Sungha Jung

Sungha Jung (Korean: 정성하) is a South Korean musician who specializes in acoustic finger style guitar.^[1] His YouTube channel has more than 3 million subscribers.^[2][3] Jung creates acoustic covers and arrangements, typically by ear and/or by watching videos, and has original music, which he plays and places online. He was nicknamed the "Guitar Prodigy" and the "August Rush" in Korea, though he prefers to be known as a 'guitarist' rather than a 'guitar prodigy'.^[4]

Biography

Jung began to play the guitar after watching his father play. He first learned piano, but found it somewhat boring, while his father's guitar playing looked great.^[5] Jung was taught the basics of guitar by his father. After learning the basics, he developed his skill greatly just by trying to play what he heard.^[4] When he struggled he would study online videos.^[6] Jung came to play fingerstyle when his father discovered the fingerstyle technique on the internet. His first 'idol' was guitarist Kotaro Oshio, from whom he developed interest in fingerstyle.^[5] 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. Soon after his first debut video on the internet, he garnered many supporters, from whom he asked for advice on his playing.^[6] His cover of "The Pirates of the Caribbean" theme song, which currently has over 45 million views, made Jung an internet sensation, and his playing caught the attention of world-renowned guitarists, who found his covers of their songs impressive. Jung has since played on stage with them multiple times.^[7]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 refers to as his musical inspiration,^[8] and from whom he learned much about composing and arranging.^[9][10] In a video he recommended the 'AllEars method' for those who like his style of guitar playing and want to learn it.^[11] In addition to steel-string and classical guitar, he has been recorded playing twelve-string guitar, electric guitar, four and six-stringed ukulele, harp ukulele, and piano. He has also sung live, singing John Mayer's "Why Georgia" at a concert in Bangkok.^[12] Apart from Korean, Jung speaks English,^[5] which he studies to be able to communicate during concerts abroad.^[9]

Guitars

Jung received his first guitar at age nine, a very coarse plywood guitar that was less than $60.^[13] 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 Selma guitar, a small-combo sized "All Spruce" model upon which Thomas Leeb wrote "KEEP ON GROOVING! TO MY FRIEND, THOMAS LEEB"^[13] In 2009, with the help of Ulli Bögershausen, he established sponsorship from Lakewood guitars.^[13] Jung currently still plays a Lakewood guitar, which has his signature inlaid on the fingerboard.

Practice and Recording

Jung's daily practice time is one to two hours long when there is school, and up to three hours during school breaks. Jung usually takes an hour to figure out the notes and fingering to a piece, and typically takes another five hours to practice before recording. However, to make his songs better and more accurate, he occasionally spends from a couple days up to a month practicing.^[14]

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.^[2] 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". He performed "I'm Yours" with Jason Mraz, who described Jung as "amazing" and his "hero", in 2013.^[15] Jung played Ahn Hyeok in the 2011 Korean movie, The Suicide Forecast.^[16]

Albums

Jung released his first album, Perfect Blue, on 17 June 2010,^[17] his second album, Irony, on 21 September 2011,^[18] and his third album Paint It Acoustic on 15 April 2013.^[19] These three were recorded at Ulli Bögershausen's studio in Germany, each featuring increasingly more originals.^[10] Jung's latest album, Monologue, is almost exclusively composed of his own compositions, and was released 28 April 2014.^[20] This album was recorded at Brickwall Sound in Seoul and produced by Jung himself.^[21] Sungha has also recorded an album consisting of guitar duets called The Duets, released on 17 December 2012.^[22]

Discography

• Perfect Blue (June 2010)
• Irony (September 2011)
• The Duets (December 2012)
• Paint It Acoustic (April 2013)
• Monologue (April 2014)

Jung's Endorsements^[8]

• Guitar : Lakewood (http://www.lakewood.de/)
• Amp : AER (http://www.aer-amps.info)
• Strings : Elixirstrings (http://www.elixirstrings.com/)
• PickUp : Oval (http://www.mikigakki.com/)
• PickUp : Sunrise
• Capo : G7th (http://www.g7th.com/)

External links

• Korean website http://cafe.daum.net/blueseaJSH
• Sungha's guitar http://www.lakewood-guitars.com/guitar_details.php?series=signature&model_id=sungha_sig

See also

• Trace Bundy, acoustic guitarist with whom Sungha cooperates
• Megan Lee, YouTube musician with whom Sungha collaborated

References