Jambinai brings Korean authenticity to Europe

Sim Eun-yong plays the geomungo, a traditional Korean zither, for Jambinai at West Bridge Live Hall for Zandari Festa 2015. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

By Jon Dunbar

Kim Bomi plays the haegeum, a two-stringed fiddle, during a Jambinai show at West Bridge Live Hall for Zandari Festa 2015.
/ Korea Times photo Jon Dunbar

Jambinai alarmed fans when it seemingly canceled its month-long European tour on the eve of their flight. Guitarist Lee Il-woo posted a picture of a bad wrist injury, saying he couldn't play the guitar and apologizing for canceling the tour. But it turned out to be just an April Fool's Day joke.

The acclaimed Korean band, known for playing post-rock music on traditional Korean instruments, left as scheduled for a grueling tour of 20 dates across 10 European countries. Arriving last Sunday night at Zurich Airport, they'll have a show almost every day until the tour ends April 28. The tour takes them through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, the U.K. and the Netherlands.

Jambinai is getting increasing attention around the world, having already toured Europe five times, as well as SXSW in Austin last year. Their debut album won a Korean Music Award in 2013, and Vice Magazine's music channel Noisey praised their sound as "new music with an old soul." They're signed to the U.K.'s Bella Union, alongside big international acts like Explosions in the Sky and Flaming Lips. Appearing on BBC radio show "Global Beats," they told listeners they made "They Keep Silence," a mostly instrumental song, to express their anger over the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking.

While more generic Korean music acts ― both in the K-pop industry and the indie scene ― struggle for global attention, Jambinai has found its own winning formula, presenting something equal parts universal and distinctly Korean.

The band members deny their music is traditional and avoid the term fusion, but nobody can deny their music is original, unique and highly authentic.

The Korea Times interviewed Lee, who also plays the piri and taepyeongso for Jambinai, as well as Kim Bomi, a classically trained haegeum player, prior to their tour.

Q. Jambinai makes original music that couldn't be created in any other country. How highly does the band rank originality?

A. Bomi: Actually our music is not traditional. In the traditional Korean music scene, they don't think our music is traditional. But traditional Korean instruments are our major and specialty. So that's why we use that. We always think about how we can express ourselves more comfortably and effectively with our traditional instruments. So originality is a pretty high priority but it's not all of our music. For us, good combinations are more important.

A. Ilwoo: Originality is really important not only for the band but also in everything. The bands or persons who have originality, they have led the music, art and culture scenes. I've been influenced by them and want to be like them.

Luckily, Jambinai has traditional Korean instruments to look original but I'm not sure we would be that original if we only used Western instruments.

Q. Most Korean bands struggle to create an original musical style, or just don't try. It's a criticism I see a lot from foreigners who hear a lot of Korean music.

A. Ilwoo: Most Korean bands follow their influences. I think it's not only a problem of musicians.

In my opinion, the system of education in Korea, it has killed creativity. Teachers have not given kids the chance to ask "why" and they make the students just follow the fixed answers. So many Koreans have lost the ability to create their own style.

It's not necessary to use traditional Korean instruments to be an original band in Korea. More bands need to create their own sound and style.

But it can be agonizing and painful. It's really hard to create a new sound.

Mostly Korean bands do the band to get rid of their stress, and do it in their spare time. Also, Korean listeners and audiences also love Western bands or Korean bands which are really good imitators. They feel really strange when they watch bands that have originality or a new style.

Lee Il-woo plays guitar for Jambinai at West Bridge Live Hall for Zandari Festa 2015. He also plays Korean instruments for the band including the wind instruments piri and taepyeongso. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Q. Jambinai has been very vocal about politics with the song "They Keep Silence." How important was it to you that people listening to your music knew about the Sewol ferry tragedy and other current Korean events?

A. Bomi: I want to do whatever I can in my position and playing music is that. At least, I want people who listen to our music to feel anger at the government and remember that accident. It's fortunate that people, including me, have more interest in politics than ever in Park's government.

A. Ilwoo: I've played "They Keep Silence" for two years to tell overseas audiences about the Sewol tragedy. Musicians need to be concerned about the issues of the world and their country, and also need to express it to let the people know through music or art.

Mostly Korean musicians express sadness about Sewol but it just angered me. The president and government did nothing and still they keep the silence. I'm going to play that song with anger still even after they tell the truth about what the president was really doing while the ferry was sinking.

Today, the Sewol ferry has surfaced above the water after President Park was impeached. It took just a few days to raise the ferry from the sea, but before impeachment the government and the president did nothing but give excuses for almost three years!

I really hope the truth will surface soon.

By the way, I've had many interviews about the Sewol and I've played "They Keep Silence" a lot all around the world. But we are not on the blacklist. We are a really, really obscure band... haha...

Q. Ilwoo, you've also played in the hardcore punk bands 49 Morphines and Combative Post. How much or little "punk" is there in Jambinai's DNA?

A. Maybe Jambinai has 30 to 40 percent? I am inspired by punk a lot and I have written the most songs for Jambinai. And we are uncompromising about our music. So musically, attitudinally punk is part of Jambinai.

Q. Is Jambinai part of hallyu, or something different?

A. We are not hallyu. The Korean government supports K-pop or Korean dramas and these are hallyu. The government is investing a lot of money into it so many people overseas will know hallyu.

But we have to promote us by ourselves with our money or less money from the government. So it is much harder. As the investment has improved, the results have improved. So hallyu can make a lot of money, but we can't. However we keep trying to improve our circumstances.

And honestly, we don't care if we are hallyu or not. We don't want to be categorized as K-music, or K-something. European or overseas listeners think Jambinai is just Jambinai, not the K-band Jambinai or K-whatever. They think K-pop and hallyu is "Gangnam Style" and idol music. But that's not us.

Visit facebook.com/jambinaiofficial for tour dates and more info.