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'Missing Here' song bridges Israel, Korea

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By Kwon Mee-yoo

"Geomungo" (traditional Korean plucked zither) player Heo Yoon-jeong plucks the Korean instrument in the Judean desert in Israel, accompanied by Israeli musician Daniel Zamir's saxophone.

"Pansori" (traditional Korean narrative music) singer Kim Yul-hee sings in Hebrew with Israeli singer Ester Rada, creating a unique harmony in a special music video created to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Israel.

The Embassy of Israel in Korea released the music video of "Missing Here," a special joint project of Korean and Israeli musicians, on social media last week.

Israeli ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor said the embassy wanted to do something "unusual" on the occasion of the 60th anniversary.

"It is actually very unusual, embassies don't generally do things like this. We wanted to carry out a project that enables a deep cooperation between Israeli and Korean culture through an authentic artistic creation that would be unique and communicative," Tor told The Korea Times in an email interview.

From left, Israeli singer Ester Rada, Korean geomungo player Heo Yoon-jeong, Korean pansori singer Kim Yul-hee and Israeli saxophonist and singer Daniel Zamir are featured in a poster for the music video of
From left, Israeli singer Ester Rada, Korean geomungo player Heo Yoon-jeong, Korean pansori singer Kim Yul-hee and Israeli saxophonist and singer Daniel Zamir are featured in a poster for the music video of "Missing Here," an Israel-Korea joint project organized by the Embassy of Israel in Seoul. Courtesy of Embassy of Israel in Korea

The musicians who participated in the project have strong personalities, but they respect each other's musical traditions and blended them well.

"Daniel Zamir wrote the song, 'Missing Here,' and represents the connection to klezmer (Jewish folk music based in Eastern Europe) and the tradition expressed through modern jazz. Ester Rada brings with her the ancient traditions of the Ethiopian Jewish community meshed with a contemporary repertoire," the ambassador explained.

"Kim Yul-hee is too incredible for words and was able to learn the Hebrew words of a long song. Geomungo player Heo Yoon-jeong is a true master musician with an amazing and immediate understanding of the Hebrew culture," he said.

Israeli ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Israeli ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Tor added that Victor Kye, director of the Jarasum Jazz Festival, knew all these people and brought them together.

"Victor is the true bridge between our cultures and understands the Israeli and Korean work cultures and creative temperaments," he said.

According to Tor, both Israeli and Korean cultures are "rooted in antiquity, but are finding new hyper-modern and innovative expression."

"In Israel, you can see this in the attraction of modern artists to the Bible and the piyut (Jewish liturgical poem) composers of the Middle Ages. In Korea, Kim Yul-hee is a wonderful practitioner of centuries-old 'pansori' expressed through reggae and jazz," the ambassador said.

"We had a sense that these two musical traditions from opposite ends of Asia and which have never encountered each other, would intuitively communicate once they meet in the studio. That's exactly what happened. They were like brothers and sisters, immediately," he said.

The music video was filmed in various sites in Israel, including the Old City of Jerusalem, on Masada, an ancient fortification, and near the Dead Sea in the Judean desert.

"These are my favorite places in Israel, but there is much more to see: the Galilee, Golan, Tel Aviv, the Negev, the Mediterranean coast, the Israel National Trail and more," he said.

In addition to the music video, the Israeli embassy in Korea plans to bring the two countries closer together through Israeli art, music and culture throughout 2022.

Following the visits of Israeli dancers to the International Modern Dance Festival ― also known as the MODAFE ― and the Busan International Dance Festival in June, talented dancers from Israel will get the spotlight once again in the Israel Focus programs at the Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance), the Busan International Rock Festival and the Busan International Dance Market.

Zamir and Rada are invited to the Jarasum Jazz Festival in October, bringing the cream of the crop of Israeli music to Korea.

Israel's Train Theater and Key Theater will present their puppet plays at Kiu Piu Puppet & Object throughout October. Israeli playwright Hanoch Levin's "Labor of Life" will premiere in Korean, and Israeli troupe the Ayit Ensemble will present "B Polar" at the Asia Theater Directors Festival in November.


Kwon Mee-yoo meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr


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