Grammy-winning producer David ‘Yungin’ Kim sets to bridge gaps between music and cultures

David "Yungin" Kim, a Grammy Award-winning mix engineer, hopes to create a bridge between Korea and the US music industries as he continues on his professional and personal journey in both countries.

Kim, who goes by his artist name Yungin, is the first Korean-born person to win a Grammy outside of classical music. As a mix engineer, he has worked with many big names including BTS, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Hit-Boy, Post Malone and Ariana Grande.

And earlier this year he debuted as a producer with his single "No Lowkey" featuring rappers Jessi and Camo, both of whom are based in South Korea. "No Lowkey" is part one of an album that Yungin spent all of last year working on with some of the top artists in Korea such as Jay Park, Paul Blanco, Changmo, Sokodomo, Since, BM, Loopy, Justhis and Bobby.

The project began as a small experiment to gain exposure and redefine Yungin’s identity from a mix engineer to a producer. Initially planned as a three- or four-song project, it quickly expanded.

"I started DMing the artists that I would want to be on the project, and it kept growing," Yungin recalls. The overwhelming positive responses from these artists transformed the project into a major undertaking, leading Yungin to come to Korea to record and collaborate in person.

The album is divided into two parts, with the first set to release in the summer, featuring hip-hop and rap, and the second toward the end of the year, focusing on R&B. Yungin describes R&B as a genre that allows him to connect with his emotions, a contrast to his earlier years where he felt pressured to suppress them. This evolution is mirrored in the album's progression from assertive rap to introspective R&B. “Good R&B will make you miss somebody that doesn’t exist. Good R&B will make you really appreciate the people that you have around you. The R&B aspect is something that I'm learning later on in my life where I'm getting comfortable with my emotions,” he says.

The album is also an expression of Yungin's professional and personal life, telling the story of his journey in the music industry, and that of his life as an Asian American.

The album opens with "Homesick," featuring two artists, Paul Blanco and Changmo, each of who Yungin described as artists who significantly influenced his career. Yungin describes “Homesick” as one of his favorite tracks because of how it’s about feeling displaced and ultimately finding home within oneself, thereby setting the tone for the entire album. "The song really sets the tone and it describes a period of my life that was very dark and and lonely,” he reveals.

“Getting in that zone of creating music is like a very special feeling. It's like flow state, it’s when melody and lyrics connect,” Yungin explained, as he painted his representation of his life in Korea onto a canvas during an interview with The Korea Herald.

“It's hard to explain the chemistry but it's almost like when you have two things and you put them together and it combusts like vinegar and baking soda. There's an explosive nature about it. There's a feeling that you can't quite describe, but it's almost like everything is right for that moment. You know, when you're in a conversation with somebody and that conversation turns into a song …”

For Yungin, coming to Korea meant conveying the same type of synergy with his Korean and American identities as well.

Upon analyzing music in Korea, K-pop in particular, Yungin noticed that the perfectionist nature of Korean culture translates into K-pop music.

“On the American charts, you have stuff that doesn't technically sound good, but you can't ignore the feeling where you're listening to it, like, there's a hi-hat that's really loud, or the bass is really low,” he says. “(But) the Korean music that comes out and all the stuff on the top 10 is very, very perfect. You know, when you're listening to it, like sonically super pleasing, nothing is outweighing anything else. ... I feel like Korea is such a perfectionist culture that it affects the music too.”

Yungin also noticed that one of the obstacles in trying to bridge the gap between the US and Korea is trying to separate K-pop and other Korean music, saying that K-pop has overshadowed other genres in people's minds.

Through his work in Korea, Yungin hopes to “rewrite the stereotypes where Korea is only good at K-pop.”

“There’s a lot more talent out here than people give us credit for. That’s something I realized while working on this project, like, man, Koreans are really good at what they do once they set their mind to it,” he said, referring to the abundance of hidden gems in Korea.

One of Yungin’s goals is to build a studio in Korea and the US, hubs for cross-cultural musical collaboration. He envisions these studios as vibrant spaces where US and Korean artists can learn from each other and create unique music blends.

"It's not just about bringing the American style of working, recording, or producing to Korea," Yungin said.

"I'm also learning now that Korea has a lot of good things that they do in the studio. And I kind of want to just blend the two, you know?”

Through the envisioned studios, Yungin hopes to create a gateway for American artists, producers, and engineers to connect with the Korean market. Conversely, in Korea, he hopes he could provide a creative space where Korean artists, producers and engineers can develop new music and send it back to the US using his network.

In this journey of rediscovering his roots and identity through music, Yungin sees the experience of building his first album as a producer as an opportunity for self-growth and coming to terms with the sense of never fully belonging.

“I’m still learning who I am,” he said.

“As a Korean American, Korea is my roots. Korea means a lot to me because this is where I was born, and everyone here looks like me, which gives me a sense of belonging. But once I start talking, I don't feel like I belong. But Korea is home.”

For aspiring producers, mix engineers and third culture kids like himself, Yungin offers this advice.

“What helped me come to terms with my identity was not being ashamed of who I am or how I am, and starting to accept it and use it as a tool instead of a handicap. Understand that people are good at different things. Just because my heroes are good at one thing doesn’t mean I have to be good at that same thing. Find your thing, find your confidence in whatever you do, and keep pushing. Your next break could be tomorrow. Your next break can be an hour from now. The more time you spend complaining or making excuses to quit, the more you prevent yourself from getting your opportunities. So keep your eyes peeled.”

Life In Korea is a series that aims to introduce the diversity of people's lives in Korea today. Watch the full interview of Life In Korea featuring David ‘Yungin’ Kim on The Korea Herald YouTube channel – directed and edited by Hugh Hong, produced by Tammy Park. Special thanks to Robin Wemmers and Jorge Alvarado. -- Ed.