She was born on 15 July 1990, in the South Korean city of Incheon. Sun-Mi Hong started drumming when she was 17 and attended Howon University at 19. After that she left for the Amsterdam Conservatory, one of the ‘most renowned jazz schools in Europe,’ according to her. This move to Europe completely changed her life and her music. By listening to the albums of Brian Blade, Ari Hoenig and Roy Haynes, among others, her mind was directed ever more strongly towards jazz, all the more so because she studied under the wings of teachers and drummers Martijn Vink and Marcel Serierse. She now composes her own music, with a lot of dramatic and emotional variations. She recently won the Sena Dutch Jazz Competition 2018, with her own group. The jury felt the group ‘is the most organic, in an emotional, playful and spiritual way, with the right attitude.’
