From Pachinko to Jazz: Minha Kim's Allure Glows in “Letter”
Minha Kim (김민하), the star of Apple TV+ juggernaut K-Drama Pachinko, is not only an outstanding actor but also an excellent singer, as proved in her latest single, “Letter.”
The quiet allure that permeates her performances and the innocent yet beguiling presence shown in every photoshoot carry over into her singing. Minha Kim’s voice has a velvet quality but is serene and effortlessly elegant as she sings softly through the delicate jazz ballad.
The single is actually a cover of the original sung by Milena (밀레나), and it is the second track to be released within the project MOLD, which reinterprets hidden masterpieces with the voices of new artists. The project is being distributed on social media by the agency poclanos (포크라노스), who decided to drop “Letter” on October 9, the Korean national holiday known as Hangeul Day (한글날), which celebrates the creation and proclamation of the Korean alphabet, Hangeul.
For the occasion, they changed the original English spelling of the title to the Hangeul version: in Korea, Minha Kim’s song is thus titled “레터” (read “Ret'ŏ”), a phonetic transcription of the English word “letter”, making it even more meaningful. As Poclanos wrote on their feed, the cover “will bring something new to listeners who know the original and a new interpretation to those who will be hearing the song for the first time.” The media agency further said that the singer-actress “hopes the song will be a letter read to someone.”
The release of “Letter” was commemorated with a pop-up event in Yeonhui-dong with the brand geulwoll, which proposes products and services related to letters, where people could enjoy a listening party while writing letters. On the same day, a collaboration product featuring Minha Kim's handwriting ("Minha Letter") was also released, allowing customers to enjoy the music differently and keep the song's afterglow for a long time.. She has also appeared on the radio, expressing her love for music. When she was on SBS Power FM's Park Ha Sun's Cinetown (박하선의 씨네타운), she explained how much she likes animation classics such as The Little Mermaid by Disney, and on request of the show host,
While the original record of "Letter" by Milena had a warm and dreamy atmosphere, this latest rendition (arranged by the talented producer Hen, 헨) comes with a calm and relaxed feel, giving it a quiet resonance. While preserving the emotion of the original, the song allows Minha Kim's rich voice to shine through.
Minha Kim captivated audiences around the world with her portrayal of Sunja, the protagonist of the TV show Pachinko, but has already appeared on the radio expressing her love for music as well. When she was on SBS Power FM's Park HaSun's Cinetown (박하선의 씨네타운) she explained how much she likes animation classics such as The Little Mermaid by Disney, and on request of the show host she improvised a bit of the song “Part of Your World” a cappella.
In 2022, she released a duet with NCT's Doyoung (도영), "Fallin'" (폴린).
“Letter" is Minha Kim’s first solo single that features only her voice entirely: what do you think of her musical talent?
Edited by Rachael Lovette