[Women’s Forum 10th Anniversary] Music Director Kim Munjeong: "Communication, Collaboration, and Decisiveness Are Essential Qualities of a Leader"

2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum 'Meeting Women Leaders Through Musical' Lecture

Musical director Kim Moon-jung is giving a lecture on "The Shift in the New Leadership Paradigm" at the "2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum" hosted by Asia Economy on the 27th at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Kim Moonjung, a musical music director known as the 'charismatic director' and 'little giant,' said that the virtues necessary for a leader are communication, collaboration, and decisiveness, and that good results can be achieved when collaboration is carried out with sincerity toward people.

On the 27th, at the '2021 Women Leaders Forum' held at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, Director Kim gave a lecture titled 'A New Paradigm Shift in Leadership ? Women Leaders Met Through Musicals,' stating, "We must not forget that all work is done by people."

Director Kim first emphasized that female leaders must communicate smoothly, saying, "(If communication does not happen) misunderstandings accumulate and unnecessary energy is consumed." She mentioned that actors communicate and understand their characters to comprehend them, explaining, "Communication is not a technique but an expression of love."

Director Kim pointed out that for smooth communication, people must change, warning that if one does not keep pace with the changes of the times, they will inevitably become a 'kkondae' (a Korean term for a stubborn, old-fashioned person). She emphasized, "What must not change is a person's conviction and consistency," adding, "Networks develop rapidly, and if communication is necessary, you have to think about how you can adapt to the times."

As a female character in musicals that represent such change, Director Kim cited 'Donna' from Mamma Mia, explaining that in the process of meeting three men, she shared brief but intense love and sincere communication, and her image of living diligently while raising her daughter alone is exactly "continuously changing according to the given circumstances."

Musical director Kim Moon-jung is giving a lecture on "The Shift of a New Leadership Paradigm" at the "2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum" hosted by Asia Economy on the 27th at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Director Kim said the second virtue needed for female leaders is collaboration. She emphasized that musicals require collaboration by combining various elements such as lighting, sound, costumes, stage, and audience to make a performance possible, stating, "Collaboration must be based on trust." Preferring the word 'faithfulness' over 'loyalty,' Director Kim viewed good collaboration as being achieved through relationships where there is no sense of debt like 'you must do for me as much as I do for you,' but rather mutual faithfulness.

Furthermore, decisiveness was another virtue Director Kim stressed for leaders. She said, "In countless moments of choice, leaders must quickly judge, decide, and make decisions," warning that if a leader delays decision-making, members inevitably become confused. She added, "When something happens, instead of trying to find the cause first, you must solve the problem first," and "If you look for the cause later with emotions, you will ruin the work."

At the end of her lecture, Director Kim said, "I want my profession to come first and gender to be expressed as the next identity; I do not want to express my femininity first and then be told which profession I belong to," concluding with, "Not a female conductor, but a conducting woman, Kim Moonjung," receiving cheers and applause from the attendees.

Director Kim has served as music director for famous musicals such as Phantom, The Last Empress, Mozart, Les Mis?rables, Rebecca, and Hourglass, and has been recognized as one of the '30 Women Leaders Leading Korea.'