Exclusive: HEESU Talks Creating Dance Music That Honors Her Korean Heritage

One evening last summer, I crammed into a packed venue on the Lower East Side to watch a performance by HEESU. The 24-year-old South Korean musician was performing as part of a showcase for rising artists in New York City. But with her powerful vocals and magnetic personality, HEESU sounded like the definite headliner.

We listened, quiet and enthralled, as HEESU, or Heesu Yu, seamlessly fused Korean folk music with modern dance, as heavy synths and bass lines mingled with melodies from Korean classical instruments. She sang passionately, in both English and Korean, about getting her heart broken, trying not to text her ex, self-care, etc. — dance music for the hopeless-romantic-Gen-Z era. The screen behind her featured stunning, colorful visuals from one of her music videos: opulent masked dancers donned in traditional Korean jewelry. At that moment, we all knew: HEESU will be the next big thing.

Yu’s work is a bold mixture of dance music — house, electropop, alternative R&B — and traditional Korean sounds. Now, she’s debuting an even more ambitious new single: “Cheong San,” a project inspired by a 13th-century Korean poem. Yu is also releasing a music video for the song, a collaborative visual project featuring 3D animations.

After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Yu moved to NYC to officially jumpstart her music career. Since then, Yu has embedded herself into the music scene for rising artists, winning WBUR’S Local NPR Tiny Desk Favorite in 2021 and three featured performances on ONSTAGE Korea by NAVER in 2021. I caught up with HEESU to chat more about her new music and her origins as an artist.

The Knockturnal: What inspired you to blend Korean classical music with more modern dance music?

HEESU: I’m from Seoul, South Korea, and have a deep love for my culture. But I also spent around half of my life growing up in the US, where I listened to a lot of Western music. As a Korean artist, songwriter, and producer, I wanted to create music that reflects my experience and musical influence growing up in the US while staying connected to my Korean roots. 

The Knockturnal: Who are some artists who inspire you?

HEESU: Aluna, KAYTRANADA, Banks, SUMIN, and FKA twigs!

The Knockturnal: Can you walk us through the creative process of making “Cheong San”?

HEESU: “Cheong San” translates into “green mountain,” and it’s a song inspired by a 13th-century Korean poem about acceptance and letting go. The poem is about letting go of your negative emotions and thoughts and taking a moment’s rest in accordance with the natural order of things — or “Cheong san” — and it felt like the perfect poem for these fast-paced times. I collaborated with the Korean producer Averzi, who I met in Seoul, and who has worked with artists like Jay Park and Lee Young Ji. He created this Western-style production with traditional Korean instruments, and I arranged the poem into a song. We really wanted to make something we are proud of, and I thought it would be amazing to create a song that reflects the beauty of Korean culture by incorporating traditional sounds. 

The Knockturnak: Can you tell us more about the music video for “Cheong San”?

HEESU: I wanted to capture the beauty of Korea in a virtual world, so I worked with 3D animators to make an animated music video. The choreography is also inspired by traditional Korean dance, and it captures the song’s emotions even more deeply.

The Knockturnal: What is it like to navigate the American music industry as a young Korean woman?

HEESU: I definitely think a lot of people were interested in my music because I am Korean. Since K-pop became global, many people started to get interested in other Korean artists. But I don’t want to be categorized as a k-pop artist — I’m just HEESU. I just wanna make songs and make people happy! But it is so cool to see many Asian artists making big moves in the music industry, especially Rina Sawayama. I am so fortunate to have examples that I could look up to as a young Korean woman.

The Knockturnal: What drives you to keep making music?

HEESU: For me, performing onstage and engaging with audiences makes me the most happy. I feel like I’m living, and breathing when I’m on a stage. And whenever I am making music in my bedroom, I think about how the music is going to sound live, and that’s my motivation.

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Photographer: Jeiroh
Words: Eileen Huang
Stylist: Alexander Kim
Designer: Seodamhwa
Designer: Shahira Shokrat
Designer: Camryn McClain