Kim Seon-ha, Capturing 19-Year-Old Innocence in Acoustic Music

In spring 2024, a singer-songwriter quietly appeared on Singing Playground. Kim Seon-ha. Though he's often told his voice suits winter well, this time he came with spring songs. His music, spreading gently like the fragrance of white forsythia flowers, stopped over 120,000 people in their tracks.

Kim Seon-ha's Story

Kim Seon-ha is a singer-songwriter born in 1993 who debuted in 2017 with the single 'Binarine'. A graduate of Howon University's Applied Music program, he creates music primarily with original compositions, moving between ballad, indie, and folk genres. He's also a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, guitar, and bass.

His music blooms from small moments in daily life rather than grandiose messages. The fragrance of roadside white forsythia, warm texts from his father, innocent 19-year-old love. Seemingly ordinary subjects become songs with deep resonance through his hands.

"I want to keep writing songs that contain a more honest and diverse version of myself. I enjoy solo backpacking trips, so I'm preparing songs that include that sentiment as well."

His representative songs include 'Ipapnamu (White Forsythia)', 'Neon Cham Kkotboda (You're More Beautiful Than Flowers)', and 'Drown In You'. He continues his steady musical activities, having released the EP album 'Repot' in 2024.

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Kim Seon-ha's music doesn't strike you hard all at once. It permeates like the fragrance of white forsythia, remaining in memory for a long time. His musical world, where the innocence of 19 and the maturity of adulthood are appropriately mixed, makes listeners recall their own white forsythia moments.

When he who was called a winter voice sings of spring, we come to anticipate Kim Seon-ha of yet another season. If you're curious about his next story, meet him first on Singing Playground.

Meet Kim Seon-ha at Nonol

Meet their music live at the Singing Playground.

🎵 "Ipapnamu (White Forsythia)"

What to note in this song's intro is the piano's simple arpeggio and the bass's minimal line. The two instruments played directly by Kim Seon-ha create sufficient spatial feel even without complex arrangements. His vocals start calmly in the lower register without vibration, then express emotional climax through slight pitch changes that rise in the chorus.

This song about longing felt while smelling white forsythia on a May evening captivated 34,426 listeners. Like white forsythia that blooms during the regretful time after cherry blossoms fall, it offers a quiet but long-lasting afterglow.

🎵 "Drown In You"

From the moment the first note sounds, you feel like you're slowly sinking into deep water. This song, written when 19-year-old Kim Seon-ha felt he might 'drown' from falling for someone he liked, is a new acoustic arrangement of the original produced with SHHH. His voice conveys emotion more directly over accompaniment consisting only of piano and bass.

The song's structure is surprisingly simple. But within that simplicity, the desperate love emotion contained in the keyword 'drown' comes vividly alive. The 33,764 views tell the story - many people recalled their own 19-year-old selves in the face of this innocent confession.

🎵 "Neon Cham Kkotboda (You're More Beautiful Than Flowers)"

"Just came from watching The Listen on SBS, I believe there will definitely be expected times and results" — one of the most-liked comments. It's also a reaction that succinctly shows the power this song possesses.

This song began with a text from his father: "In dad's eyes, my daughter looks prettier than flowers." It's a work imagining unconditional parental love from a child's perspective. Though Kim Seon-ha doesn't have children yet, he delicately portrayed the heart of someone who would become a parent.

The melody line has an overall ascending structure, expressing praise for an existence 'prettier than flowers' through pitch as well. 31,963 people opened their hearts to this warm confession.

🎵 "Other Sides Met Through Street Performance"

Kim Seon-ha's appearance on the street outside Nonol Studio is also impressive. In performances where he reinterpreted Lee Moon-se's 'Old Love' acoustically and original compositions presented under the title 'Aside', you can discover different charms. These videos, recorded with street noise and wind sounds, convey even more raw emotion.

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🎵 "Nareul Saranghaji Anneun Geudaeege (To You Who Don't Love Me) (Original: Lee So-ra)"

Kim Seon-ha reinterpreted the desperate love that Lee So-ra expressed with powerful vocals in the original with his calm tone. His choice of minimal piano-centered arrangement instead of the original's full band sound also stands out.

"I think Lee So-ra's songs suit me well," he said, delivering the original's self-destructive love story in a more internalized way. His interpretive ability particularly shines in the lyrics "You hate me, and I stake everything."

This version feels like a monologue mumbled alone in a room. 12,118 people listened to this quiet confession.

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🎵 "Kim Seon-ha Full Ver"

This is the complete Kim Seon-ha met during the time when orange sunset colors the park. The full version video where you can listen to four songs in succession - Ipapnamu, Drown In You, Neon Cham Kkotboda, and Nareul Saranghaji Anneun Geudaeege - is an opportunity to fully experience his musical world.

The moments of calmly talking while holding flowers in his hands give the feeling of cozily ending the day. His voice, completely melted into the acoustic sound, makes you newly realize the words healing and comfort.

10,639 people shared this complete time together.

What Fans Say About Kim Seon-ha

Learn More About Kim Seon-ha

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Kim Seon-ha recently revealed his constant growth ambition in interviews with various media. His philosophy of wanting to compete with songs themselves rather than audition programs, his collaboration aspirations with role models Sunwoo Jung-a and Zion.T, among others.

As he said, "I want to be remembered for songs rather than my face," Kim Seon-ha's music is powerful enough without flashy performances or provocative concepts. We anticipate what kind of music the experiences he's gained from solo backpacking trips will become in the future.