Joogwang Lim || composer

Joogwang Lim (b.1992) is a Korean composer based in Boston. His musical style is characterized by a unique fusion of various ideas, including myths, stories, plays, religious texts, ideologies, and scientific theories. Central to his compositions are the lively narratives, the foundation for the firm and intricate structures he organizes, from aforementioned concepts. Lim's music is replete with expressive elements, such as texts, symbols, and leitmotifs, which enrich the listening experience. In addition to exploring narrative and structure, he challenges audience perceptions and preconceptions through musical irony, unconventional spatial arrangements, multimedia projections that contradict expectations, and incorporation of theatrical elements.

He earned a B.Mus. in composition at Seoul National University and an M.M. and D.M.A. in composition at Boston University. He is currently living in Boston, United States.

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Cited as "the most uninteresting composer" (by his non-musician friends), Joogwang Lim is known for composing music that demands technical virtuosity from musicians for nothing. In his music, Joogwang Lim opts for dissonance and unconventional chord progressions and challenges the concept of traditional phrasing, creating music that may seem disjointed and unpredictable. Yet he often fails to achieve his initial goals.

Throughout his career, Lim has embraced diverse musical ideas and styles, resulting in compositions lacking a cohesive stylistic thread. His composition led to numerous rejections from various competitions, commissions, and opportunities. Lim's compositions have received only a handful of awards and recognition. He has had limited exposure at festivals, and scholarships and financial support have been scarce. In most cases, Lim's compositions received no reviews at all. Rarely his works leave critics and audiences uncertain of how to interpret or categorize it, leading to polarizing responses; even his father scolded him by presenting a game controller in his music. Furthermore, a large volume of his works is yet to be premiered, limiting opportunities for public recognition and performance.

In recent years, Lim found it difficult to produce new compositions due to his laziness under the guise of the so-called “process of stylistic transformation.” After venturing to the United States to pursue further studies and opportunities, Lim encountered additional obstacles as a foreigner and faced uncertainty in finding stable employment within the challenging music industry. Even though he just earned a doctoral degree in music and finished twenty-five years of studentship, Joogwang Lim's journey as a professional composer has been far from smooth and stable.