You must have been living under a rock if you still think Christian music means a bunch of robed singers in a choir or some group hitting you over the head with the same old message set to stale music.

    Christian music began embracing pop and rock in the late 60s in the United States, with various religious groups trying to connect with a generation that was seeking spiritual meaning in a materialism-dominated world.

    The mainstream religious community was reluctant to accept the idea of "secular music" being a proper vehicle for Christian or religious music. Eventually, however, in the late 70s, things started to change, with a wide range of performers making breakthroughs. These performers ranged from Steve Taylor to the Christian heavy metal group Stryper.

    Korea has followed a very similar path that has allowed for a contemporary Christian music scene to develop here.

    Last Saturday, a major development took place in the growth of Christian contemporary music here. The Far East Broadcasting Company (FEB, a Christian group) held a festival with various Christian artists to celebrate the company's jump from AM radio to the much superior FM band. Guests on hand included Lee Young-ja, Kim Shin-young and the pop group FIN.K.L. (not a Christian group per se, but one member's parent is a professor at a Christian university).

    The Christian community here has been slow to embrace FM radio. But one prominent member of the Christian music community, Song Jung-mee, has been pushing for such a move by the FEB for over eight years.

    Song is one of Korean Christian music's most respected and innovative singers. She displayed her extraordinary musical talent at an early age and became a professional at the tender age of 14. In middle school, she learned to write poetry and music and was soon performing her own material.

    Then, in 1988, she won the first university-wide Christian music competition. But, it was Song's winning the grand prize in the FEB's competition in 1989 that brought her the most recognition. And the rest, as they say, is history.

    Song recently took a break from rehearsing for an upcoming concert to talk to The Korea Herald:

    Korea Herald: How would you describe the development of the contemporary Christian music scene in Korea and your place in it?Song Jung-mee: We have a shorter history than yours in the States, but in that short period we've really developed. It was only about 20 years ago the culture started forming. And it was only 10 years ago that it was totally unacceptable to have drums and guitars in the music. But, now, the doors are wide open.

    How do I fit into all this? You could say I am part of the second generation. The first generation was secular musicians converting to Christianity and using their music to express themselves, similar to what happened in the United States. I was in the next group. We were trained in Christian music and we wanted to be Christian contemporary musicians.

    Herald: How would you describe your music?SJM: I'm a pioneer. Ten years ago, I was one of the few soloists that charged a fee at concerts and made money. Most Christian music then was free and concerts were usually in churches. I helped to bring it into the public domain. Nine years ago, I was the first Christian soloist at the KBS Hall. Even now, I'm the first one to play at the Seoul Arts Center. I'm also Sony Korea's first solo Christian music artist.

    When I first started to use my music to put out the "call" to other Christians, I took some flack because the older members of the church thought it was wrong for me to do that - I wasn't a pastor and I was a woman. Now, I get asked all the time.

    In my music, I don't try to imagine or portray happiness. I am happy. And I don't pretend I feel love when I sing. I do feel love.

    Song Jung-mee is currently playing at the Seoul Arts Center's Towol Theater, until April 9. To get to the Seoul Arts Center, take the No. 3 orange line to the Nambu Bus Terminal stop. Take the exit for the Seoul Arts Center. There are shuttle buses you can catch that will take you there. Once there, just follow the concert posters. The concerts start at 7:30 p.m. and tickets range from 15,000 won to 25,000 won. For more information, call 02-3676-3005 (some English).

    You can buy Song's album at Miracle outside Ewha Womans University station and Tower Records. You can listen to her radio show every Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. on CBS (93.9 FM).

Updated: 04/07/2000