We caught up with the brilliant and insightful SOOJUNG a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, SOOJUNG thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The first musical project I put out was entitled, “DOE,” consisting of six tracks near and dear to my heart. I worked with DJQ to mix and master the project, and Bradleyfromaz on the production. CAZO also lended her vocals to one of the singles, “yeowoo 여우”, The project drew from my experiences of loneliness in relationships, and the deep hollow feeling of being unseen. The final song on the EP, “what’s left after desire devours?” really captures the loneliness of cycles of not being seen as fully human, rather an ornament or a mythical creature. This project means a lot to me, as it was my first complete project I put out in the public. My wonderful friends Bao Ngo did the photography for the cover, and Jayme Wong, the design. I feel really lucky to have worked and collaborated with such inspiring people.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a queer, diasporic Korean singer-songwriter with a background in poetry and theatre. Although I don’t necessarily believe in genre, my music is experimental pop, and I draw my inspiration from my Korean identity and upbringing in the so-called american southwest. I write, produce, and perform my own songs, which explore my experiences as a twenty-something silly guy–both devastation and joy. Although I have been writing songs my whole life, I more recently devoted myself to the singer-songwriter craft in hopes of telling my own story, and creating multimedia around my particular tales to tell.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There are so many free, online resources about how to produce, mix, and master your own music. I think learning how to produce and engineer your own music as non-men is so important. There are so many cismen producers, but it’s really critical that non-cismen also learn how to make our things–it gives us more independence, freedom, and creative control. I really encourage folks of marginalized identities to just watch free tutorials on YouTube, and then play around so they can develop their own skill and style of producing.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the freedom, and the rigor. As someone who sometimes struggles with discipline, it’s been such a rewarding journey to see my skills and work better align with my dreams. I’m getting closer to being able to produce the kind of music I want to produce, and that is really exciting. I also love the freedom of being able to channel whatever creative power, whether the universe or ancestors, and create something as a vessel. It’s really exciting to know my work is not just my own, but a culmination of everyone who came before me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.soojungsoup.com
• Instagram: @soojungsoup
• Youtube: @soojung8392
• TikTok: @soojungsoup

Image Credits
Bao Ngo Bradleyfromaz Ceci Cruz