Musician Sunwoo Han discusses what inspired her to become a musician, her process, and the importance of honing your craft.
“I don’t know if it’s too cheesy to say it, but it’s all I can think of,” she shares with a chuckle. At age 10, Sunwoo Han started playing drums. At 14, she found herself moving from South Korea to America. She’s been in the country ever since then—studied music here, honed her craft here. The country became her home. And, LA’s vibrant arts and music industry has further inspired her to pursue her love for music.
Like any artist, Han feels like she’s only just starting, even though she’s been doing her craft for years now. She’s always hungry to learn and explore more. To continue finding herself in music and evolving with it as her passion for it continues to grow.
“I can’t live without it now,” she shares.
Here’s more from our conversation with music producer, PremiumBeat contributor, and Create Fund winner Sunwoo Han.
Shutterstock: Thanks for saying yes to this, Sunwoo! I’d love to start with a little bit of background. Can you share where you’re from and how your relationship with music started?
Sunwoo Han: Well, I was born in South Korea, and then I moved to America when I was 14. So, I grew up here since then. I started playing drums like, when I was 10 or 11.
And I think, since then, that has been my only interest in my life. It’s very essential in my life. So, you know, I can’t live without it now.
SSTK: Why do you think so? Why music?
Han: With music, you don’t have to act, you know, with other people. You just have to listen to it. By yourself.
You can have that empathy with the lyrics or just the instruments. Or even just the mood of the music. It can heal, you can get excited . . . You can feel the emotions through it.
SSTK: So, producing music is your main job right now. How’s that going? And how did it start?
Han: Yeah, it’s my main job. So, I went and took music in college . . .
SSTK: Wait, so you really pursued this in school? It was that important to you!
Han: Yeah! Yeah, it was! When I was in junior high school, I had to decide what I should do . . . what school I should apply for, right? I had no idea except that I wanted to do music.
So, I just went to college and took music, and that’s when I started learning about music production. I didn’t have any other fields [of interest] besides performance. After graduating, I started doing it as my job. It’s been six and a half years now.
SSTK: And how does pursuing arts and music play in being part of an Asian family? Because for most Asian families, it’s all about the corporate job and the business degree. It’s all about being a doctor or lawyer. Art is, like, just a hobby.
Han: Yeah, I get it. I get it, I’ve seen it. But my parents were actually very supportive of whatever I wanted to do, so it hasn’t been a problem.
Because my sister is also an artist—she’s an art director—it was great with me. It’s just about me figuring out how to succeed in music in America as an Asian. As a female Asian.
SSTK: How is it like being a female Asian in the music industry in the US?
Han: So, the music industry in America is more like white, and then African Americans. The Asian market is now rising but yeah, it’s not that big.
So, there was some hardship in me having to prove myself, my skills, my abilities.
Han: Yeah. You know, I’ve been rejected a lot of times, and I’ve been trying a lot. I’ve been looking around a lot. I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong, but it was hard. But I’m sure it was hard for everybody, not just Asians.
SSTK: I think it could be because a lot of people are trying to get into that industry, right?
Han: Yeah. Especially in L.A. Everyone’s an artist. *laughs a little*
SSTK: So, stock music. When did that happen, and how did you get started?
Han: Before I started with Shutterstock, I worked for this video editing app based in South Korea, but we worked remotely. And it was my friend who helped me get started on this around end of 2019.
Before that, I already knew what it (stock music) was, I just didn’t know how to start or where to start.
Now, it’s been great. I can make different styles of music, my own style of music, and you know, when they accept it, you get paid. And you can pay your bills. It’s been great.
SSTK: Speaking of style of music, can you share about the type of music you make?
Han: It’s mostly electronic, pop, hip-hop, R&B. For stock music, I make a lot of lo-fi, and also some electronic. And I’m into house now, so I’ve also been making a lot of house music.
SSTK: What’s your process when creating music? How do you get in the zone?
Han: I like to plan what kind of music I want to make. And then I try to get inspiration from other artists and explore unique samples. That’s how I get inspired to start.
Then, I think I just put my imagination into the production. But now, it’s my job so, it’s work you know. I just sit and do it.
SSTK: When creating music, how do you know when it’s ready to go? When you’re like, “Okay, this is good. This is actually good material.”
Han: For me, it’s when the hook conveys the identity of the track. Also, when there’s a bridge or this unique section that could change the dynamic of the track, that’s when I think the music is ready.
SSTK: Does gut feel also play a role in there? Because, as a writer, sometimes I get this feeling that the story still needs work. And other times, I go, “No, this is good. This is ready.” Is it the same with music?
Han: I think so, yeah. I throw away a lot of drafts because of that, because I think, “Oh my God, this is bad.”
And then, if it’s not bad, if it’s good but I think I could make it better, but I don’t know how to make it better, I just kind of change maybe the instruments or the vibe of it and just make something totally different.
Han: I’d say do your research and then meet other musicians. See how they’re doing. Ask questions.
These days, everyone has social media so, even if you don’t know anyone in the music industry, you can easily find someone and just message them. I’m sure some of them would be happy to answer your questions and help you out.
SSTK: Were there things you wish you knew before you started selling stock music?
Han: I wish I knew where to start early on. And I wish I knew that I had to make my own catalog of tracks that I could show around.
SSTK: Now that you’ve done a lot in your career as a musician, what else do you want to do? What else do you want to achieve?
Han: My goal right now is to release my own music as often as I can. I released my second EP last year, so I would like to show people what kind of music I do.
And, you know, just keep learning and keep exploring the sounds and the genres, and have that signature sound so people would know, “Oh, that’s her sound.”
SSTK: Are you still working on that (signature sound)?
Han: Yeah, I think so. I think I found it. I don’t know, I think I found it. But, let’s see.
SSTK: What does music mean to you?
Han: It means everything. It’s become the most essential thing in my life. I could get healed, get happy, just by myself so, you know, it’s made me who I am right now. It means everything.
SSTK: How did Shutterstock’s Create Fund impact you as an artist?
Han: It’s been great! I could replace my monitor speakers now—I could upgrade it. I love my speakers now. It’s really about upgrading my gear and the fact that they have confidence in me. The fact that I won that fund means I proved my abilities as a musician.
I didn’t even know I’d have an interview with somebody. There were times when I wasn’t happy with my craft or when I wasn’t making money selling music.
But now, I feel very grateful. To be in this place. To be interviewed by you. So, thank you.
Listen to Sunwoo’s entire album or individual tracks.
License this cover image via Tithi Luadthong.
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