As Girls’ Generation member and actress Seohyun prepares to take the stage as a violinist, backlash continues to mount over what critics call “celebrity privilege.” However, organist Jung Sook, known from Season 13 of the reality show I Am Solo, is pushing back hard.
On January 16, a fan asked Jung Sook via social media about reactions claiming Seohyun’s collaboration with an orchestra was discouraging to trained musicians. In response, Jung Sook issued a strongly worded statement condemning what she sees as elitism in the classical world.
“I’ve been getting endless DMs about Seohyun’s performance,” Jung Sook said, “and it’s a perfect moment to address the deep-rooted conservatism in classical music.”
She continued, “I honestly don’t see the problem. The orchestra is made up of amateurs, and Seohyun, with her personality, likely practiced tirelessly for this. If she’s doing this as a hobby, that makes it even more admirable. Thanks to her ticket power, there will be people stepping into Lotte Concert Hall for the first time that’s classical music reaching the public. What else do you call popularization?”
Jung Sook emphasized that “assuming only traditional training is legitimate is a deeply outdated mindset.” She added, “We live in a capitalist society everything runs on supply and demand. Just because we followed a ‘royal’ academic path doesn’t make it the only valid one.”
She also pointed out the scale of the venue, saying, “Lotte Concert Hall has 2,000 seats. Even if someone were offered that stage for free, not everyone has the courage to step up and perform. Let’s stop belittling others’ efforts and focus on our own lives.”
Seohyun is set to appear as a special guest performer at the 8th regular concert of the Sol Philharmonic Orchestra, to be held at Lotte Concert Hall on March 13. She picked up the violin only five months ago and agreed to perform to help make classical music more accessible and relatable to a wider audience.
The Sol Philharmonic Orchestra consists of non-professional musicians who simply share a love for classical music. While some online have applauded Seohyun for her passion and willingness to learn, others argue that giving a major stage to someone with such little experience is unfair to trained performers.
Jung Sook, who currently lectures as an adjunct professor at a university, is a graduate of Yonsei University’s College of Music and holds both a master’s and doctorate from the University of Music and Theatre Munich in Germany.
Sources: Nate
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