A Tribute to Our Elder Brother Hyo Jin Nim – Lifework in Music and Multi-media
Unlike in Section one: Ascension, Seung Hwa Ceremony and Memorials, an html document where the embedded links in violet will work,
currently sections two through seven are in pdf format. In this particular pdf format, only the complete links beginning www. in blue will work. We will update the entire tribute to an html document over the next several weeks, so check back.
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All the best, Mary Jane Despres
A Tribute to our Elder Brother Hyo Jin Nim
Section three: Lifework in Music and Multi-media
True Parents watch Hyo Jin Nim’s concert in Japan on April 29, 2006.
Section three: Lifework in Music and Multi- Media Table of Contents
Musical Performance and Recordings
Hyo Jin Nim sings on God’s Day 1987
Hyo Jin Nim’s Song “I Will Love You Forever Like the Spring Rain”
Hyo Jin Nim’s Song “Original Mind”
Hyo Jin Nim’s Endeavors in Multi-Media Broadcasts and Outreach
Musical Performance and Recordings
To see an enlargement, from this link, choose Photo, and then Japan Tour 2006, Photo 22/33
Hyo Jin Nim was an accomplished guitarist, a prolific songwriter, and a capable rock band leader. From 1988 to 1997, he composed and released 17 albums of his music. From 2002 to 2008, he wrote more than 10,000 songs. He decided to write all of his songs in Korean so that our True Parents would be sure to understand the words. He sang with a rare depth of feeling and expression.
This photo of Hyo Jin Nim practicing violin comes from this video.
As a part of a special celebration of Jesus’ birthday on January 3, 1974, at Belvedere, Hyo Jin Nim offered two violin pieces. His performance was astoundingly beautiful and of professional quality.
This picture comes from this video.
On July 4, 1974, True Parents hosted a Fourth of July event and fireworks display outdoors at Belvedere. True Father spoke. Hyo Jin Nim performed several songs for the very large crowd of very special invited guests, neighbors and brothers and sisters who came. The above photo was taken around this time.
Concerning Hyo Jin Nim’s interest in music, in her message given in Los Angeles on November 3, 2008 (an FFWPU USA member’s site link), In Jin Nim said:
My brother, having grown up in this country, and having gone through the difficult years when the name “Moonie” appeared on the horizon—and my brothers—were being beaten up at school because of their religion and because of their race. The only solace that he could find in his life without Parents there all the time for him, was music. Music has had an incredible impact on his life. It’s really the way he expresses his heart.
This photo of Hyo Jin Nim, taken by Douglas Wetzstein, is used with permission.
Photo source This photo, (a detail) taken by Douglas Wetzstein, is used with permission.
This picture comes from this video.
Hyo Jin Nim sings at a United States West Coast CARP workshop Enlargement
This picture comes from this video.
This enhanced detail is from this photo at PeaceTV
Hyo Jin Nim sings on God’s Day 1987
This photo of Hyo Jin Nim comes from the video below
Please listen to Hyo Jin Nim singing “Sarang-i Jeomanchi Ganae” during the entertainment celebrating God’s Day 1987 in this video http://tinyurl.com/dfr2yg.
The tragic love song “Sarang-i Jeomanchi Ganae” appears high on the list of the 100 most beloved Korean songs—14th place. Here’s a translation of the lyrics, kindly prepared for this tribute by Tahnil Moon:
(When) Loves Plucks Away
Love fades away. After this evening fades We won’t hold our last hour together; Love goes on crying. Separation, just ahead, Tearing my heart, for we won’t meet ever again.
Now the hour of separation arrives and Love departs.
Even in death I shall not forget you My love: at dawnbreak you depart; Love plucks itself away and I will remain all alone. Time, stay still! Don’t let my love go!
On March 5, 1989, Hyo Jin Nim said:
When I write music I have certain chords in mind. Using these chords I try many different melodies over and over. Within this certain structure there is perhaps one ideal melody line. There are many altogether, but only one that is ideal. So I try harder to come up with more combinations. By looking at collective work I find some combinations that might work. A good song has to give me goose bumps. … In your life, what will give you that joy, those goose bumps? Uniting with Heavenly Father. That is what I shoot for in my life. How can I live to get the goose bumps? When I give my best with
no doubts and no regrets, then I feel truly free to be in front of God and say, “Today I did my utmost.” That is the goal I try to bring into my life every day.
