Music director of 'Squid Game' and 'Parasite' shares his melodies

'I am thrilled yet incredibly nervous as I have been given a tremendous stage. I wake up at 6 a.m. every day, dedicating half of my day to practice, and in the afternoon, I ponder how to enhance this stage further,' said Jung Jae-il (41), a performer and composer.

He is opening his solo concert 'Listen' on Dec. 15 and 16 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno District, Seoul. He gained worldwide recognition in 2021 for his work on the Netflix drama 'Squid Game.' This is his first solo concert in three years. 'I am trying to make the two-hour performance diverse and engaging so as not to be boring,' Jung said at a press conference held at the Sejong Center on Monday.

In this performance, he will play soundtracks from movies that made him a star and tracks from his album 'Listen,' released this year. He will present medley arrangements of music from the drama 'Squid Game,' and the movies 'Parasite' and 'Broker,' and collaborate with traditional Korean instruments, which he has 'been in love with since childhood.' He will perform on stage with collaborators of over 20 years, including Daegum player Lee A-ram and pansori singer Kim Yul-hee, as well as the percussion group Newdot, showcasing tracks from his album 'A Prayer' released three days ago. 'When collaborating with traditional instruments, the performance becomes more free and dynamic, which is attractive,' Jung said.

Jung debuted as a bassist in the band 'Geeks' in 1999 and gained fame as the music director for Bong Joon-ho's 2019 film 'Parasite,' transitioning between screen and stage. Last month, he performed at the Barbican Center in London with the London Symphony Orchestra, combining Korean traditional music, piano, and orchestra, earning acclaim from local audiences. 'The members of the London Symphony also gave a standing ovation after seeing the practice of the traditional musicians,' Jung said. 'Deep within our traditional music lies a very expansive world.' Ticket prices range from 80,000 to 150,000 won.


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