Korea's first classic accordian returns to Seoul

Korea's first classic accordian returns to Seoul. February. 23, 2017 07:14. by Dong-Wook Kim creating@donga.com. "Classic accordion players are rare in Korea. There aren't any regular classic accordion education courses in Korea. People often ask me whether I'm a pop song or teuroteu player."

Jeon Yoo-jeong is the only Korean classic accordion musician who performs overseas. Accordion has history of less than 100 years, and perhaps due to this she had to endure various prejudices. Jeon is holding a solo classic accordion performance in Keumho Art Hall in central Seoul on Thursday.

Her music career is like a situation comedy. Speaking to a Dong-A Ilbo reporter Monday at Moonho Art Hall in central Seoul, she first talked about how she came to learn accordion. "My father was in a yodel song club when I was in my third year of junior high school. He said that the club needed an accordion player and asked me to try out as I had learned piano," Jeon said. "I played quite well though it was my first try out, and my father suggested me to learn to play the accordion in earnest in Russia."

Jeon was going to learn to play the accordion for only in the first year of high school in Russia. But she had second thoughts after her first class. "I thought I could do better as I went to watch a famous Russian accordion perform," she said.

Determined to succeed in accordion, Jeon made a five-year plan and showed it to her parents. Jeon set a goal to win a prize in domestic competition in her first year, and go on to holding a solo performance, winning international competitions, grabbling No. 1 place in an international competition, and performing as an orchestra. "People who were studying with me looked at my plan and said I would be fortunate if I even made it to joining the competition," she said. "I practiced 16 hours a day."

Eleven months later, Jeon won the second place in the Lanciano International Accordion Competition. The next year she held a solo performance, and won No. 1 ranking in 2010 Clava and 2011 Val Tidone competitions. In 2011 she played with the orchestra. "I achieved my goal in four years," she said. "When I was playing with the orchestra, a Russian professor liked it and I was able to transfer to the Russian Gnesins Academy of Music."

After her graduation in 2014, she wanted to study further at a graduate school, but had to return to Korea due to financial constraints. "My Russian professor even gave me her ring when I told her my situation. Fortunately, I was able to get a full scholarship thanks to professors' recommendations," she said. "I also worked as a travel guide and interpreter."

Asked on future plans, Jeon said, "I want to promote activities in Korea and break bias on classic accordions here."