When the Ocean Speaks Through the Violin: Jueun Kim’s Across Antarctica
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- 7 min read
South Korean violinist Jueun Kim has been awarded the Diamond Prize for her music video Across Antarctica and the Platinum Prize for her violin CD album The Legend of Labyrinth at the 2025 Season 4 Best Classical Musicians Awards (Season Period: July 15 – October 15, 2025). The results were officially published in November 2025. In this exclusive interview, we invited Jueun Kim to speak in depth about Across Antarctica, a powerful music video shaped by environmental awareness, personal memory, and artistic responsibility. She reflects on the origins of the project, its five-year creative journey, the dialogue between sound and image, and her vision of using classical music as a form of “artivism” in today’s digital age.
Could you take us back to the origins of Across Antarctica — what circumstances, locations, and moments shaped the recording of this music video, and how did the environment influence the final work?
Violinist Jueun KIM:
"Despite the title Across Antarctica, the project actually began with the desperation I felt right here at home, along the East and West coasts of Korea. Having a marine environmentalist as a father meant the sea was always a part of my life.
However, I eventually noticed the once-vibrant East Sea losing its life and the West Sea’s wetlands darkening as if suffocating. This realization that I could no longer remain a bystander to the ocean's silence was the true starting point. Between my awe for nature and the artistic responsibility I felt toward the climate change we face daily, this project became my necessary response."
What was the artistic impulse behind Across Antarctica? Could you speak about the conceptual vision or narrative thread that guided the video, and how that vision evolved from initial idea to finished piece?
Violinist Jueun KIM:
"This project has been a long-gestating journey, spanning approximately five years from its initial conception to completion. I have been deeply involved in a continuous series of marine-themed collaborations with composer JiEun Lee and writer/director JaeChung Kim. This body of work has expanded across various forms, including opera, chamber music, solo pieces, and immersive sound exhibitions.
Conceptual Vision and Narrative Thread The core of Across Antarctica is woven with the emotions of human nostalgia, the ocean, and its diverse life forms, all expressed through the voice of the violin. Our narrative thread sought to explore the meanings of diaspora, solidarity, and return. By taking a biological approach, we aimed to tell the story of the Earth’s oceans and the creatures that inhabit them.
Evolution from Idea to Finished PieceInitially, the project began as a musical exploration, but it evolved into a profound meditation on the unseen reality of the Arctic. While many of us have never physically visited the North Pole—I, as a South Korean artist, have yet to go there myself—countless species are crossing those icy waters at this very moment. Creatures like whales and penguins navigate the thin line between life and death every single day.
In the finished piece, I endeavored to create a 'microscopic musical world' that evokes a deep sense of respect for the Earth and its inhabitants. My vision evolved into a commitment to being an 'artivist' (artist + activist); I take great pride in using classical music as a medium for action. In this era of climate crisis, our ultimate goal was to help the audience 'swim' through the physical and metaphorical space of the Arctic through the power of music."
Can you walk us through the creative and production process of the video? How did you approach the dialogue between sound and image to ensure the music and visuals deepen one another?
Violinist Jueun KIM:
"For me, this wasn’t just about filming a performance; it was a deeply raw process of giving a voice to the silent screams of our dying oceans. Working with Jieun Lee's haunting melodies, I spent countless hours talking with director Jaecheong Kimand cinematographer Kwang-hyun Umto make sure the visuals and the music breathed as one out there on the water. What sticks with me most is the sheer exhaustion and the endless waiting. To catch those few seconds of dawn—the ocean’s last bit of hope—we headed out in the dead of night and waited for hours in total darkness. The heavy silence and solitude I felt then found its way into the very beginning of the music.“
What were the most demanding artistic or technical challenges you faced in bringing Across Antarctica to life, and in today’s digital landscape, how do you hope audiences will experience and emotionally connect with this work?
Violinist Jueun KIM:
"As a violinist, the most challenging part was expressing the 'unseen pain of the ocean' through sound. Instead of just producing the usual beautiful and clear tones, I sometimes played roughly and sometimes with a sense of emptiness. This was an artistic choice intended to convey the parched feeling of a polluted sea or bleached, dying coral reefs. To express the final warning the ocean is sending us, I infused the music with deep sorrow and indignation by carefully controlling the pressure and speed of my bowing. In an era where people quickly swipe through short videos on their smartphones, my hope is that they will pause for a moment when they watch this film.
