K-Content News

Last year, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) carried out a collaboration project with NAVER named “Muse On” to discover talented musicians and support the production of contents. After creating the musicians’ live clips and interview clips along with support for record production during the first and second rounds, overall evaluation for the third round was done including online votes during the “2019 Muse On Final Concert” in live. Jeong, one of the top five, left a deep impression on how she expressed the life of people through her song.

To her, Muse On itself was both luck and miracle: “At first, I participated only in the hope of passing the first round, but met with good results. The past one year was so busy and fierce that I cannot remember how it passed, but I could experience indulging myself to music to the full, from music contents to the contest stage, album production and solo concerts. It was a meaningful time to such an extent that I may have wasted my 10-year luck.” She fully displayed her musical talent through her performances at Muse On. Her songs like “Dear My Little Star,” “Subway” and “Pongdang Pongdang” may sometimes sound calm, and sometimes cheerful.

She received attention thanks to her impressive rhythms, plain singing style and bright lyrics. She went through difficult times of competing with other musicians during the project. To Jeong who just made her debut, everything—the big stage, the camera’s red lights and the in-ear microphone—was new to her. She was nervous every round but learned how to gain courage and not give up. She also said, “They say that people help other people to hold on. I was able to come to this place thanks to the encouragement from those around me. In particular, the Muse On final concert held at Hyundai Card’s Understage, remains as my favorite one. I have once dreamed of performing at this stage when I first started my music, but I didn’t expect that I could get the chance so early. It was a huge honor for me regardless of the outcome, and it made me feel so confident to see my acquaintances and thousands of fans who came that day.”

Every time Jeong appears on stage, she introduces herself as “a young songwriter who sings for a better tomorrow.” The phrase “young songwriter” has two meanings—a songwriter who writes songs about the young, and a “lighter” that creates fire, wishing warmth for the young especially in cold days. “I want to deliver songs that can be soothing and cheerful in the hope that the future of the young would be less painful and happier than yesterday,” she said.

Jeong is mostly inspired by her everyday life. When she works on her song, it is lyrics that she devotes herself the most to. She writes down stories about “life, people and youth” in her own way, in a way that is sympathetic but uncliched and not exaggerated. When did she dream of becoming a musician?

“My mother died when I was 10. She was desperate for “tomorrow.” At some points, however, I looked around and realized that many people wished that tomorrow would not come, a wish usually made before going to sleep. That’s why I started writing songs, wishing that our tomorrow would be a bit less painful and a bit happier.” She happened to blossom her dream of becoming a musician. She appeared in JTBC’s reality program “Hyori’s Homestay” together with her elder sister and her younger brother, and received positive reactions after singing her own song. Jeong got a message from one viewer saying, “I had thought of taking my own life but your song made me want to live and fight for another day.” Her heart raced so fast after realizing that her song can actually warm someone’s heart. She left her university and started walking the path of a musician to realize her dream before it’s too late. It was like “knocking her head against a stone wall” but she moved forward step by step toward her dream.

Jeong experienced pleasant changes with Muse On. Apart from accumulating various musical experiences, she released her first mini album “Evening Primrose” late last year. She had a lot to care about and spent double the time and effort, unlike when she released her single. But it was a meaningful work to her that the album contained many things in detail. Learning how to enjoy the stage through Muse On was one of considerable changes. She said, “Because I had been working as a solo and couldn’t perform much musical activities to the full extent, it made me more desperate.

Muse On helped me quench my thirst greatly. It was a valuable time to such an extent that I was convinced that nothing would be a greater experience than this to a rookie musician. I was especially happy to fulfill my dreams over the course of album production and indulge myself to my songs. I think I’d be able to continue to deliver good music, influenced by such vitality.” To her, good music is an “undistinguished music.” It could mean a music that shows the natural side of humanity. It could mean a delivery of ordinary stories as an ordinary person. This is why she dreamt of becoming a singer singing songs of hope saying “Let’s live. Let’s live together” to those who are struggling.

Anyone could feel relaxed while listening to Jeong’s songs. The idea that others living a life not different from the listener gives us sympathy. And sympathy is like healing our mind in some respect. We can feel comforted by saying that we’re okay, and realize that today is quite precious. Our ordinary life turns into a light in her songs. She made a happy smile, saying there were lots of things to do.

“Continuing my performances and songs for a long time is my dream. This will last until the day I release a full album and perform at festivals. I will promise to continue singing for our better tomorrow, so I hope you’d would listen to even my little breath.” Jeong calmly chants the preciousness of our ordinary life and quietly shares warmth rather than in an obvious way. A part of her songs brings us quite huge warmth. As her songs begin to spread out to the society, we wish that a glimmer of hope will spring in the lives of the young.