SOOJUNG’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We’re looking forward to introducing you to SOOJUNG. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning SOOJUNG, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I headlined a show the other night at Central Records in downtown Phoenix. It was such a special night — I performed alongside my amazing band, Sofia, J, Mario, and Nikki, and alongside two other bands Huemongrel and MF GLOOM. It was so nice being surrounded by so many people I love, and being able to perform alongside people I also equally love!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m SOOJUNG, I’m a diasporic Korean singer-songwriter based out of the southwest. My music explores grief, joy, and learning to cope in the horrors of the existence. My music is dreamy, a little ambient, very indie, and unpacks relationships to others and self, capitalism, and patriarchy. I also try to implement as much of my Korean culture and folklore into my work!

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that was afraid of being seen! I hid myself for a long time out of fear of rejection or punishment, but am now fully stepping into the light as my truest self.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
To have compassion for others! I try my best to give people the benefit of the doubt (even though sometimes it bites me in the ass), and understand that sometimes we don’t always show up as our best selves. You never know what another person is going through, and I try to retain this understanding and compassion for everyone I interact with.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
All of my friends and collaborators. I think about the people closest to me, and how I trust them to be honest with me and hold integrity. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you own up to them and apologize, and I think I’ve surrounded myself with people who do just that and more. It’s hard to maintain friendships or any sort of relationship without honesty, and I think my friends and collaborators are honest people, so that even if there’s conflicts or misunderstandings, we do our best to work through them.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
Choosing myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.soojungsoup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soojungsoup
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@soojungsoup
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soojungsoup

Image Credits
Antonio Flores, Valence Heartlock