Lim Kim, who recently released her latest single ‘Ult‘, reflects on her decade-long career and shares why she writes songs for Asian women
The world of K-pop is alluring, so it’s no wonder that there are thousands who want to join the industry. But opting to leave the K-pop space once you are in it is an unusual choice for anyone trying to make a name for themselves in the South Korean entertainment industry.
For starters, without the help of big labels and companies, such as Hybe, SM or YG, and their network: opportunities may look less varied, collaborations less glamorous—and in general, finding success might be more difficult. But for South Korean idol Lim Kim, becoming an independent artist was worth the risk. “Cultivating my own identity has always been important to me. My intuition told me I could produce something unique by getting out of the system,” she tells Tatler on a phone call.
From debuting as a K-pop idol to crowdfunding an album with songs written “for women like me,” and collaborating with all-female dance crew 1million on her latest song Ult, Kim has always been bold in paving her own unique path throughout her 13-years-long career.
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Debuting as an idol
Unlike many other idols, becoming famous wasn’t part of Kim’s childhood dreams. “I used to be a very shy girl,” she admits. “Performing and singing in front of people had never really been part of my plans.” Studying in North America—first in Canada, then in the United States—would really change her vision of the music industry, and helped her bloom from a shy teenager to a passionate performer.
She started her music career while studying in high school in New Jersey in 2011, with the Korean folk pop duo Togeworl. They placed third in the Korean singing competition Superstar K3, and Kim decided to move back to South Korea, where she was signed by an entertainment company, and found fame as a solo artist in 2013.
Released the same year, her first long project A Voice quickly captivated audiences: the jazz and folk music blend, harmonised by Kim’s smooth voice, was a success amid the big pop and hip-hop hits of that time. Think Gentleman by Psy, Who You? by G-dragon, or even We are Bulletproof by BTS; A Voice, despite being counter-current, dominated the charts alongside these mega hits.
At the time, she recalls mostly singing love songs. “Because of the music I was producing, people thought I was so calm, so quiet, so shy. But that wasn’t the full me,” she says. After releasing three successful projects, she felt ready to show other facets of her personality to the world. “When you start performing young like me, you mature a lot along the way,” she says. “When I debuted, I just wanted to become a singer. Now, I want to make music that speaks to myself and people around me.”
To do so, she figured the first step was to part ways with her entertainment company. The second step would take her three years to figure out.