Arabic version: جونغ جاي-إيل يؤكد على الإنسانية في الموسيقى

Jung Jae-il, the acclaimed South Korean composer known for his work on Netflix’s hit series Squid Game, is set to make his Australian debut at the Sydney Opera House. Following a successful world tour that included sold-out performances at the Barbican in London and Carnegie Hall in New York City, Jung will conduct a 41-piece orchestra performing the soundtrack for Parasite, the most Oscar-decorated non-English language film in history. According to The Guardian, Jung’s music is characterized by a unique blend of calculated imperfection and human emotion.

Jung’s distinctive approach to composition is evident in the unsettling score of Squid Game, where he used a recorder—an instrument he had never mastered. The resulting theme, marked by thin, piercing notes and unintended squeaks, serves as an auditory metaphor for the desperation experienced by the show’s characters. This embrace of human fallibility contrasts sharply with the pursuit of digital perfection typical in modern music.

His journey into music began unconventionally at the age of 15 when he joined a rock band, and he has never formally studied composition. Jung credits his improvisational style, which he developed while working on the Parasite score, as a crucial element of his creative process. He believes that his lack of formal training has allowed him to tap into a diverse range of musical influences, resulting in a unique sound that resonates with audiences worldwide.

As he prepares for future projects, including collaborations with acclaimed directors and a new album with Decca Records, Jung is increasingly focused on live performances. He views these events as essential in preserving the authenticity of music in an era where artificial intelligence poses a growing threat to traditional composition. Jung asserts that the concert hall represents one of the last bastions of human creativity in music, emphasizing the importance of embracing the imperfections that define his work.

Jung Jae-il’s upcoming performance of Parasite: Live in Concert at the Sydney Opera House on April 24 and 25 promises to showcase his commitment to the human elements of music, offering audiences a poignant reminder of the artistry that sets it apart from machine-generated compositions.