I read an interview in Opera News magazine about Korean soprano Hei-Kyung Hong. She came to America as a teenager and studied at Juillard. The article was very interesting as she contrasted the isolation of pre-Korean War Asia with the prominence of Asia today with respect to the Western culture. Anyway, a couple of quotes from the interview really stood out to me. They reminded me of the people I knew and worked with in Korea. 
First, a statement on Korean artists, “To succeed in music, it is important to have qualities that burn, an aggressive and competitive fire.” Koreans have this character. I see it in their appreciation of beauty…not just of music, but of art in general and even nature. I’m reminded of the a reed field I visited outside of Gunsan. There was a path that meandered through this huge reed field and every once in a while there was a post of carved wood with a poem or thought in Korean etched upon it.
Next, of her career, she says, “Twenty years from now, people will say, “Who is Hei-Kyung Hong?” People are quick to forget. But I will have my family. This is what really matters. Your legacy is your children and their children.” I admire her humility and her perspective. So many artists, especially in the snobbish world of opera, brag of their accomplishments and do a lot of name-dropping. Hong is just the opposite. How refreshing.
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