Digital Album Released by Youth at Welfare Facility, CJ Cultural Foundation's 'Sharing Harmony Through Music'

Participation of Students from Nasaro Youth House
Supporting Musicians and Youth Music Exchange

Mr. Kim Kang-wan (from the left), Mr. Kim Hyo-young, and Mr. Baek In-cheol are holding a commemorative performance after releasing an album recently planned at the CJ Cultural Foundation Tune-Up Music Classroom.

"I want to sing now, no longer afraid, like a dandelion blooming by the roadside. I want to smile now, no longer scared, like a star shining in the dark sky."

Recently, a meaningful digital music release containing the story of adolescents finding the meaning of life amid anxiety and frustration felt in society was launched on major music platforms. It is the debut single album "17" by the pop band Rainbow, composed of teenagers living in the child welfare facility "Nasaro Cheongsonyeon-ui Jip" located in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do.

This album, planned by the CJ Cultural Foundation's Tune-Up Music Classroom, features Rainbow members as vocalists, with external professional instructors and teachers who guided them composing, writing lyrics, and performing together in this project album. The album harmoniously captures the feelings of dreaming again and singing hope through melodies and lyrics like spring rain, delivering special healing and inspiration to teenagers going through difficult times. "17" represents the average age of the students at Nasaro Cheongsonyeon-ui Jip.

The CJ Cultural Foundation has been running the Tune-Up Music Classroom, where supported musicians and teenagers interact through music, since 2012, marking its 10th year this year. This virtuous cultural sharing project involves talented musicians discovered through CJ Cultural Foundation's indie musician support program Tune-Up and the CJ Music Scholarship Program, who then teach music back to the youth.

The relationship with Nasaro Cheongsonyeon-ui Jip began in 2017. Including teachers who received scholarships to Berklee College of Music through the CJ Cultural Foundation, a total of six external professional instructors have provided music education in vocals, guitar, keyboard, drums, and more to students every year from September to June, a 10-month schedule, starting from the predecessor of Rainbow, the Smile Band.

The release of the "17" music track was primarily planned, produced, composed, and performed by three instructors who are Berklee scholarship alumni supported by the CJ Cultural Foundation and are currently active as university lecturers and professional musicians: Kim Kangwan (45, guitar), Baek Incheol (35, bass), and Kim Hyoyoung (39, piano). The lyrics were written by Kwon Bomi, a teacher at Nasaro Cheongsonyeon-ui Jip who understands the children's feelings better than anyone else, and students belonging to Rainbow participated as vocalists.

Kim Kangwan said, "In February last year, during the height of COVID-19 and our fourth year of teaching the students, I suggested to fellow instructors and Nasaro teachers that we release a music track to create a meaningful memory that our kids would remember for a lifetime." He added, "With support from the CJ Cultural Foundation, we began full preparations in February, and the music was released after about five months."

There were challenges, of course. Providing music education to guest band members during the COVID-19 pandemic was not easy. However, they found a COVID-adapted teaching solution by conducting online classes regularly and having some teachers visit offline for on-site checks when necessary, and the children showed remarkable growth even in a short period.

Baek Incheol said, "It was a joy to be able to give back the help I received while struggling to study music to others after growing as a musician." He added, "I could feel firsthand at the education site how much comfort and strength these music activities provide to children in difficult situations, and I hope programs like the CJ Cultural Foundation's Tune-Up Music Classroom, which promote a virtuous cycle of sharing through music, will increase."