Hyo Jin Nim at Macaama Hill, California, early 1990’s * Frank Kaufmann wrote, in introducing the video of Hyo Jin Nim’s band that came out in 1994, “I Will Love You Forever, by Hyo Jin Nim” (from the July/August 1994 Today’s World, pp.58-59):
Much is to be gained from owning this tape, but perhaps most important is the presence of lyrics to fourteen songs in English subtitles. At last, non-Korean speakers can enter Hyo Jin Nim’s world, his mind and the heart beneath the passion that drives this side of Father’s eldest son. …
Hyo Jin Nim himself communicates humility, simplicity, authority, and an endless love for the music itself. Juxtaposed with this reserved manner, however, is incredible power and an intense driving force. …
What is Hyo Jin Nim’s music? One can answer in two words. These are songs of war and songs of love—more accurately, true love. The war is clearly against Satan, and it is real. It is not the trivial invocation of rebellious extremes so commonly found in heavy metal, which is so barren of authentic meaning. This is metal that naturally exhibits the spirituality which other bands try to steal.
Image source Hyo Jin Nim’s Song “I Will Love You Forever Like the Spring Rain”
Please watch this video http://tinyurl.com/dkwzsr of Hyo Jin Nim singing his lovely song “I Will Love You Forever Like the Spring Rain” from his 1992 concert in Japan
“I Will Love You Forever Like the Spring Rain”
After the last leaf fell and the winter passed by like the spring rain that came back to me, you placed love in my heart. Refreshing fragrance covers the earth, and my heart is awakened by your love.
I never knew why, but when I was staying up the past winter nights, my heart was waiting for you. I will love you so our love can bloom and be cherished forever.
My unforgettable love has returned to me. It came back looking for the love planted in my heart. My unforgettable love has returned to me. It came back, looking for the love planted in my heart. I will give you everything I have. I will love you forever like the spring rain. Our love will never change. The love I’ve been waiting for now has returned. I will love you forever like the spring rain.
This undated detail comes from the photo on page 13 of this album at FFWPU Korea
Hyo Jin Nim singing during a concert in Japan a photo sent to us electronically and used with permission
See additional photos of Hyo Jin Nim in concert at CanaanStation http://www.canaanstation.com/ under the heading Photos. For example, here’s how to find an enlargement of the following photo of Hyo Jin Nim and his band:
At this link, choose Photo and then Japan Tour 2005. The full (not cropped) photo is slide 5/69 of the group. To see the enlargement, click on the words High Resolution.
Hyo Jin Nim and his band in concert, Japan 2005, a detail
at this link, choose Photo and then Japan Tour 2005. This photo is slide 54/69 of the group.
Hyo Jin Nim sings in a concert in Japan in 2005
On April 20, 2006, True Parents watch the final day’s performance of Hyo Jin Nim’s concert tour of Japan. This image is a detail.
Watch videos of Hyo Jin Nim’s 2003, 2004 and 2005 concerts at Canaan Station http://www.canaanstation.com/ under the heading Concert.
The cover of Hyo Jin Nim’s music album “Offering Songs” from the illustrated list of his numerous albums at Canaan Station Japan http://canaanstationjp.com/#
Hyo Jin Nim’s Song “Original Mind”
At CanaanStation, you can listen to Hyo Jin Nim’s song “Original Mind” by going to the section Music, scrolling down to 1988 and the album Rebirth. There it’s song 11.
Cheongpyeong Heaven and Earth Training Center Photo source
Here’s an excerpt from the lyrics of Hyo Jin Nim’s song “Original Mind” translated roughly from the Korean (from p. 23 of the May 1988 Today’s World):
Even with that evil dwelling in you, the flame of your original mind is longing to connect with God’s love. Even with your dying breath, try to touch God. Don’t let the flame die. You will then know the true identity of Satan. Your body seeks the highest pinnacle of God. Everybody possesses the mind that wants to possess the love of God.
In my heart, the Kingdom of Heaven is not far. It is left to our portion of responsibility. Living water in your heart can resurrect the dead. I will always be there as your son to receive your vertical love with an unconditional foundation. Only with that frame of mind is it substantial—the love of God and the end of Satan.
