Jung Jae-il: "I am a musician without roots, so I could be even more innovative"

Solo Concert at Sejong Center on July 15-16
Arranged Medley of 'Gisaengchung' and 'Ojingeo Game' OSTs
Composed of Classical, Traditional Music, and OST Sections

"I attended Seoul Jazz Academy in middle school but did not go to high school. So, I have a thirst for higher education. I wondered, 'Would I have done better if I had received education?' but I also think that because I made music without a foundation, I can create something new."

Composer Jeong Jae-il, who gained worldwide fame with the movie 'Parasite' and the Netflix drama 'Squid Game,' will hold a solo concert in December.
[Photo by Sejong Center]

Jung Jae-il (41), the music director of the globally acclaimed K-content hits like the movie Parasite and the drama Squid Game, referred to himself as a 'musician without roots,' confessing that this allowed him to be more innovative.

On the 3rd, he unveiled a new musical world expressed through traditional Korean music in his mini-album A Prayer. Next month, on the 15th and 16th, he will meet audiences with the Jung Jae-il Concert - Listen at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. In his first solo concert in three years since 2020, he plans to showcase his broad musical universe, including the clear piano pieces from his debut album Listen released in February, the profound traditional music and sorrowful pansori from the mini-album A Prayer, and the OST tracks that brought him international fame.

At a press conference held on the afternoon of the 13th at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, he introduced the concert, saying, "The performance will be composed of three parts: film music, the mini-album released this year, and traditional music."

The most striking part is traditional music. He said that his long-standing fascination and interest in gugak (traditional Korean music) turned into conviction through a collaborative stage with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre in the UK on the 1st of last month. Jung Jae-il presented the mini-album tracks A Prayer and On This Road as a finale, combining piano, orchestra, and gugak, receiving a standing ovation from the British audience.

"Even before the main performance, in the waiting room, other musicians couldn't take their eyes off our traditional instrument players. The audience also cheered with a sense of 'Wow, such music exists.' Especially, I could feel the powerful force of our traditional music like pansori and shamanistic music."

Composer and music director Jeong Jae-il is holding a meeting at the Sejong Center Open Stage on the 12th.
[Photo by Sejong Center]

Jung Jae-il described the charm of traditional music as 'freedom' and said that when traditional instruments are showcased on stage, it feels like a 'rock band.' "Above all, it is free, and rather than being caught up in details, I focus on the overall composition and dynamics," he said. "Since I was a kid, I fell in love with traditional music, and as I delved deeper, I realized there is a vast world, becoming immersed in pansori, shamanistic music, and jeongak (court music). I am also looking forward to this concert because it allows me to introduce traditional musicians I have worked with for 20 years."

In this concert, he will reveal various works based on Korean traditional music such as ssitgimgut (a ritual cleansing ceremony) and binari (songs sung during rituals). Along with singer Kim Yul-hee, who performed with him in London, and the samulnori group Neodat, composed of disciples of master Kim Deok-su, as well as Seoul Institute of the Arts professor and daegeum player Lee Aram, third-generation Korean-Japanese gayageum player Park Sun-ah, and ajaeng player Bae Ho-young, they will present a dynamic Jung Jae-il style gugak sound.

Regarding the motivation behind the album, he explained, "After experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing climate change, and current wars, I thought about what went wrong as I heard the earth's pain, people's struggles, and countless farewells. Because we didn't listen, only spoke our own words without hearing others. With these thoughts, I started working on the album."

He continued, "I included Jindo ssitgimgut and binari from traditional music. Through binari, which prays for happiness and wards off misfortune, I wanted to pray both for myself and others. Like ssitgimgut, which cleanses the souls of the deceased and sends them to another world, I hoped that those leaving this world could have a good farewell."

He said that if he were to create his own music rather than participate in commissioned works, he would like to present pieces centered on traditional music. He also said he has not lost interest in contemporary music. Jung Jae-il revealed that he recently received a collaboration proposal from conductor Jaap van Zweden, who will take over as music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra next year. "Although the collaboration is not yet confirmed, I am encouraged by Jaap van Zweden's support that it doesn't matter if I am not a classical major," he shared.

Music Director Jaeil Jung [Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

Expanding his musical horizons through media music, he also gained new experiences arranging for theater company Hakjeon's musicals like Subway Line 1 and The Invincible Three Musketeers. He said, "I contacted CEO Kim Min-ki to make sure he attends this concert," expressing regret over the recent announcement of the theater's closure, calling it "very unfortunate."

Ahead of the concert, dedicating his mornings solely to rehearsal and afternoons to composition and arrangement without any commissioned work, he said he is still "learning and exploring" with both anticipation and nervousness.

"I have actually lived thinking of myself as someone behind the scenes. I am both excited and nervous to be given such a magnificent theater. I will do my best to create a performance that is not boring."

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