Certain artists spend a lifetime searching for their sound. Sooyoon Kim discovered his by living between worlds. His music is not confined by geography or genre but shaped by the memories, melodies and cultures that have travelled with him since childhood, creating an identity that feels both deeply personal and effortlessly universal.
Growing up between Korea, Japan and the United States gave Kim a musical education that could never have been planned. Before moving to California, his world revolved around first generation K pop icons including Seo Taiji and Boys, H.O.T., S.E.S. and Fin.K.L. At the same time, Japanese anime such as Sailor Moon and Slam Dunk opened the door to a completely different emotional landscape through music. Disney classics including The Lion King, Aladdin and Tarzan added another layer, revealing how storytelling and melody could become inseparable.
Relocating to California expanded that soundtrack even further. Rock, R and B, hip hop and live band music quickly became part of his daily life, while his fascination with anime and manga continued to lead him towards Japanese bands. Looking back, he realises he was constantly absorbing influences from three distinct musical cultures. Rather than choosing one over another, he allowed them to coexist. Today, his solo work naturally blends the structured songwriting of K pop, the melodic instincts of Western pop and the emotional depth that has always drawn him to Japanese music.
That balance becomes even more intriguing because Kim occupies two very different creative roles. As one of the respected songwriters and producers working behind the scenes of K pop, his responsibility is to create music that brings out the strengths of other artists. His solo career, however, follows an entirely different path. Here, commercial expectations fade into the background, making room for something far more intimate.
He carefully separates those two identities while allowing each to strengthen the other. The polished production techniques developed through years in K pop remain, yet the melodies, lyrics and vocals become unmistakably his own. Rather than chasing passing trends, he wants to create songs that feel timeless, familiar and emotionally honest, the kind of music listeners return to years later because it still speaks to them.
Time itself has become one of the recurring themes shaping his recent writing. Lately, Kim has found himself reflecting on how quickly life moves, caught between nostalgia for the past and curiosity about the future. Those thoughts have made him appreciate the present with greater intensity. Every song he has written this year explores love, yet each approaches it from a different angle. Romantic love, heartbreak, false affection and even the devotion he feels towards his dreams all find a place within his work. Beneath every story lies the same quiet reminder that life is brief, so love deeply, embrace every moment and leave as few regrets as possible.
Japan continues to occupy a special place in that journey. Although Royal Pirates made their debut in Korea, many of the band’s solo concerts took place in Japan, creating a lasting connection with audiences there. That relationship naturally extended into his work as a producer, where he found himself writing for both K pop and J pop artists. He believes each country has given him something valuable. Korea taught him discipline and professionalism through its fiercely competitive music industry. Japan offered a different lesson by encouraging individuality, emotion and artistic identity. Together, those experiences shaped him into the musician he is today.
When Kim steps onto a stage, his priorities shift completely. Studio recordings are where he searches for perfection, but live performances are where he wants the music to breathe. During his recent solo concert in Shibuya, he deliberately reimagined his songs with a live band, giving them greater energy and a more organic sound than the original recordings.
The evening also became a celebration of every chapter in his career. He returned to the drums during a Royal Pirates performance and shared songs such as Sonagi and Run Run, which he wrote for the Korean drama Lovely Runner. One memory remains especially vivid. As members of the audience began crying, he found himself overwhelmed by emotion and could not stop his own tears. It was a completely genuine moment that united fans who had discovered him through different stages of his career, whether as a band member, songwriter or solo artist, into one shared experience.
Authenticity remains one of the greatest challenges facing artists today, particularly within an industry moving at remarkable speed. Kim has enormous respect for K pop’s global influence and openly acknowledges that he has written songs designed for viral moments and dance challenges himself. Yet he also worries about what happens when too many creators follow the same formula. Diversity, he believes, is essential for music to remain meaningful. That conviction has encouraged him to devote even greater attention to his solo career, where he can continue developing an artistic identity that belongs entirely to him.
His songwriting process reflects those contrasting creative worlds. When writing for another artist, everything usually begins with the track. Whether he produces it himself or collaborates with another producer, establishing the musical direction comes first before melodies and lyrics gradually take shape. Writing for himself reverses that process completely. Instead of beginning with production, he starts with the message he wants to share. The chorus arrives first, becoming the emotional centre around which the rest of the song grows. Interestingly, despite creating the chorus at the beginning, he often leaves the lyrics unfinished until the very end, refining every line once the complete picture has emerged.
Watching K pop transform into a global phenomenon has been one of the most remarkable changes of his lifetime. Growing up in the United States, Kim cannot remember knowing anyone outside the Korean community who listened to the genre. Today, the majority of his audience comes from around the world. Many first encountered his songwriting through K pop before discovering his own music through social media. Hearing listeners describe how his songs comforted them, brought them to tears or simply brightened their day continues to remind him why he began making music in the first place. For him, music remains one of the rare languages capable of connecting people across cultures without needing translation.
Despite years of experience in the industry, one challenge still feels surprisingly uncomfortable. Marketing himself has proved far more difficult than writing songs or performing on stage. As a drummer, he could focus entirely on the music. As an independent solo artist, he must also become the face of his work. Self promotion has never come naturally, yet he understands it is now part of the profession. Rather than resisting it, he continues to learn, adapt and improve with every release.
This year marked another significant milestone as Kim held his first solo concert in Japan. Although intimate in scale, the performance exceeded his expectations and strengthened his confidence after witnessing the audience embrace every moment. Looking ahead, he hopes to build those concerts steadily, deepen his relationship with listeners and expand into new countries beyond Korea and Japan. A new mini album and fresh collaborations are already part of his vision, but the ambition that matters most remains beautifully uncomplicated. Wherever people may live, whatever language they speak, Sooyoon Kim simply wants to continue creating music that finds its way into their hearts and stays there long after the final note has faded.
