for their honest lyrics and simple melodies. Sin described the track “December” from their debut album “Twinkle Twinkle” as a song that makes people feel like it is wintertime even when they are listening to it in the summer. “The first part of the song is about a Christmas carol, and it makes me feel like Christmas is just around the corner even though it’s still autumn. I even get little butterflies in my stomach.”

2. "Pinback" by Pinback
The change of seasons is most clearly experienced by what one sees amidst the busy everyday life. Sin says that is why she hits the brakes on her own mind sometimes. “When I’m going from one shoot to another, I sometimes feel like I’m going forward without taking time for any breaks. “Loro” by Pinback is a song you can listen to when you feel like you’ve just been racing forward for a long time and want to take a break to catch your breath. When I’m listening to songs like this, I can catch glimpses of a lot of things around me that I’ve been missing out on. I also recommend songs by Wax Poetic. It’s one of the songs that I listened to with my friend on our way home from school when I was a senior in high school. My favorite song was “Girl” and my friend liked “Tell Me” the best. Those songs are coming back to me, maybe because I miss my friend or because I like the soft, warm vibe of the song.

3. "Grace" by Jeff Buckley
“Oh, I thought I would melt!” Sin exclaimed excitedly. Sin, who loves Jeff Buckley’s voice, says that she “was so in love with Jeff Buckley that, at one time, [she] wanted to marry someone who had a voice like his. I got lucky and heard a live version and that was even better! This song was played in the movie “Vanilla Sky”, do you remember? It's when Penelope Cruz asks Tom Cruise, “Do you wanna hear Jeff Buckley or Vikki Carr?” The actors, the scene, the music -- everything is so attractive and unforgettable." Jeff Buckley, who captured the hearts of music fans all over the world with “Grace”, his only studio album, passed away a few years later after its release. He is still considered one of the best artists and the biggest loss of the 1990s. Buckley may have lived a short life, but his music lives on in the song “Hallelujah”, one of the tracks in the album “Grace”.

4. "The Essential: Julie London" by Julie London
It is hard to describe some people because they have such strong, distinctive personalities. Julie London is one of those people. As one of the most famous and most loved jazz singers, she was known for her rich vocals and left behind dozens of great songs. With the success of her biggest hit, “Cry Me A River”, London was able to end her brief acting career and work on her music. “The melody is bitter, sour yet sweet, and it’s depressing but also romantic. One tends to listen to this kind of music when one is lying down and trying to go to sleep, not when you’re looking for something to give you energy. When you’re feeling down and don’t care about anything, this song keeps you in that lonely mood. It also give you some space to think.”

5. "Elixir" by Fourplay
If one were to have a conversation with an instrument, not with your voice, the group Fourplay would be the perfect person to talk to. Not only are they good at playing but also great at speaking and listening. Sin says that she was “incredibly lucky” to have discovered their music. “A manager that I knew several years ago introduced me to their music. I’m so grateful for that! Ever since I heard their music, they’ve never been off my playlist.” Fourplay, the superband of fusion jazz music, released the album “Energy” last year and have been busy ever since. But Sin’s favorite song by Fourplay is “Magic Carpet Ride” from their third album “Elixir”. “When you listen to this song at night while taking a walk, it really gives you chills. You feel like a deep purple sky, full of bright shining stars, is unfolding in front of you. Isn’t that the best scenery of a winter night you could ask for?”

“Do you know scene where Julie Delpy plays the guitar and sings in the movie “Before Sunset”? I really like the song “A Waltz For a Night” that she plays … I really love Julie Delpy and I was so in love with that scene. I want to be like her.” Sin’s extensive and sensitive taste, along with her innocent, longing eyes and voice, show the world that she is both a woman and a girl. As the character of Se-gyeong in “High Kick 2” experiences love, finds her dreams and grows up to become an adult, Sin as an actress will mature along with her character as well. So when the woman outgrows the girl within her, we will get to see an actress who is beautiful both inside and out. And her place as a great young actress will be passed onto another actress whom Sin will have high praises for. “Sin-ae may look young on the outside, but when I’m working with her, I feel like she is no different from me and I’m in college. I always want to know just what it is that this elementary schoolgirl has. She’s incredible when she’s acting out emotional scenes!”

Reporter : Yoon Hee-Seong nine@10asia.co.kr
Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr