Songs of Love from Hawai’i
(2024)
A musical drama film that takes you on a journey of untold stories of sacrifice, love, and unbreakable bonds of the first Korean immigrants in Hawaiʻi.
A brilliant symphony of history and music... more than just a film!
Chuck Parker
VP of Content, PBS Hawai'i
A must-watch for anyone studying the Korean diaspora.
Prof. Diana Kim
Asian Studies, Georgetown University
Songs of Love is a testament to the artistry of capturing history.
Choi, Tae Sung
Historian
🎬 Upcoming Screenings 🎬
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2025 Oct 21–30 – 9th Berlin Korean Independent Film Festival
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2025 Nov 5 – Indiana University, Korean Studies Center: Hawaiian Serenade screening & director Q&A
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2025 Nov 8 – Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Washington: Hawaiian Serenade screening & director Q&A
Watch
[Korea] Enjoy Songs of Love at home - now streaming on the platforms below!
(Click to watch)
[International] As of July 2025, ‘Songs of Love’ is only available on DVD or through screening requests.
Stay tuned for the global release!
Awards and Exposure
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Premiered at the 43rd Hawai‘i International Film Festival, 2023
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Official invitations to the 20th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, 2024
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Official invitations to the Portugal International Film Festival, 2023
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Aired on PBS Hawai‘i
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Nationwide theatrical release in Korea through CJ Entertainment in October, 2024
Screenings
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August 6, 2025 | Gangnam – COEX Starfield Library Lecture
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August 6, 2025 | Suwon – Institute for Veterans Education and Research
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August 1, 2025 | Seocho – Seocho Friday Concert (Cinema Concert)
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July 25, 2025 | Busan – Ananti “Eternal Journey” Midnight Bookstore Film Talk
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July 18, 2025 | Texas, USA – Screening & Lecture at the 43rd NAKS (National Association for Korean Schools) Annual Conference
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March 1, 2025 | Leeward Community College - Screening + Musical Performance by Ignace Jang, Ellie Chung & Meena Son + Q & A with Director Jinyoung Lee
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March 7, 2025 | Center for Korean Studies at University of Hawai'i at Manoa - Screening and Q & A with Dr. Christopher Bae and Jinyoung Lee
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January 11, 2025 | Honolulu Museum of Art - Cinematic experience with live music performed by Chee-Yun
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January 13, 2025 | The Korea Society
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January 14, 2025 | The Korean American Association of Greater New York (KAGGNY)
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November 14, 2024 | Georgia State University- Screening and talk as part of World Languages Day
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November 14, 2024 | Emory University - Screening and talk
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November 12, 2024 | Asian Studies & Global Human Development, Georgetown University - Screening
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October 20, 2024 | The Honolulu Museum of Art's Doris Duke Theater - Screening and Concert
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August 31, 2024 | Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco - Screening and Discussion
Prof. Diana Kim
Asian Studies, Georgetown University
"A must-watch for anyone studying the Korean diaspora."
PBS HAWAI'I
American public broadcaster
"A beautiful film with very effective storytelling techniques, music with graphics and narration... The music is enchanting and haunting at the same time and by itself evokes a lot of emotion."
Tammy Kim
Vice Mayor of Irvine
"Songs of Love brings to life the triumphs and hardships of our ancestors, reminding us that our journey is only just beginning…"
Musicians
Ignace Jang
Music Consultant, Violinist
Richard Yongjae O’Neill
Violist
Chee-Yun
Violinist
Keola Beamer
Slack Key Guitarist
Renowned violinist and Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra concertmaster. Born in France to Korean parents, Ignace Jang has performed on prestigious stages including Paris’ Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Seoul Arts Center.
Emmy Award winner and Grammy nominee. Collaborated with major orchestras and efforts to expand chamber music outreach in South Korea and Japan. O’Neill also serves as Goodwill Ambassador for the Korean Red Cross, Special Olympics, and UNICEF.
Chee-Yun, a violinist from Seoul, enchants audiences with her brilliant concerto performances worldwide. Trained at Juilliard and mentored by renowned instructors, she has graced stages with orchestras like the San Francisco Symphony and NHK Symphony.
Keola Beamer has breathed new life into slack key guitar music yet stays true to its deep Hawaiian roots. He is a Hawaiian legend: singer-songwriter, composer, guitar master.
Production Team
Jinyoung Lee
Director, Writer, Executive Producer
Pawel Nuckowski
Director of Photography
Matt Yamashita
Director of Photography
Jinyoung Lee, journalist-turned-filmmaker and founder of Now Production Films, is known for The Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State (2021) and Songs of Love (2023). Her award-winning work has been recognized internationally, and she also serves on the board of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
Born in Poland and now based in Honolulu, Pawel has over 20 years of global experience in documentaries and TV series. He produced all seasons of Cool for Kupuna, a local TV series, and recently directed Kaniela, which has been invited to numerous international film festivals.
Matt is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker from Moloka‘i, earned a BFA in Film Production from Chapman University. As Moloka‘i’s first professional filmmaker, he has been in the industry since 2001, contributing to productions aired on PBS National and Arte France. Matt played key roles in Part 3 of “Songs of Love.”
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Produced and Directed by Jinyoung Lee
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Co-Produced by T.S. Bam, Yea Jee Lee
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Written by Jinyoung Lee (Parts 1 & 3), Gary Pak (Part 2)
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Narrated by Ye, Soo-Jung, Gary Pak
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Cast: Ignace “Iggy” Jang, Richard Yongjae O'Neill, Chee-Yun, Keola Beamer
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Director of Photography: Pawel Nuckowski, Matt Yamashita
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Animation: Huni Nam and Dasol Kim, Niri Studio
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Post Production: SOLE Pictures (Part 1) StudioClon (Part 2 & 3)
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3D Digital Art: INDIVIDUAL
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Music Consultant: Ignace Jang
This film was brought to life with the generous support of:
The Sunny K. Park Family Foundation
Eugene and Carol Choi
Linh & Dug Song
in honor of Soonok Song
미주 한인재단
Korean American Foundation Hawaii (KAFH)
국외소재문화재재단
The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation
하와이한인문화회관
Hawaii Korean Cultural Center (HKCC)