“And when that happens, I try to capture them instinctively,” says Kim Jimin; an indie rock musician, better known by her stage name Meaningful Stone, a direct English translation of her Korean name.

Born and raised in Korea, Jimin discovered her love for music in her teenage years. Alongside her classmates, she formed a small band,  a beginning that soon led a determined daughter to ask her father for her first acoustic guitar. What started as late-night writing sessions and quiet songs kept to herself became the foundation of who she is today: a musician speaking to her younger self, once uncertain of her own talent, now sharing her voice with the world.

It’s her first time performing in Tokyo — here at WPÜ, though not her first time in Japan. Japan has always been one of her favorite places to visit, a place she’s returned to many times over the years. Still, it’s been seventeen years since she last stepped foot in Tokyo. Curious to see how the city has changed, she was just as eager to finally meet her Japanese listeners in person. There’s a certain thrill that comes from connecting with people outside of Korea, a kind of joy that reminds her why she continues to write, sing, and share.

As a songwriter, the importance of getting through your message is one thing, but having the melody that resonates is another. “I listen closely to my emotions, write down the story, and then experiment with different melodies until I find the one that truly fits” ,truly a writer’s instinct;  something that lives between emotion and instinct. The next part unfolds through her own words, thoughts on process, memory, and the kind of honesty she carries into her career as a musician.

That’s a great question. Before I ever stepped on stage, I was just a regular girl who loved music more than anything in the world. I still spend most of my free time listening to music. Music has healed me for as long as I can remember. It’s been my closest friend, sometimes like an impossible love, other times like a clear mirror that reflects who I am.

What I love most is becoming peers with musicians I’ve admired for so long. There’s this sense of shared understanding, of connection, like they already know me too. On the other hand… it can be hard to always remain a bit of an observer, standing one step outside of society. As a creator, I feel a responsibility not to get too comfortable or too familiar with the world. Maintaining a fresh perspective, challenging my own biases, and constantly asking questions, that’s the hardest part.

When fans sing along with their whole hearts, it completely washes over me. Especially overseas when people who speak a different language love and sing my songs, it’s overwhelming. That happened at this Japan show, and it also happened two years ago in the Philippines.

**What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from your music? I just hope they feel love.**I want them to let go of their worries for a while and simply lose themselves in the music. Those small moments of happiness are what make life worth living.

In a time where everything moves fast, it’s easy to get caught in the rhythm of responsibility , so much that we forget to notice the world around us. To stay curious, to seek perspective, and to learn not just for our work but for ourselves. The heart, too, needs room to breathe. Sometimes, it’s as simple as slowing down  being in rhythm with the wind, and letting music carry what words can’t. To feel, and to let go.

On November 28, Meaningful Stone will release her first live album – a show recorded in Korea last February. Through it, she hopes her fans can relive the same happiness it once gave her, a moment of warmth and sound that continues to linger.