# Composer Shim Eun-ji on "Love is": How to Resurrect 2000s K-pop Sensibility [Dispatch=Park Hye-jin Reporter] It starts with a rap that tumbles out without meaning. Lyrics overflowing with cliché. A corny narration. Awkward and outdated, yet somehow it sticks in your ear. The moment the song begins, you're transported to the 2000s. It captured everyone's ear across generations. This song was destined to succeed from the start. The composer analyzed hit songs of that era one by one, found their common denominator, and deliberately designed the track using only the strongest elements. "Love is," performed by the three-member coed group "Triangle" in the film "Wild Things" (director Son Jae-gon), effectively stirred audiences' nostalgia. The song was composed by Shim Eun-ji. Dozens of stars have sung her melodies—Lee Hyo-ri, Ssak 3, IU, TWICE, DAY6, Wonder Girls, Suzy, 2PM, SHINee, and Kwon Jin-ah, among others. This time too, she perfected the "Shim Eun-ji sound," her signature that conjures that bygone era. Dispatch spoke with composer Shim Eun-ji about the hidden story behind "Love is." --- **D. "Love is" generated buzz even before the film's release. It played the biggest role in building the worldview of the three-member coed dance group "Triangle." I'm curious about how you came to take on this song.** **Shim:** I originally worked in mainstream music and had no real connection to the film industry. But Lee Jin-hee, who serves as the music director for this project, is my university classmate—we were both composition majors in the 2008 class at Yonsei University. One day, the music director contacted me. She said they were preparing a music film set in the early 2000s and were looking for a composer who could well recreate the sensibility of that era. I happened to have a song called "Play That Summer" that I'd created while working on a Ssak 3 project, so the music director recommended that director Son Jae-gon listen to it. Fortunately, the director liked the song and asked if I'd be willing to compose the main theme song. The director, music director, and I then discussed the film and music together, and I began working in earnest on "Love is." **D. When you received the concept of "a representative song of a coed group that once swept the music industry," was there a certain sensibility that came to mind first? I imagine there were specific reference songs and groups.** **Shim:** From the first meeting, the director emphasized one thing repeatedly—that given the film's setup where this song topped the charts immediately upon debut, it had to be a song that would stick in viewers' ears after hearing it just once in the theater, so they'd think, "Yes, this definitely would have been a hit." I focused on meeting that condition first: "a song that's instantly appealing." I listened to a lot of songs that were popular at the time. I kept analyzing why each song was loved, why it became a hit. I broke down each song's elements, took notes on their strengths, and tried to incorporate those good points into my own composition. Rather than copying one specific song, I wanted to find the common denominator of charm that the hit songs of that era shared and mix them. In reality, I listened extensively to songs by groups like Diva, Cool, Rula, US3, UP, and Deux. I basically rediscovered almost all the music from the artists and groups that represented that era and calibrated my sense accordingly. --- "Love is" borrows from the New Jack Swing genre, blending the softness of ballads with hip-hop's rough sound. It layers R&B-characteristic melody over a danceable hip-hop beat. The beat is finely divided yet overflowing with swing. Songs like Deux's "Within That Summer" are considered early examples of Korea accepting American New Jack Swing. Composer Shim transformed Korean New Jack Swing from the Lee Hyun-do era into her own style. **D. The K-pop sound from the 1990s to early 2000s is quite vast—ranging from Seo Taiji to S.E.S. When making "Love is," which specific year, and what texture of genre were you targeting?** **Shim:** Specifically, I referenced the period from 1998 to the early 2000s. Among the composers active at that time, I particularly referenced many songs by Lee Hyun-do and Yang Chang-ik, who had strong expertise in the New Jack Swing genre. Genre-wise, it can be called New Jack Swing, but I wasn't trying to faithfully recreate orthodox New Jack Swing. I borrowed the beat and rhythmic feel, but tried to infuse more Korean sensibility into the instruments layered on top. So the result is closer to a softer, Korean version of New Jack Swing. **D. "Love is" received praise for elegantly reviving 2000s sensibility. How did you balance recreating that era's sound with making it enjoyable for today's audience?