I’m not some world-famous researcher, but I made a quiet promise to myself: one small music analysis paper every year, like a love letter to music. In this episode, I share my secret to maintaining a long-term creative relationship: how to stay inspired, how to keep going even when life gets in the way, and how one little paper can remind you why you fell in love with music in the first place. Accompanied by my piece “Cafe without Sugar 2,” this is a sweet-and-bitter toast to commitment, creativity, and rhythmical romance.

Form analysis sounds serious until you treat it like a game. In this episode, I talk about my weirdly fun journey with musical form: from casually dissecting cartoon soundtracks as a kid to wrestling with academic theories as an adult. Somewhere along the way, I discovered a magical method of learning by playful classification. Set to my composition “Noriyoune,” this is a celebration of thinking with your ears, and laughing while decoding structure.

“So… you’re getting a doctorate? In art?” I’ve heard that question more times than I can count. In this episode, I explore the winding path of pursuing a doctoral degree in music—DMA vs. PhD, research vs. performance, idealism vs. reality. Some do it for the title, some to save the world (maybe?), and some like me, just try to survive the confusion. Set to my piece “Shadow of Water,” this is a reflective dive into the shimmering blur between academia and creativity.

In Antwerp—the city of diamonds, I entered a music education program that wasn’t about dazzling performance, but something subtler. This episode explores my time training to be a music educator, navigating the tension between artistic freedom and structured teaching. Sometimes, you think you’re shining… but maybe you’re just being polished. Set to my composition “Wind,” join me at the edge where sound, purpose, and identity quietly shimmer.

In Croatia, percussion is not just music, it’s full-blown theatre. Every beat feels like a line in a dramatic play. In this episode, I share my unforgettable experience studying in Croatia, where intense technique meets even more intense performance style. Facial expressions? Choreography? It was all part of the show. Set to my piece “Jeju Fantasy,” let’s travel between Balkan fire and Korean fantasy, and celebrate the drama of rhythm.

Paris: the city of perfume and art or, in my case, the land of overly “scented” tones. During my exchange at a French conservatory, I encountered a sonic culture so refined and polished, it almost felt like playing perfume rather than percussion. In this episode, I unpack the elegant (and sometimes hilariously extreme) musical aesthetics of Paris. Set to my piece “Thor,” it’s a mix of thunder, taste, and a whole lot of fragrance.

The year I arrived in Belgium, I somehow found myself in a "Belgian conservatory in Amsterdam?" where people spoke something called… “Fransice”? Not French, not Dutch, not quite English either. This episode dives into my early days in Belgium—linguistic confusion, cultural misfires, and the weirdly magical feeling of being completely lost in a European maze. With my piece “Magic” as the backdrop, come get confused (and maybe inspired) with me.

My first concert tour in Australia was full of things I couldn’t understand: the Aussie English, the abstract contemporary music, and… what I was even doing there. But maybe that’s what made it magical. In this episode, I take you into a surreal memory of desert skies, strange scores, and unexpected miracles. With my piece “Flying V” in the background, come fly with me through confusion, culture shock, and the beauty of getting lost.

It was just a tiny practice room cramped, dusty, barely enough space for the instruments. But that little room changed everything. In this episode, I share the story of how I switched from piano to percussion, and how that simple decision in a forgotten corner of the school opened up an entire world for me. Set to my piece “April Sky,” this is about small spaces, big dreams, and finding your true sound.

While most students skipped class to nap or hang out, I did it to sneak into a basement and practice percussion.