The Turning Gate

The Korean soundWave XII

Han Hee Jeong's solo debut

Today is the fulcrum of eternity, the point to which all things aspire, and the point from which all things are come. Today is the most glorious day that has ever been, and maybe the most glorious day that ever shall be. Today is the day Han Hee Jeong's solo album, Your Document, hit store shelves in Hongdae.

That's me at Greek Joy this evening, holding an autographed copy of Han Hee Jeong's new solo album. I've been waiting a long time for this. I'd feared the album's release would be pushed back beyond my departure date from Korea, but I am truly blessed that this has not been the case. Oh, and as if that weren't enough of a good time ...

That's me with a pretty Korean girl, an autographed copy of Han Hee Jeong's solo album and a mojito. Now, if you think you can do better than that, I pity you never having tasted a Lovo mojito!

Han Hee Jeong's solo masterpiece

So yes, I’m excited. And yes, I have every reason to be. After more than a year of receiving tentative release date after tentative release date, only to have them pushed back into infinity, I finally have Han Hee Jeong’s solo debut in my hands and it’s a thing of beauty.

Having witnessed her live show countless times, 너의 다큐멘트 (Your Document) is basically what I expected it to be. And because I expected nothing less than a glorious listening experience rivaling the very angels in heaven … Well, I’m a very happy fan.

Han Hee Jeong has really gone nuts with her talent all over this record. Not only did she write and perform all of the songs, but she produced and arranged the album entirely on her own. She’s taken full creative reign over Your Document, ensuring that it’s exactly the record she wants it to be, and she’s done a magnificent job. Also worth nothing is the involvement of MOT’s Aeon, with whom Han Hee Jeong has, for some time, been rumored to be involved (I can neither confirm nor deny such rumors). I can confirm, however, that Aeon mixed the record and appears as a guest vocalist on Drama. In both capacities, he’s excellent.

Han Hee Jeong has been selling out shows at Live Club SSAM for roughly a year now. At these shows, she has performed solo with an acoustic guitar, has occasionally performed a song on a keyboard, and has sometimes shared the stage with a guest performer. If you, like me, have been a regular fixture at these shows, be prepared; Your Document is quite a different entity from these performances.

Opening with its title track, it’s immediately apparent that the record will not be an imitation of these performances. This is not a girl on a stage with a guitar; this is a work of broader ambition and many more sounds. As 너의 다큐멘트 (Your Document) begins, effects drenched electric guitars usher in Han Hee Jeong’s captivating voice. The sounds quickly expand to include bass, drums, keyboards, violins and perhaps more. It’s a lot of sound all at once, and a major departure to find our favorite acoustic folk singer suddenly leaning so far into rock.

And yet, it’s not entirely unexpected for those familiar with her background. The The was very much a rock outfit, and Bluedawn made heavy use of textural effects and sound layers. This is Han Hee Jeong as we’ve come to know her on album, not on the stage, and it’s a wonderful confirmation of her talent and ambition to hear her making music of such wide expanse, and on her own terms.

The second track has long been a crowd favorite at shows. It’s the story of a breakup over dinner, the heartbroken Han Hee Jeong with eyes downcast in sorrow, locked on her broccoli and it begins to talk to her. It’s a song both sad and humorous, and one for which I’d love a proper translation. It’s emotional impact is such that Han Hee Jeong often cries when she performs it, and draws forth tears from her audience as well. I shit you not, I’ve seen grown men cry when she’s played this. On album, the song is beautifully produced with layered vocal tracks and a full array of instrumentation and effects, and it loses not an iota of its potency or impact.

Track three, 우리 처음 만난 날, has previously been released on Pastel Music’s 12 Songs About You compilation. Rather than recycle the same recording we already have, though, Han Hee Jeong here gives us an alternate version of the song. In its previous incarnation, the song was lovely but bare, a guitar with a couple of vocal tracks, far too sparse to fit in with the other songs on Your Document. The new version is far superior, featuring full instrumentation and a much cleaner mix than we’ve previously heard. Comparatively, the old version seems not so much a finished recording as a demo track, and maybe that’s what it always was. Regardless, the brush up is welcome and appreciated.

Drama is the first of only three songs with English language titles, and it’s a beauty. After the instrumental build up of the first three tracks, Drama strips it all away. We’re back down to girl on guitar here for what has been one of my personal favorites at Han Hee Jeong’s shows this past year. MOT’s Aeon comes aboard for the final third of the song to harmonize. The song is stunning in its simplicity and exquisiteness.

잃어버린 날들 hits me something like a melding of Bluedawn and Hikaru Utada. It leans a little more towards the realm of pop song than other songs on the album, but still fits nicely with its peers.

Re is slightly unusual compared to the other songs on the album. I’m not musically grounded enough to describe what’s going on in the song, but it sounds a little off-kilter and somewhat unsettling. There’s an underlying darkness to the song; there’s a touch of MOT in it. And it’s awesome.

산책 (Walk) is performed sans guitar; it’s the keyboard song. I’ve ever preferred Han Hee Jeong on strings over keys, but it’s nonetheless a lovely song and a good fit for the record.

Glow wraps up the trilogy of English titled songs. Keys, guitars, the works. The music here is very much a backdrop for the vocals, which seem almost to handhold the instruments, leading them through the song.

The ninth track, 휴가가 필요해, sounds almost as if it could be a Fanny Fink song with its downplayed verses, big choruses and very tasteful melodies. It’s not as interesting as some of the other tracks on the album, but Han Hee Jeong sets such high standards for being wonderful, that … Well, there’s just a hell of a lot of room for underdogs.

The album’s final track, 나무 (Tree), quietly strips things down again. Guitars, strings and keys make the bed in which Han Hee Jeong lays her voice down to rest. More than any other song on the record, 나무 sounds very Bluedawn-esque, as if, after a satisfyingly productive day, we’re undressing to sleep.

Han Hee Jeong’s solo debut has been a long time coming. I’m happy to report that the album has been well worth the wait. It would be difficult to ask for more than this. And yet, I already find myself looking forward to her next record, whatever and whenever that may be. Han Hee Jeong is an artist for whom I am ever hungry; Your Document satisfies so well that it does little to abate my addiction, but only encourages my insatiable appetite for more. Once you’ve heard the sirens sing, there’s no turning back; I would gladly follow this voice to my demise.

There are quite a few new clips on YouTube. See video from the photo shoot for album, a live television performance, or audience videos from Live Club SSAM (one | two).

Right-click to download the broccoli song and Drama.

Also, you can check out my concert photos of Han Hee Jeong on Flickr.

And, finally, I've been told that Han Hee Jeong will be having her album launch concert on August 15, though tickets seem not to have gone on sale just yet. Keep an eye on the Pastel Music news postings for the official announcement.

Coda

This edition of The Korean soundWave features only one review. I have other records I want to hit upon, but I'm going to save them for XIII, as I'm too busy prepping to move to actually write them up.

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