“I was born in Korea, a country of rich culture. I am a 17 year old boy living in Seoul. My favorite color is blue, which resembles the sea and sky. And I like nature. My favorite food is pizza. I like composer Claude Achille Debussy. His beautiful and dreamy music inspires me a lot.

When I was young, I often went to house concerts with my parents. The experience of seeing the live music of the performers, breathing, sweat, and even their facial expressions seems to have become the musical background. I have been playing piano, violin, ocarina, ukulele and guitar since I was 6 years old. It allowed me to enjoy and play music without prejudice. I started playing percussion at the age of 10. I am currently attending art high school and majoring in percussion. I am enjoying art activities by sharing inspiration with my friends who are interested in art, dance, and music.

While learning various instruments, I had the opportunity to go to a concert at the most representative percussion ensemble in Korea, ‘Karos percussion Ensemble’ (www.karos.kr). I first saw instruments such as the marimba and timpani at the concert. I was very surprised that there were over 100 types of percussion instruments. The way it was pounded, blown and rocked was so much fun, and the beautiful and unique sound really touched me. I fell in love with the unique and beautiful tone of percussion instruments and started playing percussion instruments.

I am a performer in “Karos Percussion Ensemble” (a group specializing in percussion instruments) From the best concert hall to the seaside of island villages, and in the middle of the city, various performances are performed more than 50 times a year. All performances are so much fun. I practice for more than 8 hours every day to give the audience a high-quality performance. A percussion instrument should be able to play many types of instruments such as marimba, drums, timpani, etc. So it takes a lot of practice.

Sometimes, I like to play with my dog and go for a walk. Because it is a lot of healing mentally. I read a lot of classical literature when I was young, but I can't read it these days as I've been busy with more performing activities. I also occasionally listens to K-pop contents that are receiving worldwide attention.

Music is everything in my life. From the time I wake up in the morning to the time I fall asleep, I spend most of my life with music. I practice by myself, and I play with people. I usually have conversations about music with my friends, teachers, and my parents. Music is my best friend and the teacher who makes me grow. Music gives me comfort and frustration. Music is the same meaning as life to me.

I perform on various stages more than 50 times a year. However, I was very depressed because I had no chance to play due to the corona virus. I thought it was an online performance with my friends rather than a contest, and I was thrilled. I wanted to have a happy experience of communicating with artists around the world through music.

When I prepared the video recording for “London Young Musician of the Year”, I was so nervous that the recording didn't go well. So, I thought I'd make it as fun to record as if I was performing with my friends. After practicing several times, I recorded the competition song. It was much more satisfying and I was able to immerse myself in it. I played Rhythmic Caprice by L.H.Stevens. In this piece, various techniques of marimba are expressed rhythmically. The song begins with a technique called 'Marimba Shot', in which the tones of the marimba and wood are played at the same time. This song uses a variety of performance methods that cannot be seen in existing marimba songs, such as 'Rim Shot of the Marimba' and 'Dead Sound'. It is a song that can be enjoyed not only to hear but also to see.

I thought that London Young Musician was not a contest, but a performance with artists of my age. Although the instruments are different, I thought it was an orchestra performance that communicates and harmonizes. Also, due to the nature of the online contest, I had to film and record it myself. I found the experience interesting and enjoyable. It was a happy experience to be able to meet the music of various artists through online.

Participating in the competition places a lot of pressure on the performers. However, the London Young Musician online contest was able to enjoy music without such burden. It was an interesting experience to meet various artists from around the world online. Also, it was really fun to vote online like a public audition program in London Young Musician of the Year. I couldn't believe I won London Young Musician of the Year 2022, it was an unexpected award. My goal was to do my best every day. I was proud and happy that I was not ashamed of that goal. I am grateful to the teachers and friends who helped make it fun to play. Invite them to a fun party.

One of my plans is to get into music college with good grades. I also want to continue participating in international competitions. I'd like to play in UK, where it gave me a glorious award. UK is now the number one country I want to visit. “Do your best in practice. A person who does not do his best in practice will never be able to give a good performance on stage.” These are the words of the world-famous ballerina Kang Su-jin whom I respect. After practicing to your best, you will enjoy it. And good results will surely follow.

Because percussion is not popular, there are not many stages where it can be performed. I wish there were more stages where I could communicate with the public in various ways. I wish there were more stages for young artists like the London Young Musician Competition.”