Violinist Ko Myung-ji

South Korean electronic violinist Ko Myung-ji (Jmi Ko) has lived in Việt Nam for more than ten years. During that time, she has made music videos and performed at charity concerts to raise funds for life-saving heart surgeries for children in need.

Việt Nam News reporter Nguyễn Bình chats with Jmi Ko about her latest music video with Vietnamese singer Thảo Trang.

Music video 'Ước Mơ Của Mẹ' (Mother’s Dream) has been released and your violin performance is a part of the video. Could you talk about co-operation between singer Thảo Trang and you?

Thảo Trang and I became friends a long time ago. We met each other at the international fireworks festival and got close to each other.

We are both mothers, which helped us connect, I think.

You are one of the most popular violinists in South Korea, and you have played hundreds of times. What made you decide to live in Việt Nam for a long time?

Ten years ago, I came to Việt Nam with my family. It was a big decision for me to come to live in Việt Nam.

I released my first album in [South] Korea, and my husband decided to move to Việt Nam. At first, we went to HCM City when my daughter was only one year old.

She has a genetic illness. She was born with weak bones that can easily break. We were desperate. As a mom, I must be strong because my family has faced many difficulties. There were so many challenges at the beginning.

I do not want my child to live a very competitive life. Therefore, to enjoy our family life and to make my child happier, we choose Việt Nam.

I did not really care about my performance at the beginning. But I also tried to perform in HCM City to make my daughter proud of her mom so that I could share my positive energy with her.

Could you introduce your work currently? And what is your next music project after releasing several music videos such as 'Hello Việt Nam' and 'Heal The World'?

After 'Hello Việt Nam', I worked in a school, so I did not have many chances to make a new video. Next month, I will remake famous cover songs and make my YouTube channel familiar to the Vietnamese people.

Now that many people recognise me as a musician, I will make a new music video and do more performances to make Vietnamese people happy.

You have said that one of your dreams is to travel across the earth playing for those who were neglected and in despair. Have you turned your dream into reality?

Presently, I support sick children through music. In addition, I am the orchestra director at International School HCM City.

And I am making the students learn music and do concerts with various charity foundations to support children with diseases.

I am trying to help more children in Việt Nam and [South] Korea. At this stage, in the future, I would like to support more and more children abroad as well.

I have a special love for children and want to help and support all Vietnamese children through concerts.

Ko Myung-ji conducting the Power of Love concert to raises money for life-saving heart heart surgeries for children in need. Photos courtesy of the Ko Myung-ji

More South Koreans, including artists, are coming to live and work in Việt Nam. What do you think about this?

Việt Nam is a developing country. And I see more Koreans coming to have a job here.

I truly welcome them; however, they need to get to know and connect with Vietnamese people.

It is not easy to get attention from Vietnamese people as a foreigner. However, once the Vietnamese open their hearts, everything will be great, but foreigners also have to put efforts into building a life for themselves in Việt Nam.

How do you feel about living and working in Việt Nam for such a long time?

I feel Việt Nam is my hometown now. My whole family is living here in Việt Nam.

My mom and father do restaurant business, my sister teaches cello, and my brother owns his own restaurant.

So it’s just my home in [South] Korea. I visit yearly to check up on my daughter.

Every day I appreciate what I have here in Việt Nam and living a happy life with my family.

As a musician, what do you want to expect from Vietnamese audiences?

I want to become a violin queen Jmi Ko, not only a musician or artist.

I want Vietnamese people to recognise me as a great performer and one of the most well-known musicians in Việt Nam. - VNS