Meaningful Stone Interview

In conversation with Kim Jimin of Meaningful Stone — on 90’s rock bands, surfing and the spiritual power of the universal subconscious.

Our interview begins after her enigmatic set at the Kyiv Social on the Friday at SXSW. The set was a mixture of head-banging alternative rock from her newest album Cobalt and ethereal vocals that evoke the dream setting of A Call from my Dream. From South Korea to Sydney, people are entranced by her music and her sheer passion for performing, shared by her bandmates who also take centre stage with ease. Waiting in the green room (or rather the Kyiv Social basement), Lil Cherry as ambient background music and surround by guitars and water bottles tagged with masking tape – we finally sit down to discuss her music, inspirations and plans in Sydney.

Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity. 

Justine: So first question, how long have you been in Sydney for?

Meaningful Stone: I'd say like, um, eight to nine days.

J: What do you think is the biggest difference between Sydney music culture and Korean music culture?

MS: Actually I didn't, I didn't see a lot of concerts in Sydney because I was so busy.

But I love, you know Courtney Burnett? I really love her songs. She's from Australia. So, I think Sydney has a lot of genres and a lot of rock scenes. So, the difference is Korea is also a small country which is really different [from] Australia, so. That's the biggest difference with, you know, the size of the countries.

J: Yeah. I think for me, I realise it's similar, like, Australia has lots of small, different groups, or lots of different genres, but it's very difficult to become big, because everyone is so spread out. We're all so far away from each other. But I feel like in Korea, there's more appreciation for different things.

What is your creative process when making new music?

MS: That's a good question.

I think I'm inspired by my unconsciousness, myself. And also, while I'm playing with my band, I think a lot of ideas [come] out while I'm playing with my band. And also I love meditating. So, I think that's the biggest inspiration of my creative acting.

J: How long have you been playing with your band?

MS: The guitarist has been with me [for] like five years. Yeah, it's been a long time and we made a lot of albums together. Like, the Cobalt album we made together in a small container together. So yeah, the other band [members], the bassist, the drummers, we've made like, within just like a few months.

But I think the guitarist is one of my important members, which, you know, makes my music always better.

J: Actually, my favorite song from you is A Call from My Dream. I first listened to [it] in 2020 during COVID lockdown. [So] it really helped me get through being stuck at home all the time.

So, I was wondering what’s the story behind that song? What's the inspiration that you had?

MS: Uh, that's a long story. A Call from My Dream is a true story that I always dreamed. While I was dreaming, I always [got calls] from a lot of people, like my friends, which, how can I say, like, the friends that I don't see now.

Like, we don't see each other from after [sic], but I call her, or like my ex boyfriend or like my family or friends. And I just accidentally realised that while I was dreaming, I thought the unconsciousness is always giving me a signal that it always loves me and [is] always cheering [for] me and it’s always changing the character, whether it's a friend or family or ex boyfriend, it doesn't care.

But I thought. There was a God, I don't have a religion, but there is a God in my unconsciousness always cheering me that I love you, I don't care like who you are, I don't care like the rain is falling, I don't care which, whenever you're sad, so I feel like, oh, I'm always in the love, and I really wanted to make a song and I want to, um, spread to all of the people that you have, You have the same God like me while you're dreaming.

So that's why I wanted to make the song and I want all of the people [to] feel the same as what I felt.

J: I think it really connects with people. For me, I can't even speak or understand Korean, but I feel like I can feel a lot through the music, the connection. So it really helped me in that time when I felt so distant from everyone.

MS: Really?

J: Yeah, it was a really helpful song for me. So when I saw you live today, I was so happy!

MS: That's really lovely. Thank you.

J: I was also wondering – in your biography, it says a lot about how you're inspired by 90s alternative rock. What are your biggest inspirations from that scene?

MS: Maybe, especially in Korea, there was a rock scene in the 90s. I think I get inspired especially [by] women, front woman. Like, there's a Jaurim (자우림) — a front woman band. She's also, maybe over 50, but she always have a concert, performing in Korea. And also, Seo Tae-ji and people like Smashing Pumpkins. And RUSH, The Sundays. But I think, in Korea, 90s rock scene was so, uh, it was quite a big boom, so I think I got really inspired [by] the Korean rock scene, too, in 90s.

J: What is one band you think everyone should check out?

MS: Oh, I think Jaurim. She's still making a really good album. She had a baby. I think she's a really good front woman who's making a really fucking good album until now. So I think everybody should check out Jaurim.

J: So that’s like the 90s rock scene — what is your favorite song right now?

MS: *laughs* Can I check my Spotify?

J: Of course, of course, maybe – if it's too difficult – pick top two.

MS: Top two... um, one of my favorite artists is Björk. She played The Sugarcubes when, she's like early 20s. I love the song, Birthday, of The Sugarcubes. It's my [favourite], I think.

J: I think there's one Björk song I really like, but I always listen to everything in playlists. So I never remember the name of the song. It's always, I remember the sound.

MS: What's your favorite song of Björk?

J: One of my favorites is Yoga.

MS: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Oh, that's a good album.

J: These ones are like my favorite sounds.

MS: You know, I can't really listen to her music these days. These days are so hilarious. But I love her as an actor or musician or a performer.

J: She's a great artist.

MS: Yeah, of course. Suddenly I think there's a Korean band but they're not, um, doing right now. I don't know how to pronounce in English… Oh, 3rd Line Butterfly! They’re [so] good, it's also the frontwoman band. There's a 29 Suddenly. It's a great, great song. It's my, I think, my favourite. Second.

J: And to finish off, what is a TMI or fun fact you have that you want to share?

MS: Ah. The first time I ate when I arrived in Sydney, I ate the Thailand food.

J: That's the best food to eat in Sydney.

MS: You know, I really wanted to eat, when I just first travelled and then [go] somewhere I really wanted their food.

J: Yeah, the culture's food.

MS: Right! I just heard there's a really famous Chinese or Thailand food, so I just ate really good tom yum goong. [It was] really good. It was really [so] cool! And I ate steak dinner, but I got sick at dinner. Also I’d really like to go to the beach. Bondi. I want to- I like surfing. I'd like to do it tomorrow.

J: This is really good weather to go surfing as well. It will be really hot, make sure to wear sunscreen!

MS: Yeah. Because it's really getting cold in Korea. It's been freezing cold, but here, it's getting [into] summer.

J: Yeah, so it's perfect for surfing. Do you surf in Korea, too?

MS: Yeah, but, just that it's July or August. It's getting so cold.

J: I’ve visited Korea two times before.

MS: Really?

J: But only in wintertime, so I always wear my long padding jacket.

MS: It's so fucking cold!

J: I always have to go somewhere that's heated. So I can't spend too much time outside. I want to visit in summer. But I hear Korea summer is really, really humid. So I'm scared.

MS: *laughs* Yeah, it's a scary country, I think.

J: Yeah, exactly. Thank you so much for the interview. You're so kind, and I loved seeing you in person. Thank you.

MS: Thank you for the interview.