** **Shim:** I think I focused more on faithfully recreating that era's elements. I worried that trying to capture both things awkwardly at once would result in neither. Of course, I strongly agreed with the director's condition that it should be a song anyone hearing it for the first time in a theater could immediately enjoy, so the direction was simple: "Make it easy to listen to and catchy while maximizing the sensibility of that era." That was the core. What surprised me after the song was released was that many people around me contacted me saying elementary and middle school children unfamiliar with 1990s–early 2000s sensibility loved this song. Seeing the response transcend generations made me privately proud, wondering if perhaps there was something universally resonant within it. --- Listening closely to "Love is," traces of that era are hidden in every lyric line, every note. The cassette tape rewind sound effect in the intro is an essential (?) sound of that era. Flashy brass sounds, meaningless English lyrics, cliché-ridden lyrics—these are examples. Composer Shim deliberately calculated and incorporated all of these. **D. I'm curious about the signature period-specific sound elements you insisted on while working on "Love is." Were there things you deliberately included that sound somewhat corny by today's standards?** **Shim:** Starting from the intro, suddenly shouting "Everybody" and "Come on now" without context, or actress Park Ji-hyun's corny narration rap section—those are examples. Actor Kang Dong-won's parts "It'll last forever" and "It'll continue—I promise, my love"—these are actually parts that evoke very clichéd lyrics and clichéd movements. As for sound elements, it's things like the clavi-chord, an awkward, outdated-sounding texture we don't use much anymore; excessively pretty harp sounds; and thin, whistling lead sounds with no substance. I deliberately used these to create that era's sound feel. **D. When writing the lyrics, were there particular expressions you insisted on or specific words you wanted to include?** **Shim:** "Triangle's in the house" in the outro. (Laughs) Those who know would recognize it—"Taesaja in the house" was famous as a signature. It was a homage. And if there was something I intentionally meant, it was expressions with many repetitions delivered quickly. Phrases like "This won't do, that won't do," "Why so much, why so much," "Every day's the same" in actress Park Ji-hyun's part. By today's standards, these might feel a bit corny, but I deliberately wrote them to preserve that old-fashioned feel. --- **D. Actor Um Tae-gu also participated in "Love is" rap-making (Concert Ver.). I'm curious about the process of how three actors' lyrics were harmonized into one through composer KASS, yourself, and Um Tae-gu.** **Shim:** The rap in the intro and outro were both created by actor Um Tae-gu and KASS, his rap instructor. I wrote the rap in the middle interlude. I only heard from the director that this part needed to be "nearly a desperate rap," and I wondered how it would turn out. Then one day a wave file arrived. My skin crawled when I first heard it. He's so skilled. I thought his tone was naturally rapper-like, but when I heard the finished version, I found myself saying, "That tone is cheating." He also captured the essence of "Gu Sang-gu" so well in the lyrics themselves. **D. You must have observed actors Kang Dong-won, Um Tae-gu, and Park Ji-hyun recording. Did you feel a difference between singers and actors?** **Shim:** I most remember Um Tae-gu's recording session. Basically, I directed with a polished version in mind based on audio release standards. So at the time, I couldn't deeply imagine what situation the scene was in or how a character like "Gu Sang-gu" would have sung. During the first recording, the actor also seemed a bit nervous. He followed the direction I gave step by step, but after recording ended, he first asked if he could record once more. He waited until Park Ji-hyun's recording finished, then went back into the booth. It was completely different then. He actively offered ideas, saying things like "I think Sang-gu would have done it this way here" or "I think he would have sung it like that in this scene," approaching it from a character perspective. He even suggested the final faltering sound. Watching that, I felt the approach of singers and actors is clearly different. I prioritized musical completion first, but the actor kept interpreting the song within the character. That impression stayed with me. --- For composer Shim Eun-ji, working on a film OST was also a challenge. The composer pursuing musical completeness and the actor finding answers within the character—clashing and blending, "Love is" came together that way. In fact, "Love is" almost never saw the light of day. There was originally a different song planned. Through Kang Dong-won's opinion, a new song was born. **D. Now that both the song and film are released, could you share one behind-the-scenes detail about "Love is" that no one knows?** **Shim:** This song didn't come out right from the start. Initially, there was a completely different genre of song, and we were all quite satisfied with that version—the director, music director, and myself. But actor Kang Dong-won offered the opinion that it would be good to consider it once more. That prompted us to rework it, and "Love is" is what emerged from that process. It was a situation where I had to rewrite in an entirely new style, and timewise it was a bit burdensome. But the song was completed in a way everyone was satisfied with, and seeing the public's response, I genuinely think we made the right call going with this song. (Laughs) **D. When you saw it in the theater yourself, was "Love is" implemented as you hoped? What were your impressions seeing and hearing it in the theater?