Ilyeob Choo is one of few music composers in the film and music industry who has managed to create melodies that transcend genres and seamlessly adapt across diverse production styles, crafting scores that are as emotionally resonant in documentaries as they are in award-winning feature films. With an approach set in deep emotional connection and shaped by a life-long devotion to music, he has established himself as a composer whose work resonates directly to the soul —both of the story and listener.
Choo lets the music guide him and simply follows the feeling. And through this simple and quiet technique combined with years of dedication, he has earned his place in some of the most respected creative environments in music and film today.
A Calling Turned Craft
For Choo, music was never just an interest – it was a calling. He recalls, “I started playing piano and guitar when I was very young. By the time I was twelve, I knew I wanted to pursue music professionally. I didn’t consider anything else.”
His early years were marked by an intuitive connection to music as a universal language—one that communicates what words cannot. This natural feeling led him to film scoring. “Hans Zimmer’s synth-driven scores changed the way I thought about sound,” he reflects. “Pop music can sometimes feel confined by structure, but film scores offer a vast emotional and sonic landscape.”
That influence eventually became an inspiration – Choo now composes for Zimmer’s own company, Bleeding Fingers Music, where he earned credits for film and television projects such as the TV series “Hagen”, and the upcoming WWE documentary “The Ringmaster”; and music libraries like Extreme Music and KPM. It’s a full-circle journey—one that signifies not just admiration but mastery.
Outside of Bleeding Fingers, Choo has steadily carved out a distinguished path in the film and music industries. As a member of the Composers Diversity Collective (CDC), Choo is part of a dynamic network of some of the leading voices in composition for visual media. Furthermore, his influence and outstanding work has also been recognized by many other platforms including as the first place recipient of the 2018 Indiestance Award for outstanding composition and performance.
His recent work further solidifies his place among top-tier composers. Choo composed and arranged “25 Intro” for rapper Chillin Homie’s album Maze Runner, also scoring the album’s promotional trailer. He has also composed the original score behind Spark Wheel, a short film that earned international accolades for its emotional resonance and sonic depth. His production credits also include tracks for DalVoice, a popular South Korean web drama platform, and the film Toy Soldiers: Fake Men 2, a cinematic project that further demonstrates his cross-format fluency.
Music That Speaks Across Formats
Choo therefore has a wide variety of work in his portfolio from composing for a historical documentary, to a romantic comedy, or a hip-hop collaboration. His work maintains a clear sense of emotional truth.
Some of his upcoming works include:
● The Last Resort: Slated for release in February 2026, this romantic comedy marks a major milestone in Choo’s career. He is composing the film alongside Emmy-winning composer Denise Santos. Directed by Donald Petrie (known for How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), written by Karen McCullah (10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde), and starring Daisy Ridley and Alden Ehrenreich, the project brings together celebrated names—and Choo’s music will be an essential part of the story’s emotional architecture.
● Kensu Maru: Also in collaboration with Santos, Choo is composing for this WWII documentary about a sunken Japanese ship in the Philippines. The film revisits a harrowing chapter of history, and Choo’s work helps guide its emotional tone with precision and restraint.
● Continued Releases at Bleeding Fingers: His ongoing work with Bleeding Fingers continues to contribute to major music libraries used widely across television, advertising, and digital platforms. These tracks—ranging from ambient to cinematic orchestral—reach global audiences on a daily basis.
● Hip-hop Collaborations with Woodie Gochild: On the contemporary music side, Choo is composing tracks with Korean rapper Woodie Gochild, known for his large and loyal fan base. Their upcoming songs “Coco” and “On My Way” blend hip-hop with Afrobeat elements, adding new layers to Choo’s evolving musical language.
Immersion Over Performance
Choo’s approach to composing is different from others. “When I make music, I’m in a trance,” he says. “It feels like time disappears. Even though it’s my job, it never feels like work.”
His sense of creative surrender to the art helps him compose to express, interpret and uncover the emotional layers of a story instead of overwhelming or overpowering it. This quiet artistry shines through in every measure he writes.
An Artist Grounded in Service, Not Spectacle
In an industry often driven by speed and spectacle, Choo’s career is marked by clarity and intention. He is not defined by genre, celebrity, or borders but by an unwavering commitment to musical honesty.
His work has already contributed meaningfully to the landscape of contemporary music for screen. It has brought emotional nuance to major international projects, introduced new hybrid sounds into modern composition, and demonstrated how music can transcend culture, language, and time.
What distinguishes him is not just his range, but his restraint—his ability to know when not to say something musically, and how to make the fewest notes say the most. It’s a kind of artistry that doesn’t demand attention but earns it through integrity and depth.
You can explore more about him from here: https://www.ilyeob.com/
Original Source of the original story >> Composing Beyond Boundaries: IIyeob Choo
Website of Source: https://www.ilyeob.com/
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
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