김대희
Dey Kim
Daehee Kim
STATEMENT
연구자로 일하던 시절의 일이다. 중요한 실험을 앞두고 미생물을 배양할 때면, 접종한 배지 용기에 하트를 그려 넣거나 퇴근 전 인큐베이터를 열고 “잘 부탁해, 좋은 밤 보내렴” 하고 인사를 건네곤 했다. 그러면 다음 날 아침, 아이들은 평소보다 건강하게 자라 있었다. 동료들에게 이야기해 보니 나만의 경험이 아니었다. 저마다의 방식으로 마음을 전하면 미생물은 화답했다. 마음이 정말 전해졌는지는 알 수 없다. 다만 훗날 미생물에게 소리를 들려주는 실험을 했을 때, 소리에 따라 그들의 성장 속도와 유전자 발현이 달라지는 것을 확인했다. 적어도 그들은 듣고 있었다. 우리가 그들과도 소통할 수 있을지 모른다는 생각은 그때부터 나를 떠나지 않았다.
그 생각은 오래된 질문을 다시 꺼내게 했다. 우리는 왜 자연을 바깥의 것으로 여기게 되었을까. 집 안의 화분을 보며 자연이 가까이 있어 좋다고 말하지만, 정작 우리 자신이 자연의 일부라는 사실은 자주 잊는다. 지금 이 순간에도 수많은 미생물이 우리 몸을 서식지 삼아 살아간다. 몸의 안과 밖을 끊임없이 오가는 그들은 인간과 자연 사이의 경계를 조용히 허물고, 우리를 인간-미생물-환경이라는 하나의 생명 시스템으로 엮어낸다. 그럼에도 우리는 그들을 거의 감각하지 못한 채 살아간다.
나의 작업은 그 간극에서 시작된다. 나는 오랫동안 소리를 다뤄 왔다. 듣는 일은 처음에는 사건을 좇지만, 계속 듣다 보면 사건과 사건 사이의 빈 공간이 들리기 시작한다. 미생물과의 작업도 그와 같다. 보이지 않는 존재를 보이게 만들려는 것이 아니라, 비어 있다고 여긴 자리에서 그들이 남긴 흔적과 신호 사이에 몸을 놓아 보려는 것이다. 누군가 머물다 간 자리에 남은 미생물의 구름을 손끝의 떨림으로 만지고, 발효가 만든 신맛을 소리로 듣고, 버섯의 생체 신호와 함께 연주한다. 소리와 촉각, 맛을 오가는 이 만남들은 모두 같은 감각을 향한다. 우리가 이미 그들과 얽혀 있다는 감각이다.
환경과 생태는 흔히 공학적 해법이나 당위적인 캠페인의 언어로 이야기된다. 나는 그것을 몸으로 겪고 싶다. 기후 위기 앞에서 우리에게 필요한 것은 더 많은 정보가 아니라 더 깊은 지각이라고 믿기 때문이다.
This goes back to my years as a research scientist. Whenever I cultured microorganisms ahead of an important experiment, I would draw a small heart on the inoculated culture vessel, or open the incubator before leaving for the night and say, “I’m counting on you. Have a good night.” The next morning, they would have grown healthier than usual. When I mentioned this to colleagues, I learned I was not the only one. Each of us had a way of sending our feelings, and the microbes answered. I cannot know whether those feelings truly reached them. But years later, when I ran an experiment playing sound to microorganisms, I saw their growth rate and gene expression change with the sound. At the very least, they were listening. Since then, the thought that we might be able to communicate with them, too, has never left me.
That thought brought back an old question. How did we come to regard nature as something outside ourselves? We look at a potted plant in the living room and say how nice it is to have nature close by, yet we often forget that we ourselves are part of nature. At this very moment, countless microorganisms are living on and in our bodies as their habitat. Constantly moving between the inside and the outside of the body, they quietly dissolve the boundary between human and nature and weave us into a single living system of human, microbe and environment. And still we live almost without sensing them.
My work begins in that gap. I have worked with sound for a long time. Listening starts by following events, but if you keep listening, you begin to hear the empty space between one event and the next. Working with microbes is the same. I am not trying to make invisible beings visible; I am trying to place my body among the traces and signals they leave, in places we assumed were empty. I touch, as a tremor at the fingertips, the microbial cloud left behind where someone once stood; I listen to the sourness made by fermentation as sound; I play music together with the biosignals of a mushroom. Moving between sound, touch and taste, these encounters all point toward the same sense: the sense that we are already entangled with them.
