Meet Hanbin Choi | Drummer, Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hanbin Choi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hanbin, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Looking back, when I was pursuing music in Korea, I noticed a lack of information about audition requirements and materials for Berklee College of Music. In response, I decided to share a video of a prepared piece for Berklee, which garnered over 100,000 views and became a valuable resource for Korean and American students alike. Additionally, I observed that many drummers and musicians were positively influenced by my music.

Additionally, I’ve noticed that there aren’t many artists of Korean or Asian descent actively engaged as drummers in the US music scene. In response, I’ve been utilizing social media platforms and collaborating with renowned musicians to highlight my identity as a Korean drummer/artist on a global scale. This effort has sparked interest among many Korean drummers who aspire to pursue their careers in the US, inspired by my example.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Right now, I’m focusing on the Lofi Jazz/Hiphop genre, playing drums, and creating music as an artist. However, I anticipate constantly evolving and advancing in the future. Through various experiences and experiments, I continue to create my own music. I’m not just a “drum player,” but rather, I’m concentrating on being a “drummer artist.”

Today, there are many types of drummers. The most common categories include live band session drummers, recording session drummers, or drum educators. However, many of these drummers seldom release their own music albums, possibly due to personal reasons or reservations about sharing their music publicly. Nevertheless, I strive to create music focused on drums, making it accessible to the public. My recent single album, “Room 47,” reflects this effort, and I have more music planned for release soon. The next single album will be released in collaboration with rapper Snoop Dogg’s bassist and artist, Bubby Lewis.

It didn’t take me long to achieve this purpose and musical fruition. I’ve always had good execution skills, so I was able to gradually overcome obstacles and create my own music. However, it was never easy. I had to balance my school life while pursuing music in the US, and I needed connections with many artists to perform together. Visa issues and various other problems also troubled me, but I always prayed to God and tackled each problem one by one. Through this experience, I’ve learned many things, but one important lesson is that maintaining happiness while making music is truly crucial. I also learned the importance of just doing things, regardless of how perfect they may be.

I aspire to be known among other musicians not just as a ‘drummer’ but as a ‘drummer artist.’

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To be honest, I don’t have many places to recommend for my best friend, but if I had to, I’d recommend New Jersey/New York. I had a lot of fun with one of my closest friends and my girlfriend there. There are plenty of great food places, large shopping malls, and fantastic cafes. Also, our location was really close for trips to New York, so we visited there too. It takes about 30 minutes to an hour.

For the week-long trip, I’ll take my best friend to eat at NYC Pizzeria Romana, Capt. Loui (a seafood place), and Red Rooster Grill and Bar.

For hanging out, we’ll visit the New York Botanical Garden, Rockefeller Center for touring, and Blue Note Jazz Bar, Times Square, and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

For cafes and bakeries, we’ll check out Krispy Kreme in Times Square, % Arabica, and Sey Coffee.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to Chris Yang, who I first met at school and collaborated with, and who connected me with SHOUTOUT LA, enabling me to write this article. Additionally, I want to extend my gratitude to Daniel Na, who, as an engineer/producer and guitarist, has been creating music with me, helping to shape my musical identity. Thank you both for your invaluable support.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benefi_t/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbcL4rayLCuwquH8eN0-VSg