Rising gugak trio Hilgeum resonates with dark fantasy

The sound of the haegeum evokes sorrow, accompanied by the tense strings of the geomungo and the soft yet firm resonance of the gayageum. Together, the three traditional Korean instruments create a dark, dreamlike fantasy.

Hilgeum, a trio formed in 2020 by Park So-min, 32, on haegeum, Cho Yoin, 31, on gayageum, and Kim Yerim, 30, on geomungo, stands out immediately. Their presence recalls Huntrix, the fictional girl group in the hit Netflix animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” The Dong-A Ilbo met the group on Aug. 21 at their rehearsal room in Seoul’s Seocho District.

● 'We want our sound to resonate worldwide'

Hilgeum describes its music as a moody, smoky sound that colors the air with their distinct tone. On stage, their aura, marked by heavy smoky makeup, bold costumes, and piercing gazes, rivals that of any fierce girl group.

In person, however, they are typical young women who laugh easily at small jokes. “We never set out to create dark music,” they said. “We just combined what the three of us enjoyed, and this is where it led.”

All three enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts in 2014. They formed the group while preparing for their master’s program graduation performance and bonding over music. The name Hilgeum combines “hil,” meaning resonance, and “geum,” the character for geomungo.

“It reflects our wish to let our sound resonate around the world. We managed it thanks to the drive of recent graduates,” Park said.

Since then, Hilgeum has steadily built its identity. Their first full-length album, “Utopia,” released in December 2022, expressed inner emotions in a dreamlike style, with each track unfolding like a short story. A year later, they followed with “Wasteland,” portraying inner loss as a barren desert. Unlike the debut, the second album expanded into a novel-style narrative that linked the songs together. “Hilgeum’s genre is smoky and rough, yet it holds a delicate tension,” Cho said.

The haegeum best defines Hilgeum’s sound. While the gayageum and geomungo are commonly paired, the haegeum’s distinctive tone and playing style make it harder to blend in ensembles. “I thought hard about how to harmonize the haegeum with the other two instruments without losing its own energy,” Park said. Kim’s geomungo offers a sound both delicate and firm, while Cho’s gayageum grounds the music with stability.

● 'Visual power sparks curiosit'

Hilgeum’s focus on strong stage visuals serves a purpose. It sparks curiosity instead of alienation for audiences new to gugak and helps the group reach wider listeners. For their second album jacket, they hired a photographer and drew inspiration from films such as “Pan’s Labyrinth” to capture barren landscapes. The result was a surreal image of a red desert with blue butterflies.

Their originality shows best in live performances. Touring underserved regions with the Korean Arts Council’s “Joyful Arts Tour” program remains unforgettable for the members.

“Because we wore matching outfits and performed like K-pop idols, students lined up for autographs even without knowing who we were,” Cho said. "It was a new experience."

Hilgeum is set to perform at the ACC X Music Festival from Aug. 29 to 31 at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju. Now in its 10th year, the festival is known for experimental sounds and futuristic stages. Hilgeum will collaborate with British jazz vocalist and violinist Alice Zawadzki.

“She is versatile, excelling in vocals, violin, and percussion,” Kim said. "I am excited to see what synergy will come from working with an artist with such a different style."

In their sixth year, Hilgeum does not plan to remain just an experimental gugak act. They aim to create their own musical world and reach more listeners.

“We want to continue experimenting with the sounds traditional instruments can create and make new music. We also want to stage performances that audiences can hear, see, and feel as experiences,” Park said.


사지원 기자 4g1@donga.com