Environment and ecology are usually discussed in the language of engineering solutions or dutiful campaigns. I want to live them through the body. In the face of the climate crisis, I believe what we need is not more information but deeper perception.
BIO
김대희는 작가이자 음악가다. 오래 듣다 보면 사건과 사건 사이의 빈 공간이 들리기 시작하는데, 그는 그 듣기를 보이지 않는 미생물에게로 넓힌다. 누군가 남기고 간 미생물의 구름을 손끝으로 만지고, 발효가 만든 신맛을 소리로 듣고, 버섯의 생체 신호와 함께 연주한다. 환경공학 연구자로 미생물을 다루던 경험을 바탕으로, 장내 미생물, 미생물 구름, 발효 같은 생물학적 사실에서 출발해 그것을 소리와 촉각, 맛으로 옮긴다. 주요 작업으로 〈접균〉(2026), 〈새콤한 와인 미청각회〉(2025), 〈작은 메시아〉(2023), 〈미시적 연결 감각〉(2022)이 있으며, 국립아시아문화전당(ACC), 인천아트플랫폼, 제로원, 파라다이스아트랩 등에서 전시, 퍼포먼스, 워크숍으로 선보였다. 음악가로서는 전자음악 콜렉티브 모듈라서울과 프리뮤직 트리오 삼킴의 일원으로 활동하고 있다.
Dey Kim is an artist and musician. If you listen long enough, you begin to hear the empty space between one event and the next; he extends that listening to the microbes we cannot see. He touches with his fingertips the microbial cloud left behind by someone, listens to the sourness made by fermentation as sound, and plays music together with the biosignals of a mushroom. Drawing on his years of working with microorganisms as a research scientist in environmental engineering, he starts from biological facts such as the gut microbiome, the microbial cloud and fermentation, and translates them into sound, touch and taste. His major works include Channelling (2026), Acidic Notes (2025), micromessiah (2023) and Microscopic Sense of Connection (2022), presented as exhibitions, performances and workshops at the National Asian Culture Center (ACC), Incheon Art Platform, ZER01NE and Paradise Art Lab, among others. As a musician, he is a member of the electronic music collective Modular Seoul and the free music trio saaamkiiim.
(short bio)
김대희는 듣는 일을 보이지 않는 미생물에게로 넓혀 가는 작가이자 음악가다. 환경공학 연구자로 미생물을 키우던 경험에서 출발해, 누군가 남기고 간 미생물의 구름을 손끝으로 만지고, 발효가 만든 신맛을 소리로 듣고, 버섯의 생체 신호와 함께 연주한다. 국립아시아문화전당(ACC), 인천아트플랫폼, 제로원, 파라다이스아트랩 등에서 전시, 퍼포먼스, 워크숍을 선보였다.
Dey Kim is an artist and musician who extends the act of listening to the microbes we cannot see. Building on his years of culturing microorganisms as a research scientist in environmental engineering, he touches with his fingertips the microbial cloud left behind by someone, listens to the sourness made by fermentation as sound, and plays music together with the biosignals of a mushroom. His work has been presented as exhibitions, performances and workshops at the National Asian Culture Center (ACC), Incheon Art Platform, ZER01NE and Paradise Art Lab, among others.