** **Shim:** Yes, beyond what I expected. Of course, even after reading the entire script before working, I didn't know it would become such a major axis of the film overall, and I didn't anticipate it appearing so frequently. Watching the actors, I felt they really pushed hard during the acapella scenes and the final stage performance. At the preview screening, seeing it on a big screen in the theater, I wanted to boast to the strangers next to me, "I wrote that." And when the credits rolled at the end, I was too distracted watching. (Laughs) I think it was especially because this was my first film OST work. --- Composer Shim Eun-ji is currently a JYP Entertainment producer and JYP Publishing representative. Now she determines not just the completion of a song, but its direction. The person who makes songs and the person who sells them. Won't these two roles clash? Composer Shim said there is collision, but the synergy is greater. Her perspective has widened, so she sees further ahead. **D. Is work like "Love is"—film OST composition—from JYP Publishing's perspective merely an external project, or should we see it as a signal that you're expanding music content IP business into film and drama territory?** **Shim:** This project started as a personal commission. However, it's true that recently our interest in IP expansion has grown significantly. Successful works continue emerging in the OTT market, and we're seeing more cases of past music regaining attention through content. Seeing that trend, I realized we could utilize our music portfolio in various ways. OST hasn't been our main focus until now, but recently music combined with content like film, drama, and animation is exerting significant influence in the global market. Seeing works like "K-POP Demon Hunters" made me feel there's definitely enough potential for global expansion through OST and music IP utilization. So rather than viewing this work as merely an external project, I'm seeing it as part of a process exploring the possibility of expanding music content IP into various domains going forward. **D. As your identity as a composer has broadened into management, have you experienced collision or synergy between these two roles?** **Shim:** I'm experiencing both collision and synergy. Since I'm a composer while simultaneously running publishing, my own songs often end up in the same project alongside songs from company writers. Even when I think my own song is good, from a management perspective I sometimes need to prioritize our writers' songs. Those moments create a lot of internal conflict. (Laughs) When I start thinking about sales and operations, I suddenly have to switch modes. Conversely, there are definitely synergistic parts. Park Jin-young once told me, "If you experience management, your perspective as a composer will broaden significantly, and ultimately it'll help your creativity." At the time, I didn't understand—I barely had time to write songs, so wasn't adding management just a loss? But as time passed, I understood what he meant. Whereas before I only thought from the perspective of someone making songs, now I also understand the perspective of people buying them. I learned what criteria they use to select songs and what concerns they have. Also, managing writers showed me how differently each creator thinks and what different values they hold. All those experiences ultimately help when composing too. --- Composer Shim Eun-ji has been writing songs for the past 19 years since 2008. One principle she's held onto from then until now: write good melodies. She intends to focus on the essence of music rather than keeping pace with changing trends. Her serious contemplation is expected to continue. **D. From when you first started composing until now, has your standard of what makes a "good song" changed? If there's a principle that hasn't changed, what is it?** **Shim:** The principle that hasn't changed is "good melodies survive" and "good music comes from good melodies." Actually, that standard itself hasn't really changed. I made my debut in 2008 and it's now 2026, so trends have definitely changed multiple times during that span. But ultimately the core seems singular. Good melodies are expressed and packaged differently, but the essence of music people respond to hasn't changed that much between then and now. **D. Finally, if "Love is" is a song made yearning for 2000s K-pop, then if someone in the distant future retrieves and listens to "Shim Eun-ji sound" again, how would you want that song and that image to be remembered?** **Shim:** This question feels a bit touching. I have many songs I'm attached to, but for this question specifically, IU's "Epilogue" came to mind first. As a composer, I've tried quite deliberately to avoid repeating the same thing. Yet whenever people say "that sounds like a Shim Eun-ji song," I felt grateful on one hand—it meant I had my own color. But rather than repeating the same method to maintain it, I wanted more to repackage familiar things and present them anew each time. This is my 19th year since debut, and I'd like to be remembered as a composer working in mainstream music who has continuously grappled intensely with the question of not stagnating.