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| ▲ Jazz pianist and vocalist Maria Kim poses for photos during her interview at the Yonhap News Agency headquarters in Seoul on May 20, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- “While listening to the 1930s Korean song ‘Letter to Mother,’ I suddenly heard the blues. Though Korean pop and American blues emerged from very different cultural backgrounds, I realized music could be a bridge of understanding,” said Maria Kim, a jazz pianist and vocalist, in a recent interview.
Kim’s eighth full-length album Love Letters, released this month, includes a standout reinterpretation of “Eomeonim Jeonsangseo,” originally composed by Kim Yeong-pa and performed by Lee Hwa-ja in 1939. Her version, titled “Letter to Mother,” is the only Korean-language track on the 10-song album.
Known for recording in English under the U.S. jazz label La Reserve, Kim said she included the Korean track to emphasize the universality of human emotion. “I wanted to tell listeners—no matter where they are from—that I’m not different from you,” she said during an interview at Yonhap News Agency’s headquarters in Seoul.
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| ▲ This image provided by The Jazz Company Seoul shows Maria Kim, a jazz pianist and vocalist. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Initially struggling to interpret the original Korean song, Kim said the breakthrough came when she identified blues elements in the melody and form. “I don’t know what influences the composer had, but both the structure and spirit of the song felt like blues,” she said. “That’s when I approached it not as Korean pop from the early modern era, but as a jazz musician singing the blues.”
The track also resonated with the album’s theme—sending heartfelt messages to loved ones. Kim, who lived apart from her mother for nearly a decade while studying and working in the U.S., recalled emotional long-distance calls and said her mother appreciated the Korean lyrics.
Kim added, “I used to buy phone cards that cost 1,000 won per minute just to hear her voice. Seeing how much she liked the Korean lyrics made me want to record more Korean songs in the future.”
The album features other personal and reflective songs, including “Never Say Yes,” which encourages listeners not to give up on their dreams, and “Don’t Be on the Outside,” a reminder not to measure oneself against others.
The title track, “Love Letters,” a reimagining of Victor Young’s 1945 hit, holds special meaning for Kim. Hearing the song early in her career gave her the confidence to embrace her subtle, nuanced vocal style—at a time when powerful vocalists dominated the jazz scene.
“I realized delicate expressions could also be powerful,” she said. “I always told myself I’d record it when I was ready—and I finally did.”
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| ▲ This image provided by The Jazz Company Seoul shows Maria Kim, a jazz pianist and vocalist. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Kim, who honed her craft at Seoul’s renowned Janus jazz club before studying at Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory, released her debut album in 2015. Her 2021 album later earned her the Best Jazz Vocal Album award at the Korean Music Awards.
Grateful for the mentors, collaborators and fans who supported her over the years, she said this album is a tribute to those connections. “The people I’ve met along the way helped me grow. This album is my way of expressing love and gratitude.”
Now signed with La Reserve, Kim recently completed a world tour and is preparing for upcoming performances in Japan, Taiwan and Germany. She also continues to introduce jazz to new audiences through lectures and outreach efforts.
“When I started, all I wanted was to sing well. But these days, honest communication means more to me,” she said. “I want to continue meeting new people, not as work, but as a joyful part of the journey.”
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