Hyo Jin Nim sings at the main celebration at Cheongpyeong of True Parents’ Birthday, True Father’s 88th, February 23, 2007 from this FFWPU Korea group
Hyo Jin Nim’s Endeavors in Multi-Media Broadcasts and Outreach
At this link, choose Photo and then Japan Tour 2006. This photo, a detail, is slide 27/33 of the group.
Manhattan Center 34th St., New York City (link to a more recent large photo of this entrance)
In 1986, Hyo Jin Nim founded Manhattan Center Studios and for many years he was responsible for this multi-media studio and performance hall facility used for recordings, events and broadcasts. In 1991, Hyo Jin Nim said that the Manhattan Center audio recording studio was the biggest in the western hemisphere. Also that year, Hyo Jin Nim researched ways to broadcast Holy Day events by satellite transmission.
In the 1990’s, Hyo Jin Nim created his first of several documentaries, “Portrait of Jesus,” which can be viewed under the heading Documentaries at the website CanaanStation http://www.canaanstation.com/.
Hiroshi Suzuki spoke on “The Vision of Hyo Jin Nim for the Manhattan Center” at the Westchester, New York, National Memorial Service for Hyo Jin Nim on March 30, 2008, held at the Rye Town Hilton Hotel: (The following is a transcription of an audio recording of this service.)
When Father purchased Manhattan Center in the 1970’s, he said, “This place will become the birthplace of heavenly culture, the birthplace of God-centered culture,” and Hyo Jin Nim took that mission. … He was the central figure—the central figure—for the restoration of culture, art, performing arts, especially centered on Manhattan Center. … Art has power, and Hyo Jin Nim recognized it and he wanted to use it to help Father. That was his mission.
He knew he was best at music, best at culture providence, so he took it, and he wanted to (like Peter mentioned in his prayer), he wanted to be the weapon in Father’s right hand to smash the Satanic culture and build God-centered culture—God-centered music, especially. So we must carry on his legacy. … Music is beautiful, brothers and sisters. It is one of the highest forms to offer love to God, offer love to one another. That’s why Satan took it and used it against humanity, especially against young people. Hyo Jin Nim knew, so he wanted to take it back for God. He wanted to use it for True Parents’ providence. So let’s carry on his legacy. He’s with us today. Yeon Ah Nim, thank you.
Left to right: Joe (Joziah) Longo, Hyo Jin Nim, and Joe’s wife Felicia “Tink” Longo This photo was taken not long after Hyo Jin Nim’s first blessing on January 7, 1982 (which is shown in the photo Joe and Felicia are holding). This photo, taken by Douglas Wetzstein, is used with permission.
Joe Longo, who had his first jam session with Hyo Jin Nim in 1981 and for many years played in Hyo Jin Nim’s band, wrote the article “New Music for a New Age” (Spring 1988 Blessing Quarterly, pp. 51–60). In this 1988 article, he explained:
It’s easy to get locked into a complacent situation because our own satanic patterns create realities around us where we can feel comfortable; we don’t have to grow anymore. Figuratively speaking, Hyo Jin Nim entered in the beginning with a gun in each hand, blowing the walls out and asking us to find out where we really are in our growth and our relationship with True Parents.
Hyo Jin Nim said that for him to call us his brothers and sisters is not going to be easy. If we really want to be True Parents’ children, he wants to make sure that we really are True Parents’ children. …
I see Hyo Jin Nim almost every day now, but when I go to hear him speak on a Sunday, it’s a source of tremendous life for me. If we members can go beyond our limited concepts and really catch the way he’s pouring himself out to us, then we’ll understand great things.
Our critical minds often say things that block us, and our little concepts get in the way. Usually, by criticizing the external form of something, this critical mind stops us from finding the true spirit of something. But if we are really sincere to find the heart of what Hyo Jin Nim is trying to say, we can get into the fire of it. As we understand, then that fire can be within us too.
True Father and Hyo Jin Nim listen to Mr. Dong Moon Joo’s report * May 22, 1992 (a slightly enhanced detail)
Tony Francisco, who worked with Hyo Jin Nim at the Manhattan Center, wrote a news article for the February 1994 Unification News, in which he said:
As with all the members of the True Family, when that subject-object dynamic is set up, God has a new position to manifest and express himself through—something that has never existed on the face of the earth before. With Hyo Jin Nim as the True Eldest Son, the joy and excitement of watching that unfold is beyond words. And even though Hyo Jin Nim is the kindest, warmest, and most fair leader I’ve ever had inside or outside the church, the ferocity and diversity with which that position expresses itself is unique, absolute and sometimes frightening to behold.
