Sungha Jung
{{Short description|South Korean guitarist/multi-instrumentalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{BLP primary sources|date=February 2014}}
{{family name hatnote|Jung|lang=Korean}}
{{Eastern name order|Jung Sungha}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sungha Jung
| image = 2016 Musikmesse Frankfurt in Sungha Jung 02.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Jung in April 2016
| birth_name = Jung Sung-ha
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|9|2|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Cheongju, South Korea
| alias =
| instrument = Acoustic guitar
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| years_active = 2006 – present
| occupation = Musician
| website = {{URL|sunghajung.com}}
}}
{{Infobox Korean name
|title = Korean name
|hangul= 정성하
|hanja=鄭晟河
|rr=Jeong Seongha
|mr=Chŏng Sŏngha
}}
Sungha Jung ({{langx|ko|정성하}}; born 2 September 1996) is a South Korean musician who specializes in acoustic fingerstyle guitar. Jung creates acoustic covers and arrangements, typically by ear and/or by watching videos, and composes original songs, both of which he plays and uploads online. He is often described as a guitar prodigy, though he prefers to be known as a "guitarist" rather than a "prodigy."{{cite interview|last=Jung|first=Sungha|subject-link=Sungha Jung|interviewer=DCinside|title=Interview (by DCinside)|url=http://www.sunghajung.com/Interview|date=10 October 2008|access-date=2014-03-04}} His YouTube channel currently has more than 7 million subscribers.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/jwcfree |title=jwcfree|publisher=YouTube|access-date=2022-01-19}}
Biography
File:2016 Musikmesse Frankfurt in Sungha Jung 01.jpg 2016]]
Jung developed an interest in guitar after watching his father play. He found his father's guitar playing more interesting than piano, which he was already learning.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA8C3XxV-tk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/KA8C3XxV-tk |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Sungha Jung interview -part 1|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by Fríðrikur Ellefsen|date=1 February 2011|access-date=2014-02-26}}{{cbignore}} Jung's father taught him the basics, and after learning the basics, he developed his skill greatly just by trying to play what he heard. When he struggled, he would study online videos.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNYiQHpBOx8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/TNYiQHpBOx8 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Sungha Was On TV! (English subtitled)|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by fatalsignal|date=18 December 2008|access-date=2014-03-04}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.interaksyon.com/hobbies-interests/2019/04/11/147159/ang-huling-el-bimbo-cover-south-korean-guitarist/amp/|title='To the next level': South Korean guitarist's amazing Eraserheads cover|author=Jeline Malasig|date=April 11, 2019|publisher=InterAksyon|access-date=January 13, 2020}} Jung came to play fingerstyle when his father discovered the technique on the internet. His first "idol" was guitarist Kotaro Oshio, from whom he developed an interest in fingerstyle guitar. At first, Jung's mother and grandmother disapproved of the "noise" that Jung and his father continuously created, but they came to understand it as his gift.