CV
Full CV (pdf) available for download here
Grants, Fellowships & Residencies
2026 Artience Daejeon, Daejeon Culture and Arts Foundation, KR
2026 ACC Sound Lab, National Asian Culture Center, KR
2025 RE:SEARCH, Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, KR
2023 ZER01NE Alumni, Hyundai Motor Group, KR
2022 ZER01NE Creator, Hyundai Motor Group, KR
2022 Artist-in-Residence, Incheon Art Platform, KR
Commissions
2026 Tendency, Barinamo, Daehakro Arts Theater, Seoul, KR — Composer & Sound Designer (SPAF 2026)
2025 Deep Hearts, Barinamo, Daehakro Arts Theater, Seoul, KR — Music Director
2024 Mixed Orchestra, Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul, KR — Electronic Music
2023 Mixed Orchestra, Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul, KR — Electronic Music
Performances
2026 Cha Bio Complex, Seongnam, KR
2026 LDK, Seoul, KR
2026 Cycle 30 -004, Nomad Base, Seoul, KR
2026 Uijeongbu Arts Center, UIjeongbu, KR
2026 Vira, Seoul, KR
2026 Arko Artist House, Seoul, KR
2026 Mudaeruk, Seoul, KR
2025 Film Forum, Seoul, KR
2025 KOTE, Seoul, KR
2025 COEX Magok, Seoul, KR
2025 Samadi Lounge, Seoul, KR
2025 Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, KR
2024 Pie Factory Studio, Seoul, KR
2024 Moss, Seoul, KR
2024 Salt, Seoul, KR
2024 Kim Hee Soo Art Center, Seoul, KR
2024 Meogom Winery, Seoul, KR
2024 Meogom Winery, Seoul, KR
2024 Dotolim, Seoul, KR
2024 Meogom Winery, Seoul, KR
2023 Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, KR
2023 Namdong Sorae Arts Hall, Incheon, KR
2023 Hwigyumjae, Seoul, KR
2023 National Theater of Korea, Seoul, KR
2022 Anyang Arts Center, Anyang, KR
2022 Incheon Art Platform, Incheon, KR
2022 Oil Tank Culture Park, Seoul, KR
2022 S-Factory, Seoul, KR
2022 Banjul, Seoul, KR
2022 Minor Swing, Yongin, KR
2022 Samil-ro Changgo Theater, Seoul, KR
2022 Dotolim, Seoul, KR
2021 Boomiz, Seoul, KR
2021 PaAp Lab, Seoul, KR
2021 Post Theatre, Seoul, KR
2021 The Stump, Seoul, KR
2021 Exit Points #16, Toronto, CA
2021 Garamsinjak, Cheongju, KR
2021 Momuro Salon, Seoul, KR
2020 Art Bunker B39, Bucheon, KR
2020 Hongti Art Center, Busan, KR
2020 Jeonju International Sori Festival, Jeonju, KR
2020 3F House, Ulsan, KR
2020 LiebeLiebe, Ulsan, KR
2020 In The House, Seoul, KR
2020 Art Bunker B39, Bucheon, KR
2020 In The House, Seoul, KR
2020 Art Bunker B39, Bucheon, KR
2019 Suchang Mansion of Youth, Daegu, KR
2019 Strange Fruit, Seoul, KR
2019 Emu Art Space, Seoul, KR
2019 Bupyeong Arts Center, Bupyeong, KR
2019 Yeongildae Beach, Pohang, KR
2019 Art Space Boan, Seoul, KR
2019 Art Space IAa, Jeju, KR
2019 3F House, Ulsan, KR
2019 Alpensia Ski Resort, Pyeongchang, KR
2019 BallWorkBeer, Seoul, KR
2019 Alley Sound, Seoul, KR
2019 Ghetto Alive, Seoul, KR
2019 Incheon Art Platform, Incheon, KR
2019 3F House, Ulsan, KR
2019 UNIST, Ulsan, KR
2018 Dotolim, Seoul, KR
2018 Ringo Shop, Seoul, KR
2018 Seoul Art Space Seogyo, Seoul, KR
2018 Oil Tank Culture Park, Seoul, KR
2018 Seogwipo Cultural Battery Station, Seogwipo, KR
2018 Mudaeruk, Seoul, KR
2018 VOFOL, Seoul, KR
2018 YOGIGA pal.gallery, Seoul, KR
2018 Seogwipo Cultural Battery Station, Seogwipo, KR
2018 Dotolim, Seoul, KR
2018 WORM, Rotterdam, NL
2017 SCALe, Seoul, KR
2017 Alley Sound, Seoul, KR
2017 Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
2016 Royal Conservatoire, The Hague, NL
Group Exhibitions
2026 Futures of Listening: Machine, National Asian Culture Center, Gwangju, KR
2023 ZER01NE DAY, S-Factory, Seoul, KR
2022 Wake the Sense, Gagi Gallery, Ulsan, KR
