Music plays a role in moving people's minds. People also feel joy and sadness as they watch performances in which artists sing and play musical instruments.

During COVID-19, music can also be a great comfort for teenagers.

Most teenagers these days enjoy music, and many of them also go to live performances or perform themselves.

Many also play their own instruments. However, it is not easy to sing or watch performances or learn to play musical instruments during COVID-19.

Nevertheless, it is still easy to find students who enjoy music in various ways.

Near Global Education City in Daejeong-eup, Jeju-do, where I live, two new music academies, including a drumming academy and music academy, have recently opened. Throughout last year, students were nervous about face-to-face classes at private institutions (academies or hagwons), but recently, the number of students willing to take music classes, while following safety rules, seems to have been gradually recovering.

Coin karaoke rooms have always been a popular place for teenagers to enjoy music, but it became very difficult to use such rooms during the pandemic.

However, soundproof practice rooms are a good substitute for coin karaoke rooms because the rooms are bigger and there are less oral activities. In big cities, there are spaces where people can get together with their friends and have fun together and soundproof practice rooms where they can practice singing alone or with others. There are also mobile applications you can use to conveniently find such practice rooms.

Due to its convenience, the indoor practice room is still a place that can be used by teenagers, unlike academies. When using these facilities, facility owners need to comply with thorough quarantine rules.

What happened to the teenagers who enjoyed band activities? Jaemin Jun, who plays the piano at band Harmonix of Korea International School Jeju, said he was frustrated because he couldn't perform in-person last year. However, he answered that many students liked the recent performance, where his band performed virtually through YouTube and Instagram. While this might seem like it is an obvious turn to make, through posting performance videos on Youtube and Instagram, his band were able to integrate their style of music more than before because they had more time to focus on arranging a single piece than before the pandemic where they had to practice over 10 pieces within a short period of time to set up a concert. Jun also missed the time when he was performing in front of his friends, but he said performing online was a very happy and fulfilling time.

It has been discouraging for teenagers who enjoy music due to new restrictions regarding the pandemic that lasted more than a year. However, it was good to see students enjoying music again in safer ways. A band in Korea International School Jeju Campus even mentioned the strengths of their new ways of performing during the pandemic; for example, they do not need to take time to set up the stage. We hope that teenagers will be able to wisely continue their music activities that have been restricted.

Shinyong Park
Grade 11
Korea International School Jeju