Trace Bundy found a video of 9-year-old Sungha Jung playing Bundy's version of (Pachelbel's) Canon. After Bundy saw his cover, Jung played with Bundy in tours throughout South Korea and the United States.{{cite web |last1=Houk |first1=Steve |title=Music Notes: Kicking it With "Acoustic Ninja" Trace Bundy |url=http://washingtonlife.com/2010/11/15/music-notes-kicking-it-with-acoustic-ninja-trace-bundy/ |website=Washington Life |date=15 November 2010 |publisher=Washington Life Magazine |access-date=29 May 2019}} Soon after his debut video on the internet, he garnered many supporters, from whom he asked for advice on his playing. His cover of "The Pirates of the Caribbean" theme song, which has over 61 million views on YouTube as of September 2020, made Jung an internet sensation. Jung has since played on stage with them multiple times.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvQ8rx78jks|title=Sungha Jung on 文化思索- (En_sub)|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by Dee Kim|date=1 September 2010|access-date=2014-03-04}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}} Jung has received guitar lessons from Hata Shuji, a well-known Japanese jazz guitarist. He has also been mentored by German guitarist Ulli Bögershausen, who Jung has referred to as his musical inspiration,{{cite web|author=Sungha Jung|url=http://sunghajung.com/about|title=About Sungha Jung|year=2009|access-date=2014-02-26}} and from whom he learned much about composing and arranging.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijb-4jN-wH8|title=Sungha Jung on TODAY (Eng_sub)|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by Dee Kim|date=7 October 2010|access-date=2014-03-04}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lakewood-guitars.com/musicians_details.php?m_id=3|author=Markus Hoppe|title=Lakewood musician Sungha Jung|publisher=Lakewood Guitars GmbH & Co. KG|access-date=2014-03-04}}
In a video, he recommended the "AllEars method" for those who like his style of guitar playing and want to learn it.{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/21860769|title=Untitled|publisher=Vimeo, uploaded by Thinksoul|date=2 April 2011|access-date=2014-02-26}} In addition to steel-string and classical guitar, he has been recorded playing twelve-string guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, guitarlele, harp ukulele, and piano. He has also sung live, such as when he sang "Falling Slowly" at a concert in Bangkok.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKaEt6Ti1YQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/HKaEt6Ti1YQ |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Sungha Jung singing...|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=11 October 2015|access-date=2015-10-11}}{{cbignore}} Apart from Korean, Jung speaks English, which he studied to be able to communicate during concerts abroad.
=Guitars=
Jung received his first guitar at age nine, a very coarse plywood guitar that cost less than $60.{{cite web|author=supporters of Sungha|url=http://sunghajung.com/sunghasguitar|title=Sungha's Guitar|year=2009|access-date=2014-02-26}} Upon discovering Jung's skill with the toy-like guitar, his father decided to buy him a better one – a Cort Earth900. Jung began seriously playing with this guitar. His third guitar was a custom-made small-combo sized "All Spruce" Selma model, upon which Thomas Leeb wrote "KEEP ON GROOVING! TO MY FRIEND, THOMAS LEEB" In 2009, with the help of Ulli Bögershausen, he established sponsorship from Lakewood Guitars and currently plays Lakewood Signature Model instruments. Jung mostly plays baritone guitars with a longer neck, thicker strings and deeper tuning than normal guitars.{{Cite web |title=Lakewood Guitars - Lakewood musician Sungha Jung |url=https://www.lakewood-guitars.com/musicians_details.php?m_id=3 |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=www.lakewood-guitars.com}}
=Practice and recording=
Jung's daily practice time as a child was one to two hours long when there was school, and up to three hours during school breaks. Jung usually takes seconds to figure out the notes and fingering to a piece, and typically takes a few hours to practice before cover a piece. However, to make his songs better and more accurate, he occasionally spent from a couple of days up to a month practicing.{{cite web|author=supporters of Sungha|url=http://sunghajung.com/FAQ|title=FAQ Sungha Jung|year=2009|access-date=2014-02-26}}
=Performances=
In 2010, Jung was featured on Narsha's solo album NARSHA, for the song "I'm in Love". In 2011 he performed in the US with Trace Bundy, and also toured Scandinavia and Japan.{{cite news|last=Yoon|first=Ja-young|title=How YouTube impacts lives of ordinary people|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2011/02/123_82225.html|access-date=18 May 2011|newspaper=The Korea Times|date=28 February 2011}} In 2012 he collaborated with 2NE1, creating acoustic versions of the group's hit songs "Lonely" and "I Love You". Later in 2012, he participated in a live stage with BIGBANG's G-Dragon, where they performed "That XX".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1wUHJG5cM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/OD1wUHJG5cM |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=G-DRAGON_0923_SBS Inkigayo_THAT XX (그 XX)|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by BIGBANG|date=23 September 2012|access-date=2015-05-22}}{{cbignore}} He performed "I'm Yours" with Jason Mraz, who described Jung as "amazing" and his "hero", in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MycEFlLDOkY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/MycEFlLDOkY |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=(Jason Mraz) I'm Yours – Jason Mraz ft. Sungha Jung|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=16 May 2013|access-date=2014-02-26}}{{cbignore}} Jung played Ahn Hyeok in the 2011 Korean movie, The Suicide Forecast.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1932708/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm|title=The Suicide Forecast (2011): Full Cast & Crew|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=2014-02-26}}