2022 ZER01NE DAY, S-Factory, Seoul, KR
2022 Purple Marble, Royal X, Hwaseong, KR
2019 Island Project SOME, Art Space IAa, Jeju, KR
2019 Infinity fSM II, Incheon Art Platform, Incheon, KR
2018 Infinity fSM, UNIST, Ulsan, KR
2017 Pidgin, Yogiga Gallery, Seoul, KR
2013 Nature+Media Annuale, Arko Art Center, Seoul, KR
Social Practices & Teaching
2026 Workshop, Cha Bio Complex, Seongnam, KR
2026 Workshop, Modu Art Space, Seoul, KR
2026 Workshop, Chong Kun Dang Kochon Foundation, Seoul, KR
2026 Workshop, Farmers Market Marche@, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul, KR
2025 Workshop, Seoul Arts & Culture Education Center Seocho, Seoul, KR
2025 Workshop, Jeju Foundation for Arts & Culture, Jeju, KR
2025 Workshop, Suwon Art Space Gwanggyo, Suwon, KR
2025 Mentoring, Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, Suwon, KR
2025 Workshop, Modu Art Space, Seoul, KR
2025 Workshop, Piknic, Seoul, KR
2025 Workshop, Paradise Cultural Foundation, Seoul, KR
2025 Workshop, Seoul Arts & Culture Education Center Seocho, Seoul, KR
2024 Artist Talk, Galdar, Seoul, KR
2024 Guest Lecture, Korea National University of Arts, Seoul, KR
2024 Workshop, Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul, KR
2024 Workshop, Paradise Cultural Foundation, Seoul, KR
2024 Mentoring, Arts Korea Lab, Seoul, KR
2023 Workshop, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, KR
2023 Workshop, Seocho Cultural Foundation, Seoul, KR
2023 Lecture, Seoul Water Recycling Museum, Seoul, KR
2022 Guest Lecture, Yonsei University, Wonju, KR
2022 Mentoring, Hwaseong City Cultural Foundation, Hwaseong, KR
2022 Mentoring, Seoul Citizens Hall, Seoul, KR
2021 Guest Lecture, Myongji College, Seoul, KR
2020 Workshop, Youth Center, Ulsan, KR
2019 Lecture, Artspace Boan, Seoul, KR
2019 Workshop, Seoul Upcycling Plaza, Seoul, KR
2019 Lecture, Ulsan Metropolitan Library, Ulsan, KR
2019 Workshop, UNIST Ulsan, KR
2019 Workshop, Octomo, Seoul, KR
2019 Lecturer (Basic Sound Theory, Spring Semester), UNIST, Ulsan, KR
2018 Workshop, Korea Creative Content Agency, Seoul, KR
2017 Lecture, UNIST, Ulsan, KR
Discography
2025 Deep Deep Hearts – Dey Kim, Cucumber9 Records
2025 Trinity (live at dotolim) – saaamkiiim
2024 lull~Yuyeong – Modular Seoul, Seoul Electronic Records
2022 Acoustic Territories Vol.0 (compilation)
2022 My Self – saaamkiiim, Stellive
2022 Theosophy – Detection of Dead Spot, The Arts Label
2021 Borderless – Detection of Dead Spot, The Arts Label
2020 Ma-chal – saaamkiiim, Mung Music
2020 Chitchat – Dey Kim & Sun Ki Kim, inipi
2020 Decoded & Interpreted – Dey Kim, Cucumber9 Records
2019 Wave – Detection of Dead Spot, The Arts Label
2019 Light – Detection of Dead Spot, The Arts Label
2018 CROSSTALK – Dey Kim & Rozi Mákó, Cucumber9 Records
2014 Sea Breeze from Jeju – Goyo, Feelosophy Entertainment
2010 Came Alone – Goyo, DigitalRecord Inc.
2009 Calmness – Goyo, Self-released
PRESS
2026 기계는 어떻게 세상을 들을까…ACC서 펼쳐지는 ‘듣기의 미래’, 진일보
2024 곰팡이-박테리아… 다시 보니 예술이네, 동아일보
2023 서울시국악관현악단, 믹스드 오케스트라 Ⅱ <소리의 색채>, 서울문화투데이
2023 범패와 전자음악의 멋진 하모니…‘새로운 음악 장르로’, BBS불교방송
2022 생물간 연결성과 관계성을 소리로 탐구하는 예술가 김대희, 월간 리뷰
2020 울산서 일반인~전공자 참여 내달 7일~9월 9일 작곡 워크숍, 울산제일일보
2019 유니스트 사이언스월든센터 ‘렉처 콘서트-숨은 연결 듣기’, 경향신문
2019 울산시민 문화예술 아카데미 다섯번째 강좌, 울산제일일보
2019 제주 ‘섬’에서 찾아낸 다양한 ‘화두’와 ‘영감’, 제주일보
2019 과학이 그리는 미래를 예술로 표현하다, 노컷뉴스
2013 Nature + Media Annuale, Eloquence
2013 과학자+예술가+건축가 만나 과학예술 꽃피다, 대덕넷
2012 미생물로 폐수처리하고 전기까지 얻는다, 동아일보
2010 Best Music of the Month, Music Alliance Pact, The Guardian
2007 세계적 권위 국제학회에서 주목, 조선일보
PHOTOGRAPH
