Carrying heavy bags full of stage costumes, Kim San-ha walked into the Ewha Voice office. Even without stage makeup and attire, Kim gave off an indescribably artistic aura. Throughout the interview, Kim was modest about her accomplishments, describing herself as a student rather than an artist.
Despite her humble description, Kim has been in the limelight as a promising young singer since her TV program debut in 2019 on Total Variety Network’s “Show! Audio Jockey.” Kim performed the song, “Magic Lily” to a TV audience for the first time. The video of her singing “Magic Lily”on the show recently marked over 1.8 million views on YouTube, and the performance has led to a casting call from the producer of “Broadcasting on Your Side,” a TV program from the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation.
Although the casting offer was a precious chance, Kim could not readily accept it. Her high school, the National High School of Traditional Korean Art, deterred its students from making media appearances due to concerns about possibility of negligence in practicing Guk-ak, the Korean traditional music. Furthermore, the contest the producer recommended her to participate in was for Teuroteu, a distinct genre of Korean songs known for its catchy tunes and vocal inflections, which she had never tried before.
“Teuroteu pieces are either high-spirited ones or sorrowful ones,” Kim explained. “I chose sorrowful pieces where I could adopt several elements of Guk-ak, such as the vocalization, to strengthen the skills that I had. Fortunately, many audiences liked my songs because of the Guk-ak characteristics.”
Renowned for her powerful voice and exceptional ability in depicting the mood of a piece, Kim soon gained recognition from the public. She won first place twice at the contests held at “Broadcasting on Your Side,” one for adolescent participants and the other for all-star singers.
Reminiscing about the two championships, Kim continuously replied that the accomplishments were solely based on luck, and she has never taken her current fame for granted. Her humility seems to stem from her experience of being a latecomer in Guk-ak, as Kim began learning Guk- ak in earnest when she was in ninth grade, much later than its typical learners who distinguish themselves around the age of nine.
“When I entered high school, I found out that my musical skills were far below those of my classmates,” Kim said. “I considered of dropping out of school and asked my mom for her opinion. She could have just told me to endure, but she rather understood my agonies and allowed me to quit. I was only able to continue my musical career because of my own refusal to yield.”
Her old dream to write and sing a song harmonizing Guk-ak with modern pop, also made her not give up her career. Rarely having a chance to study modern pop in her school, she always had a dream of widening her music spectrum. Therefore, out of six choices for college application, she boldly applied to two colleges as a contemporary music major just to see if she had any potential in modern pop. Consequently, Kim gained confidence when she was accepted by both schools.
“Although I decided to major in Korean music focusing on Guk-ak, I still strive to learn other musical skills such as composition or acting through the curriculum at Ewha,” Kim said.
According to Kim, people in the field took her opinions seriously thanks to the reputation of Ewha College of Music. Kim added that she wishes to be a good artist who can make the Ewha proud. To accomplish her goal, she is pursuing new fields like composition and digging deep into her major and Teuroteu, rather than going for the spotlight in the media.
Most notably, Kim aims to approach wider audiences including international fans who want to learn more about Korean traditional music genres. She is certain that both Teuroteu and Guk-ak can fascinate international fans’ hearts since both express sentiments that everyone can empathize with.
“I particularly remember the comments from people saying my songs were a great comfort to them,” Kim said. “I often spot praiseful comments written in foreign languages claiming that my music taught them the beauty of Korean traditional music. I will constantly challenge myself and build up my skills for those who love my music.”