The Most Precious Work on My Filmography​

If I had to pick one person who has had the greatest influence on my life, that would be director Hur Jin-ho. For better or for worse, he completely changed my life; I began my career in film music thanks to him, and found much success through my work with him. His films on my filmography are all precious to me—Christmas in August (1998), One Fine Spring Day (2001), April Snow (2005), ​Happiness (2007), Dangerous Liaisons (2012), and Forbidden Dream (2019). But if I had to pick one of them as my favorite, One Fine Spring Day would be it.

The main theme “One Fine Spring Day” came to me out of nowhere one day, and I completed it in just 5 minutes. Now it represents what I consider as the most ideal creative experience. For a long time, I had agonized over how to convey through music a sense of longing for all disappearing things, as well as my own specific experiences.

Somewhere along this kind of process, music may suddenly pop up, and music created by inspiration results in universal resonance. One Fine Spring Day brought me many other opportunities—some of them abroad. I gained confidence that my music could communicate with the wider world, and resolved to pursue my own musical style and sensibilities. (CHO Sung-woo)