I want the sound of the violin heard through the screen to reach deep into the audience's hearts, like a cry echoing from the bottom of the sea. I hope they will feel the ocean's crisis not as distant environmental news, but as 'their own pain,' experiencing an intimate emotional connection with the work."
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Violinist Jueun KIM:
"Participating in 'The Best Classical Musicians Awards' held a meaning far deeper than a mere competition for me. In the process of delivering a message about the climate crisis and our dying oceans through music, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the cherished colleagues who shared my vision and helped bring this work to life.
First, I am deeply grateful to composer Jieun Lee, who breathed life into this piece. By meticulously designing the sorrow of the dying sea and the solitude of Antarctica upon the score, she enabled me to fully infuse the violin's melody with environmental awareness and a sense of sublime sadness.I also wish to extend my thanks to director Jaechung Kim, who shaped the artistic direction of this project. By drawing out an intimate dialogue between sound and image, he created a depth akin to an art film with a powerful narrative, transcending the boundaries of a simple performance video. Thanks to his vision, Across Antarctica has achieved a resonant power where sight and sound truly harmonize as one.
Furthermore, I am deeply grateful for the dedication of Cinematographer Kwanghyun Uhm, who miraculously captured the precarious beauty of the dying sea, frame by frame, in such a harsh environment. The deep, dark mise-en-scène he created was the key factor that allowed my violin's melody to resonate even more profoundly within the hearts of the audience, beyond the digital screen.Lastly, I want to thank all the supporters who believed in me and cheered me on. It is my sincere hope that Across Antarctica, completed with their help, will now transcend its title and become a small ripple that helps revive the dying oceans all around the world."
Biography
Violinist Jueun Kim, renowned for her refined artistry and profound emotional expression, graduated with honors from Hanyang University’s College of Music after completing her studies at Seoul Arts High School. She then furthered her education in Germany, earning degrees from both the Düsseldorf University of Music and the Detmold University of Music.
During her time at Hanyang University, Kim distinguished herself through performances in the Excellent Newcomer Concert and the regular concerts of the College of Music, while also serving as concertmaster of the university orchestra. During her studies in Germany, she gave solo and chamber music performances at renowned venues such as Patika Hall in Düsseldorf and Brahms Hall in Detmold, and was invited to perform in various locations including Wädenswil in Switzerland, the Carinthia Cultural Center, and the Korean Cultural Center in Berlin. She also gave a solo recital by invitation from the city of Bad Pyrmont and performed as a soloist with the Bielefeld Orchestra, solidifying her presence as a performer on diverse stages. She has also been an active member of the Neues Kammer Orchester and participated in a 10-city tour of Italy with La Tramontana.
Notably, she was a member of the Münster Symphony Orchestra for five years and currently serves as concertmaster of the Uiwang Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea. In addition to her capabilities as a soloist, she has been highly active as a professional orchestral player. Since her return to Korea, Kim has continued to establish herself as a leading performer, holding annual solo and chamber music recitals at prominent venues such as the Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, and Kumho Art Hall. She also led the Music Sommelier series in collaboration with Kukmin Ilbo for three years and has regularly performed in over 70 concerts as part of The Life Concert, a program aimed at raising awareness about disabilities, hosted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.
As a member of the quartet “Su:” Kim has performed in various settings, including libraries, museums, schools, prisons, and hospitals, and has participated in concerts for children. She is also a member of 316 Ensemble, collaborating with contemporary composers and performing modern music through organizations such as the Korean Women Composers’ Association, Changaakhoe, and the 21st Century Music Society, passionately exploring new repertoire in contemporary music. Inspired by her father, who works at the Marine Environment Research Institute, Kim has always maintained a deep interest in environmental issues. She sought to address the climate crisis through her artistic language and contribute to fostering social change. Through her latest album, she reinterpreted environmental concerns and aimed to approach the public with an emotional connection. She believes that music has the power to create a deeper sense of empathy than laws or policies, helping to inspire a movement toward a better future.
Currently, Ju Eun Kim is concertmaster of the Uiwang Philharmonic Orchestra and continues her active participation as a member of 316 Ensemble and the quartet “Soo.” She is also dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musicians, holding teaching positions at Seoul National University of Education, Sahmyook University’s Gifted Education Center, Sunhwa Arts Middle and High School, and Kaywon Middle and High School of Arts.
