[News Figures] Jeong Jae-il, Music Director of 'Parasite' and 'Squid Game,' Releases Classical Album

Active Across Film Music and Popular Songs
First Korean to Win HMMA with 'Ojingeo Game'
Plans to Collaborate with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

"I never dreamed that I would be holding a press conference alone like this after backing up artists behind the scenes."

This was said by Jeong Jae-il, famous as the music director of the movie Parasite and the Netflix drama Squid Game, at a press conference held on the 24th at the JCC Art Center in Jongno-gu, where he announced his album. Jeong Jae-il officially debuted under his own name, not as an OST director, by releasing Listen on Decca, a classical label under Universal Music.

One word that can define him is "musical prodigy." As a performer and composer who crosses between popular music and classical music, he is said to have had exceptional musical talent from a young age. Known to have played the piano since the age of three and mastered various instruments, Jeong Jae-il entered the first class of Seoul Jazz Academy in 1995 during his second year of middle school at his mother's recommendation, where he learned composition and arrangement.

Jung Jae-il, who released his debut album "Listen," is answering questions at a press conference held on the 24th at the JCC Art Center in Seoul. Photo by Universal Music

Due to his family's financial difficulties, he had to help support the household. By chance, he started his music career as a bassist in the Hansangwon Band, led by guitarist Han Sang-won, who studied at Berklee. In 1996, he met Won Il, leader and composer of the band Puri, and participated in film music work. The following year, he took part as a session musician for the OST of Bad Movie, and in 1998, he played keyboard and guitar sessions for director Hong Sang-soo's The Power of Kangwon Province OST. Later, in 1999, he was active as a bassist in the band Geeks, and also demonstrated his musical abilities in the popular music field by composing and producing for famous singers such as Park Hyo-shin and IU.

Reflecting on his career built during his teenage years, Jeong Jae-il said, "I never dreamed of becoming a musician. I was just a middle school student struggling to make a living, and when an opportunity was given, I had a desperate desire to seize it." He recalled the reason he started music. He added, "I loved music, but it started as labor. Even now, I believe art is one of many kinds of labor. Therefore, I think artists need diligence and responsibility that they might lack."

Music Director Jaeil Jung. Photo by Universal Music

Adding steady effort to his innate talent, Jeong Jae-il has established himself as a leading music director representing Korea. In September 2017, he participated in the "Night of Pyeongchang" event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to promote the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, together with traditional singer Han Seung-seok. In 2018, he gained attention by performing piano at the farewell event for the inter-Korean summit, "One Spring."

In September 2021, with the worldwide release of Squid Game on Netflix, he became the first Korean to win the Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA) trophy. HMMA is an award given to artists who have made creative and innovative contributions to music in films, TV, documentaries, and all visual media worldwide. Notably, many artists nominated for HMMA also appear as nominees for the world's most prestigious awards such as the Golden Globes, Oscars, and Emmys.

Jeong Jae-il is reportedly planning to collaborate with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Regarding the new music director of the Seoul Philharmonic, Jaap van Zweden, recently saying, "I definitely want to work with Jeong Jae-il," Jeong said, "I am afraid whether I can meet the artistic level they envision, but I have a small wish to try."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.