Albums
Jung released his first album, Perfect Blue, on 17 June 2010,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7yVdgD9ixA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/N7yVdgD9ixA |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=(Making Film) Sungha's First CD "Perfect Blue"|publisher=Youtube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=14 June 2010|access-date=2014-03-12}}{{cbignore}} his second album, Irony, on 21 September 2011,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA4-fhoe-xM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/uA4-fhoe-xM |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=(Making Film) Sungha Jung's 2nd Solo Album 'Irony'|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=10 October 2011|access-date=2014-03-12}}{{cbignore}} and his third solo album Paint It Acoustic on 15 April 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdr5gvyp870 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/Sdr5gvyp870 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Sungha Jung 3rd Solo Album (Paint It Acoustic) Promo|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=10 April 2013|access-date=2014-03-12}}{{cbignore}} These three were recorded at Ulli Bögershausen's studio in Germany, each featuring increasingly more original compositions. Jung also recorded an album consisting of guitar duets called The Duets, released on 17 December 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbzYvCrM-fI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/RbzYvCrM-fI |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Sungha Jung's New Album "The Duets" Making Film.|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=4 December 2012|access-date=2014-03-12}}{{cbignore}}
Jung's fourth solo album, Monologue, almost exclusively composed of his own original pieces, was released on 28 April 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpVSpikNobE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/ZpVSpikNobE |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=The Making of Sungha Jung's New Album: MONOLOGUE|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=15 April 2014|access-date=2014-04-28}}{{cbignore}} This album was recorded at Brickwall Sound in Seoul and produced by Jung himself.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/SUNGHAJUNGMUSIC/photos/a.616144378410615.1073741824.208669395824784/783560418335676/?type=1&relevant_count=1|title=Mobile Uploads, OK, Sungha Jung New Release [MONOLOGUE] officially out now!! www.sunghajung.com|publisher=Facebook, uploaded by Sungha Jung (Official Fan Page)|date=28 April 2014|access-date=2014-04-28}} Jung's fifth solo album, Two of Me, was released on 1 May 2015 and consists entirely of original compositions. L'Atelier, his sixth solo album, was released on 13 May 2016 and has nine original pieces, as well as one original arrangement.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/SUNGHAJUNGMUSIC/photos/a.216186601739730.60391.208669395824784/1247741038584276/?type=3|title=SUNGHA JUNG New Album [L'Atelier]|publisher=Facebook, uploaded by Sungha Jung (Official Fan Page)|date=14 May 2016|access-date=2016-07-24}}
Jung released Mixtape on 12 May 2017, describing it as a 'mixtape' of various genres that have had a large influence on him over the last few years.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VClu9_rXtk0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/VClu9_rXtk0 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Sungha Jung's own introduction and full track preview of his 7th solo album [MIXTAPE]|publisher=YouTube, uploaded by jwcfree|date=30 April 2017|access-date=2017-07-14}}{{cbignore}}
=Discography=
- Perfect Blue (2010)
- Irony (2011)
- The Duets (2012)
- Paint It Acoustic (2013)
- Monologue (2014)
- Two of Me (2015)
- L'Atelier (2016)
- Mixtape (2017)
- Andante (2018)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 1 (2019)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 2 (2019)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 3 (2019)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 4 (2019)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 5 (2019)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 6 (2021)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 7 (2021)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 8 (2021)
- Sungha Jung Cover Compilation 9 (2021)
- Poetry (2022)
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Portal|South Korea}}
- Korean website http://cafe.daum.net/blueseaJSH
- Sungha's guitar http://www.lakewood-guitars.com/guitar_details.php?series=signature&model_id=sungha_sig
- {{IMDb name|id=4459740|name=Sung-ha Jung}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jung, Sungha}}
Category:Fingerstyle guitarists
Category:South Korean video bloggers