Jeju Traditional Folk Song Singer, Boo Hyemi

Boo Hyemi grew up in a home where work songs and folk melodies were part of everyday life, making her path into Jeju’s traditional singing a natural one. Through the unique rhythms of Jeju’s work songs, she conveys the daily lives of women and the emotional landscape of the island. She is active with the Jeju Traditional Folk Song Preservation Association, the Hana Art Korean Traditional Performing Arts Group, and the Jeju Work Song Permanent Performance Team, bringing performances to schools and villages where audiences join her in simple refrains and gestures. By sharing the stories and emotions behind songs like “Eodo Sana” and “Manggeun Sori,” she offers encounters that feel closer to lived experience than passive listening. Recently, she has been exploring short-form videos and modern creative approaches to open Jeju’s sound to broader audiences. Looking ahead, she hopes to form a children’s folk ensemble in Jeju and create new songs that people everywhere can hum and carry with them.