In the Heart of Seoul, Finding Nature's Pulse: An Interview with Min Soohong
Written by Marie Joncquez (@mariejoncquez)
With just his guitar and voice, Min Soohong created an inexhaustible album of eight incredibly varied folk songs in 2023. Each time you listen, his songs become like vines, deeply rooting themselves in our hearts and minds. Beneath seemingly soft and light melodies, the choruses leave a lasting impression, like the lingering scent of a captivating fragrance.
The natural world features prominently in Min's work, from songs like 광합성 (Photosynthesis) and 시체꽃 (Titan Arum) to the hand-painted green artwork adorning his album cover. This connection to nature isn't coincidental. Having spent years in Seoul, a city he describes as "relatively disconnected from nature," Min has always found himself yearning for and experiencing nature's stirrings. "The role of the music I pursue," he explains, "is to awaken the shadow that lies dormant beneath a person's tranquil surface." He elaborates further: "Having lived in Seoul for a long time, which is relatively disconnected from nature compared to other cities, I have always experienced and yearned for the stirrings of nature. This naturally permeates my music. Therefore, it seems only natural that my first album is filled with stories about plants."
Though Min currently performs as a solo artist, his musical roots run deep in the electric guitar. "Originally, I was an electric guitar player. I’ve always admired 70s progressive rock and art rock bands," he reveals. "I have a dream of one day playing in a band with other musicians. However, I haven't yet met any musicians to play with. If you know of anyone, please introduce me!"
Min's compositions often stretch beyond conventional song lengths, but he approaches time with a philosopher's perspective. "People experience the flow of time differently in every moment," he reflects. "I have my own flow, and to someone else, it might seem fast or slow, short or long. Music can bring each person's flow to the present moment. I hope that my music can serve that purpose for someone."
After a challenging 2024 that pulled him away from music, Min looks toward the future with renewed creative energy. "2024 was a busy and difficult year with other matters. I had decided to put music aside for a while," he admits. "In 2025, this year, I definitely want to release my next work. I still have many stories I want to tell."
When asked about musical influences, Min thoughtfully selects Premiata Forneria Marconi's Appena un po’ as a transformative piece. "After much thought, I chose this song. For me, it's a really difficult question. My life has undergone many changes with music, so it's not easy to choose just one," he explains. "In this song, which I first listened to in my teens, I felt a freedom that didn't discriminate between means and methods of expression. This song greatly influenced my decision to pursue a future as a musician."
However, it's his own composition, Photosynthesis, that now serves as a creative compass. "Among my released songs, Photosynthesis, which I wrote most recently, is a song that reflects who I am," Min shares. "This song feels like a mirror to me now. When I look into that mirror, I see myself wanting to make music."
Perhaps most poignant in Min's repertoire is 하얀눈 (White Snow), a deeply personal piece born from loss. "White Snow is a song that depicts the moment I buried my mentor, father, and friend, the late Yang Byung-jip, a first-generation folk singer in Korea after he passed away," Min reveals with quiet reverence. "That day, it snowed heavily." This song, like many in his collection, demonstrates his ability to transform profound personal experiences into universal emotional landscapes.
Through his music, Min Soohong continues to bridge the gap between Seoul's urban pulse and nature's eternal rhythms, creating songs that root themselves deeply in the hearts of those who listen. His work stands as a testament to the power of finding nature's voice within the concrete confines of city life, and his ongoing journey promises more stories waiting to be told through his distinctive musical lens.