I AM KOREAN AMERICAN

Occupation

Student and DJ

Own Words

Born in Mt. View, CA, and lived in the San Jose/Los Gatos for most of my life. I lived different lifestyle from those typical Korean kids who studied until 5 in the morning. I went to bed at 11pm or 12am because I was tired, no need to stay up studying, when I can wake up at 6am and study before I go to school. My parents wanted to keep me out of the stereotypical loop. They just cared that I tried hard in school, and not fail any classes. Luckily, I found that self motivation and hard work, through the power of God, you can achieve anything. I think there was a reason to why I decided not to go a 4 year college, rather I go to an accelerated school that crams at least 5 years worth of knowledge in 2 and 1/2 years. I know that God had something to do with that decision, or I would be deep in an abyss right now.

The school I go to is called Ex’pression College for Digital Arts, and I study Sound Arts. The school is located in Emeryville, CA (Pixar is located like 10 blocks from my school). Like I mentioned above, it is an accelerated school. The school goes by 5 week terms, not 3 month quarters, or 4 month semesters, but 5 weeks! I take classes that are only 5 weeks long, and learn about a semesters worth. The best part is, my longest break of the year is in the winter, and that’s only 10 days. I don’t think anybody in their right mind would choose this kind of school, but for some reason, I’m in it. Hopefully with this degree, I can get into either music recording and production, movie sound design, or game sound design. I am definitely looking to be working at big studios. I don’t care if I have to all the dirty work, as long as I can my name out there, I’ll be fine.

I started pursuing a degree in Sound early on in my life. Coming from a musical background, and family, I got into music. I played the saxophone for a year in middle school, but I wasn’t too good at it. I, then, played the bass cello for a few years in orchestra, but I got bored of classical music. Then I took up DJing, just because I wanted to do something in Hip-Hop. I tried rapping, but that didn’t work out to well. Right now, I go by “DJ JoonShk”, and it doesn’t look like that name is taken by anybody, nor will be used by anybody, so it’s mine!

Since I started DJing, a lot of doors opened up to perform and what not. My biggest gig was with my friends back in August. We opened up for Opio and Pep Love (of the Hieroglyphics), and Biassco and Aesop (of the Living Legends). I really look up to DJs like DJ Qbert, Jazzy Jeff, D-Styles, and all the other DJs that are doing their own thing.

I teamed up with some of my friends I met at school and did a few songs. Right now we’re working on an album called “2010’s”. It’ll drop sometime in 2010, and it’ll consist of 20 10’s. Haha, hope you understood that. It’s definitely not going to be like those mainstream rap albums out there right now. We’re trying to bring the HIp-Hop sound back to its raw form. One of the MCs boys, Cyberclops, made some funky beats, and they were all sampled from records, everything right down to the high hats. So check it out when it drops.

Lastly, I do Kendo(or Kumdo 검도). I’ve been doing it since 2004, and I represented Northern California at the 2008 All US Championships. Other than the hard training in this martial art, I have learned to keep my emotions under control, and also keeping focus while at school and work. I would probably be living a very different life it wasn’t for Kendo.

That is who Sean “DJ JoonShk” Choi is.

I am a Korean American.