Interview: Traditional Music Girl Song Sohee on ‘Parade’

As Korea’s acclaimed “traditional music girl,” Song Sohee has taken the country’s customary sounds and transformed them into a new genre of its own.

She’s created a unique fusion of gugak and alternative pop and rock by combining musical styles from the past, blending them with modern trends. Over the course of 20 years, the singer has captured the hearts of Koreans, being called upon as a representative for events like the UN 70th Anniversary Concert in New York and the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics opening ceremony. Her career reached new global heights with “Not a Dream,” a self-written, previously unreleased track that quickly amassed over 19 million views on YouTube.

Now Song Sohee is back with her new single “PARADE,” where she depicts the need for purpose in the endless parade-like march we call life. Sweety High chatted with the singer to dive deeper into this release and her thoughts behind the project. Check out what Song Sohee had to say in our interview below.

Sweety High: Can you introduce yourself to readers and share a fun fact about yourself?

Song Sohee: Hi everyone! I’m Song Sohee. I perform Korean traditional music, but lately, I’ve also been writing and singing my own songs. As for a fun fact… I actually lead a bit of a double life when it comes to my music! When I’m in the traditional music scene, I’m very reserved and proper. But the moment I step onto the stage as a singer-songwriter, I completely leave that quiet side behind.

(Photo credit: Mound Media)

SH: Your new single, “PARADE,” captures the desire to find meaning and rhythm in the endless march of life. What would you say is your rhythm in life at the moment?

SS: I’d say my rhythm at the moment is a bit of a polyrhythm. Just like playing two different rhythms simultaneously with your left and right hands, my days constantly shift—some days I’m deeply immersed in traditional music, and other days I’m completely focused on thinking about or singing pop music.

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SH: What inspired you to capture this feeling with this release?

SS: With this release, I wanted to make a song that is a bit more “listener-friendly” than my previous singer-songwriter albums from the last three years. In short, I wanted to fill it with elements that the wider public could easily connect with.

SH: Can you walk us through the creation of “PARADE?” What approach did you take when creating this release?

SS: I typically put a lot of my signature color into the melody line. This time, though, I made a conscious effort to write something that’s as easy on the ears as possible—well, at least by my standards!

SH: What do you hope listeners take away from this song?

SS: Honestly, that’s entirely up to the listeners. But if I had to say, it would be wonderful if their bodies were grooving to the beat, yet they found themselves reflecting on a certain bittersweetness that they could deeply relate to.

(Photo credit: Mound Media)

SH: You combine traditional Korean sounds with alternative rock and pop elements. How would you describe this sound to someone who hasn’t heard your music yet?

SS: It can be a bit challenging to put my music into words, but I’d describe it as music that explores the many different facets of pop, all while carrying a uniquely Korean yet universal folk soul within my voice.

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SH: As K-pop continues to grow globally, do you see a space opening for more traditional sounds within the genre?

SS: There are certainly challenges when it comes to traditional music finding a place within K-pop. But I don’t think traditional music necessarily needs to fit into that category—it’s a classic in its own right, after all. However, I do believe that the pop music I create and sing can play a meaningful role within the broader K-pop landscape.