Iljung Kim is a composer and ethnomusicologist specializing in Korean music. His research focuses on beompae, a Korean Buddhist chant, especially the contemporary practice of the long-standing tradition.

Before pursuing his passion for ethnomusicology, he studied Korean-style composition under Kim Daeseong, Kim SngKn, Park Beomhun, and Kang Joonil. His compositions won various awards, including the grand prize for the Korean Classical Music Composition Festival in 2007. He also composed many gugak children’s songs, believing that the future of our tradition depended on our children. His experience working with TV programs led him to study film scoring at New York University, which broadened his musical horizon. He composed the soundtrack for Mr. & Mrs. Kim (2016), directed by Jaehuen Chung.

He is now a proud member of the ethnomusicology program at UBC School of Music. He is excited to pursue his career in an egalitarian academic field, surrounded by amazing artists/scholars of diverse backgrounds. He has been a long-time member of Gamelan Gita Asmara (dir. Michael Tenzer).

Research Interests:

Buddhist chant, Korean traditional music, Korean popular music, gender studies, Balinese gamelan music.

Current Research:

His research focuses on the contemporary practice of a Korean Buddhist chant, beompae. His dissertation will provide ethnographic perspectives on this understudied field gained from his extensive fieldwork. His research interest extends to the gender issues surrounding Korean popular music, as well as the pertinent relationship between the traditional music scene and the K-pop industry. He hopes to broaden his academic knowledge in Balinese gamelan, which he has been treasuring as a member of the Gamelan Gita Asmara community ensemble.

2021.“Urban Echoes: Buddhist Chant at Bongwon Monastery.” SEM Student News 17.1.

2021.“A Study of Feminism and Womanism in Korean Hip-hop Songs by Female Rappers.” Journal of World Popular Music 7(2): 228-249.