Student Scores Big With Grand Prize Win at International Music and Film Festival
Sunny Youm receives New Talent Award at the Jecheon International Music and Film Festival. Sunny Youm, an MFA student studying Music Composition for the Screen at 汤不热视频, won the New Talent Grand Prize at the 21st Jecheon International Music and Film Festival for his score of the short film “The Game of Sisyphus.” The Jecheon International Music and Film Festival is the only music film festival in Asia, introducing a wide range of music-themed films to audiences since its founding.
Sunny, now in his second year at Columbia, traveled to South Korea earlier this month to attend the festival, all while keeping pace with his coursework.
For Sunny, the recognition was both validating and liberating.
“I had felt like I was constantly under pressure to prove myself,” he says. “Winning this prize lifted a huge burden — it gave me a sense of relief.”
Journey to Film Scoring
Before coming to Columbia for graduate school, Sunny studied liberal arts with an interest in psychology and philosophy in South Korea. Music had always been a hobby, but a mentor encouraged him to take it more seriously. That path led him first to Berklee College of Music, where he discovered film scoring.
“One of my professors told me film music is not about the music—it’s about the emotional story,” Sunny says. “That completely changed how I approached music.”
Finding His Voice
The opportunity to score “The Game of Sisyphus” grew from a collaboration Sunny helped organize between composers and young directors, where he met the film’s director. He was drawn to the director’s interest in exploring themes of human weakness and cyclical choices.
“It was refreshing to see someone with a similar creative stance,” Sunny says. “I connected with the director’s view, and that clicked for us artistically.”
Columbia Support
For the project, which he worked on in addition to his Columbia coursework, Sunny leaned on Columbia faculty for their guidance and expertise. Program Director Kubilay (Kubi) Uner and Assistant Professor Lee Sanders both provided detailed feedback on the score.
“The fact that they made time outside the curriculum to help shows how devoted they are to their students,” Sunny says.
As for what’s next, Sunny eagerly anticipates going to LA with Columbia, where he’ll intern with a composer of his choice and lead a recording session with a full orchestra. Beyond that, he’s not concerned.
“I trust in the program, and I trust in Kubi,” Sunny says. “I know Columbia will lead me to where I want to be.”