I was born in Kazakhstan to Korean parents. My professional musical journey began in 1986, when I was accepted to the state's special music school for gifted children named after K. Baiseitova (a legendary Kazakh coloratura soprano, 1912-1957). The school's curriculum was specifically designed to train professional musicians with emphasis on primary instrument, solfegio, music theory, music history, music literature, pedagogy, harmony, secondary piano, chamber music, symphony orchestra etc. The system also included humanitarian classes along with science and math; thus I did not have to attend public school.