hankyoreh

“Messages of Cheer and Comfort

“Korea is like my second home,” said Frederik Sioen, a Belgian singer-songwriter who sat down with the Hankyoreh at a cafe near Hongik University in Seoul on Apr. 9. He wasn’t just being polite, however. Recently, he’s been attending classes at the Korean Language Education Center at Sogang University.

“Studying Korean is hard, but I have a strong desire to communicate with the fans of my music and to learn about their feelings. A while back, I went to buy some flowers for my language teacher. I can’t tell you how happy I felt when the shopkeeper understood my Korean.” During the interview, Sioen spoke in English, while throwing in the occasional Korean phrase.

Sioen’s connection with Korea can be traced back 10 years, when he learned that the woman he was dating in Belgium was an Korean adoptee. Not long afterward, he heard from a friend that his song “Cruisin,” which he’d released back in 2003, had finally become a big hit in South Korea. The song’s popularity had been sparked by its use in a Korean clothing commercial featuring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Henney. Having made up his mind to visit Korea, Sioen tracked down a Korean record label and concert organizer and got in touch over email. In 2012, he had his first show in Korea and also signed an official record deal.

Sioen released his first album in four years

Since then, Sioen has visited Korea more than 10 times, strengthening his ties with the country. He has shared the stage with the rock band 3rd Line Butterfly and has released an album called Omniverse featuring collaborations with Korean musicians such as Sunwoo Jung-a, Sung Ki-wan, Kim Sa-wol, and Kim Hae-won. One of his full-length albums has also featured a song called “Hongdae” that expresses his affection for Korea. “I’ve learned a lot by working with Korean musicians. Koreans have a deeper and more nuanced emotional range, and seeing that expressed in music has had an impact on me,” he said.

On Apr. 8, Sioen released “Messages of Cheer and Comfort,” his first full-length album in four years. The album is pervaded by a classical mood based in piano and stringed instruments. “My previous albums had a guitar-focused ‘band sound,’ but this time around I went back to my musical roots, which are in the classical tradition. These days, there’s a lot of music that’s overproduced with too many sound effects and mechanical sounds. I wanted my message to be more honest, expressed through a simpler sound,” he said.

Sioen was educated in classical music from an early age by his father, who is a music teacher. His father even played a role in this album, by helping arrange the string section in the song “Baroque.”

Sioen explained that he hopes this album will provide “cheer and comfort” to people who are worn out. The first track on the album, called “Little Girl,” is a song for the younger generation, which he wrote with his younger sister in mind. “When I came to Korea a few years ago, the candlelit revolution to impeach President Park Geun-hye was well underway. Seeing young people out on the streets, I found myself hoping they’d keep fighting against injustice and decided I’d support them so that they can make a new start without being afraid. These days, teenagers in Europe are also joining street protests against the government. I wrote this song to cheer them on,” he said.

Belgian singer-songwriter Frederik Sioen (provided by Chili Music Korea)

Sioen has mixed feelings about the Korean music scene today. While he thinks that the global embrace of such K-pop acts as BTS is a fascinating and welcome development, he’s worried about the increasing challenges faced by Korea’s indie music scene, which has a special place in his heart. His good friends in the band 3rd Line Butterfly are currently on hiatus after their lead singer, Nam Sang-a, emigrated to France. Pia and quite a few other bands have announced that they’re breaking up. The problem is that it’s hard to make a living through music alone.

“The sad fact is that bands are breaking up for financial reasons. Writing songs and playing instruments is extremely important. When it comes to music, I think we should focus more on experience than money. I like traveling around the world with my music. I think that meeting and communicating with people and experiencing and learning things makes me rich,” Sioen said.

On May 12, Sioen will be holding a concert to mark the release of his new album at Veloso Hongdae, a live music venue in Seoul’s Seogyo neighborhood. Violinist and singer-songwriter Kang Echae will be joining him on the stage. After taking the exams for the second level at his Korean language program, Sioen plans to return to Belgium. He completed level one of the program last year. After the interview, Sioen was about to leave the cafe when his song “Cruisin” came on the speakers. The cafe owner waved to him and said, “See you later.” In fluent Korean, Sioen said, “Thanks! I’ll come by another time.” As he disappeared into the alleyway, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, Sioen looked just like one of Hongdae’s indie musicians.

By Suh Jung-min, music correspondent

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]