Today we’d like to introduce you to Soo Young Choi.
Hi Soo, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
During my college, I studied Communication Arts-Film, TV, Radio with the goal of working in the media industry. However, I had difficulty obtaining career opportunities in media firms. One day, I got an opportunity to work at a musical production company in South Korea, and I took that chance. I thought I was failing to find my dream job, but it turned out that life was directing me to another dream place.
I started as an intern in the production department and worked my way up to general manager/assistant producer after around 7 years. I could experience diverse genres of productions such as Las Vegas-type shows, classic musicals like Les Misérables (Korean production), musical productions for kids, and classical music concerts. I was grateful that I could participate and develop myself with different productions over the years. But at the same time, I was concerned that I was becoming too accustomed to working in the same environment and system. So, I chose to leave the company in order to pursue a completely different project, and I got a chance to work as an assistant producer at the Art Lab Festival, the largest Art and Tech festival in Korea. It was an eye-opening experience since I have never experienced this type of event involving converging different genres, mediums, and technologies. It really inspired me and made me eager to create something new kind of art that can entertain people.
I felt like I needed to study more at a professional level, so I came to New York as a graduate student of the NYU Performing Arts Administration program. My baby steps as an independent producer have only begun, and there will be many challenges and setbacks along the way. However, I believe that my vision to create performing arts productions through immersive theater and the convergence of various art forms will lead me to where I want to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The answer is Yes and No. I met so many talented and kind people who inspired and helped me. I also got a chance to study and develop my career in New York City, one of the world’s most diverse and dynamic cities. So, I can say the road had been smooth, and I was lucky.
However, I think the bumpy road is now ahead of me (haha). Since my professional career is based in South Korea, I get the feeling that people think I am a foreigner who does not know about the industry in reality. Indeed, I do not know what it is like to work in this new environment. However, I believe there are no set rules for creating art, and having different perspectives is key to creativity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Last October, I presented a staged reading with music performance with my colleagues called ‘MA, GO.’ It is a bilingual, fantastical new horror and mixed performance genre about generational ways of celebrating life and death. The performance is centered around a Korean shamanistic ritual called ‘GUT’ (pronounced like ‘Good’), which is a shamanistic ritual blessing and sending the spirit to heaven. ‘MA, GO’ seeks to demonstrate how the intent and significance of ‘GUT’ resonates with the universal sentiment of blessing loved ones and the Western culture of Halloween.
Through this project, I enhanced my ability to make connections, develop work with creatives, pitch our work to people, and plan and execute the project. I learned how to think more like an entrepreneur and creatively.
I am very proud of this project because it was the first project that I initiated as an independent producer in New York City. Even though it was a non-profit free show, we were able to gather a meaningful number of audiences, including industry professionals. Also, we got really good feedback, which makes me confident about moving forward with this piece. Since I am currently an international student at NYU, there are many steps that I have to take as an immigrant artist. However, I have confidence in my vision and plan for my future career. So, please look out for updates about MA, GO!!! (Instagram @ma_go_nyc)
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe that having a strong responsibility is the most important value. It applies to all types of relationships in our lives. And, especially in the professional world, everyone understands how difficult it is to work with someone who lacks responsibility/accountability. It is also surprising that everyone has different expectations and definitions of duty, which leads to conflict. Therefore, I believe it is critical to have a clear agreement on each person’s responsibility.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ma_go_nyc
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/1225soochoi
