Rock Band Boom Leader Kim Tae-won Focuses on Comfort After 40 Years

Kim Tae-won, the leader and guitarist of the South Korean rock band Boom, said his current goal is to make music that gives comfort to listeners.

As a foundational figure in the South Korean rock scene, Kim's shift toward music as a source of emotional solace reflects the evolution of a career spanning four decades. His influence continues to shape the way rock music is perceived as a medium for healing rather than just performance.

The band has been active for 40 years ^[1], having debuted in the mid-1980s, approximately 1985 ^[2]. During a recent interview, Kim said the trajectory of the group and the personal experiences that informed his musical philosophy.

Kim said his desire to create comforting music was shaped by his early youth. He described a period when he developed a crush on a student teacher, which led him to join a choir. This experience introduced him to the concept of harmony, and the emotional impact of blended voices.

"I had a one-sided love. It was someone who came for student teaching. Because of that person, I ended up joining the choir," Kim said. He said that through this experience, he discovered how beautiful it could be when his voice blended with others.

This early discovery of harmony became a cornerstone of his approach to songwriting and arrangement. By focusing on the beauty of blended sounds, Kim has spent the last 40 years ^[1] refining a style that resonates with listeners' emotional needs.

Kim said his primary objective now is to ensure his music serves as a source of support for those who hear it. This mission marks a transition from the energetic demands of a debut era to a more reflective phase of his artistry.