Sooyoon Kim
Following the Rhythm of Destiny
By Zoe Steyn
For some musicians, the path to music begins with a clear dream. For Sooyoon Kim, it unfolded quietly and almost accidentally, shaped by places, people, and moments that gradually pulled him deeper into the world of sound. Looking back, he often reflects that music never arrived with a carefully designed plan. Instead, it flowed into his life in ways he could not have predicted.
Kim’s journey began in South Korea during what he remembers as a major piano boom. Like many children at the time, he started learning piano in elementary school. It was a simple beginning, one that felt natural rather than ambitious. When his family later moved to the United States, his musical world began to expand. In middle school he joined the school band and picked up the saxophone, exploring a new instrument and a new musical environment. By high school he had joined the drumline, and that experience marked the moment when he began encountering music in a more serious way.
Even then, the idea of becoming a professional musician never crossed his mind. Music was simply something he enjoyed. When he eventually debuted in the industry, he still believed his life would revolve around being a drummer in a band. The possibility of becoming a songwriter and producer was far from his imagination. Only in hindsight did he realize how naturally music had woven itself into every stage of his life.
His first steps into songwriting came during middle school. At that time, he created music with no strategic intention and no audience in mind. Someone once told him that music should be made for listeners, but that the first listener is always the artist. For Kim, those early songs were purely personal experiments. He would replay them endlessly, filled with excitement and pride. By his own admission, those compositions were objectively terrible. Yet the thrill of hearing his first self created song was overwhelming. Even today, after producing polished and technically advanced work, he sometimes feels that the emotional rush of that first creation was stronger than anything that followed.
Outside of music, Kim does not believe he possesses any extraordinary talents. What he does recognize in himself is a keen ability to analyze people. He finds it easy to understand personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and potential in others. Discovering and nurturing the talents of people around him has become one of his quiet strengths. Ironically, he admits that applying the same objectivity to himself is much more difficult.
The path toward becoming a professional songwriter and producer was far from glamorous. His early years were defined by repetition, discipline, and resilience. Much of his time was spent alone in a small room, sitting in front of a screen for countless hours. Songs were written, submitted, rejected, and often forgotten. Many never saw the light of day. The routine demanded patience and the ability to endure boredom and creative blocks. Exhaustion was common. Coffee became a constant companion as he pushed himself to stay awake and keep working. It was a period filled with uncertainty, but it was also driven by the quiet hope that one day something would finally break through.
Musically, Kim’s influences reflect the diverse environments he grew up in. The first music he remembers listening to on cassette tapes was first generation Korean pop. Artists such as Seo Taiji and Boys, H.O.T, Sechs Kies, S.E.S, and Fin.K.L shaped his earliest listening experiences and introduced him to the beginnings of K pop culture.
Later, while living in the United States, his tastes broadened significantly. Hip hop, band music, British pop and rock, and Japanese pop and rock all became part of his musical vocabulary. Among the people closest to him, one of the most influential figures has been Moon Kim, his former bandmate who is now also an established K pop songwriter.
One of Kim’s most defining memories occurred in church when he first saw a drum set. The feeling he experienced was almost like discovering a sense of purpose. Even then, however, he did not see music as a career. He simply felt that he needed to become a drummer, even if that meant playing alone at home while holding a completely different job. The turning point came unexpectedly when a Korean entertainment company discovered videos of his band online and reached out to them. That moment led to their debut and transformed music from a passion into the center of his life.
His time in a band was both thrilling and challenging. As young musicians with strong tastes and creative ambitions, the members often clashed over musical direction. Kim recalls wanting to do everything himself, while every member carried their own vision and talent. Over time, his perspective changed. After working across many genres and projects, he came to appreciate the strengths of both collaboration and independence. Working alone can be efficient and comfortable, but it can also feel isolating. Band life often involved conflict, yet it also created an irreplaceable sense of chemistry and shared excitement. Looking back, he considers those band years some of the most meaningful and enjoyable memories of his life.
Today, Kim finds himself focused primarily on producing and writing music for other artists. His own music currently occupies a more personal space in his life, something he approaches when a meaningful collaboration or opportunity appears. Through this process of creating for others across multiple styles, he continues to explore his own musical identity and discover the sound that feels most authentic to him.
His background naturally shapes his artistic voice. Born in Korea, raised during his teenage years in the United States, later returning to Korea and performing as part of a band in Japan, Kim’s life has moved across cultures and borders. As a result, his music tends to blend genres and influences without strict boundaries. He believes this openness resonates strongly with younger audiences who embrace diversity in taste and identity.
When asked what advice he would give to aspiring creatives, Kim speaks with honesty about uncertainty. In his view, no one can ever be perfectly ready. Opportunities and lessons appear only after someone takes the first step. Interestingly, he admits that he rarely began things boldly on his own initiative. More often, circumstances pushed him forward before he felt prepared. That is why he sometimes describes music as his destiny. Even during moments when he tried to avoid the path, life seemed to guide him back toward it.
For Kim, the lesson is simple but powerful. Life is not long enough to be paralyzed by fear of judgment. The opinions of strangers rarely matter in the long run. What matters is finding something you love and something you are reasonably good at, then continuing to pursue it with patience. Success does not require being the best in the world. Sometimes it simply requires endurance.
In many ways, Sooyoon Kim’s story is not about a carefully mapped career. It is about listening to the quiet rhythms of opportunity and allowing them to guide the next step forward. Through years of persistence, experimentation, and collaboration, he continues to follow the music that first entered his life so naturally.
Kim is currently preparing a new music and project to release in Korea and Japan- also doing collaborations with different artists.