This photo was sent to us electronically. Shown in this picture are Kwon Jin Nim sitting at the sound board, Hyo Jin Nim right behind him wearing a beige vest, Young Jin Nim wearing a red and blue striped tee shirt, David Eaton standing behind Young Jin Nim—he’s wearing a white shirt; Jin Man Kwak at the lower right, Tony Francisco in front wearing a black vest, and five others from the Manhattan Center Studios staff.
These pictures are screen shots from a fading video of Hyo Jin Nim demonstrating martial arts. This video is available on Facebook here.
Tony Francisco, Hyo Jin Nim’s chief of of security from 1987 to 1992, wrote that he doesn’t want several points about Hyo Jin Nim to be lost to history. For instance, he has seen Hyo Jin Nim in action and recognizes that Hyo Jin Nim was an amazingly good black belt martial artist within the style Chung Do Sul (also spelled Jung Do Sool). Also Tony explained (these words of Tony Francisco are used with permission):
The early years at Manhattan Center were like Camelot. Yeon Ah Nim’s description of his character is extremely accurate—he was first of all a workaholic. In the early years, his schedule was to arrive at seven or eight a.m. each morning. We then put on heavy gloves and coveralls and spent three or four hours swinging a twenty-pound sledgehammer to break up and remove the old opera house cement and rotted wood floor. He then showered, changed clothing, prayed, and in the ballroom gave individual and blessed couple counseling to a long list of members who had asked him for help with their problems. This also went on for hours sometimes. We then ate, and after finishing, he would then go to the recording studio and work feverishly on creating his lovely music till one or two o’clock in the morning.
Secondly, he was very sensitive, he really could see trough people immediately and almost read their minds. The selfish arrogant, judgmental attitudes that many visiting leaders, personal staff, and members expressed to him, that they thought were so cleverly concealed by their false attempts at humility, hurt him and angered him very deeply, primarily because, by extension, he knew that by being false and betraying him, they were also betraying Father.
Third, he was full of love and creativity, for his parents and for the members, especially the second generation. Just watching the love pour out of his eyes whenever Father and Mother visited, or listening to his music will reveal this truth.
Hyo Jin Nim was the original driving force for getting the New Yorker Hotel up and running as a money making business. He dispatched two Manhattan Center Studios staff brothers, Steve Honig and Rob Schwartze, to get the ball rolling. He never bothered to draw attention to this fact; it simply was
not his way.
In 1989 or 1990, Hyo Jin Nim came back from Korea with a big shot Korean record company executive. The guy heard some of Hyo Jin Nim’s music and was completely bowled over. He said something to the effect of
“Today I have found a treasure.”
He was convinced that Hyo Jin Nim could have become a huge national level star in his own country. Permission was not granted for Hyo Jin Nim to pursue that path at that time. I wanted to share this because I don’t think many people know how very talented and capable he really was. …
In the world of Heart, the realm of spirit, the land of eternity, Hyo Jin Nim is a GIANT, a towering masterful being of extraordinary courage, creativity, wisdom, and generosity, the likes of which this world will never see again.
This photo comes from this video.
Concerning the possibility that Hyo Jin Nim might become a famous recording artist in Korea, on January 22, 1989, in his message “Absolutely Unite with Heavenly Father,” Hyo Jin Nim said:
You have to do everything that Father tells you to do. I was excited about my recordings; I felt like it was something that I could do for Father. He told me not to distribute the tapes in Korea. That is okay. Maybe it will never even happen in my lifetime, but it is okay. I wanted to generate something for Father, but Father does not want me to be known as an entertainer. I said, “Fine, whatever you wish.”
On February 17, 1991, True Father said:
In one day, on radio or television programming, there are about three hours given to news. The rest of the time is given to music, dancing, soaps and so called “entertainment.” It’s all so corrupt. … Now we are coming out with a new kind of music, a healthy music, a more God inclining music. Already, Hyo Jin Nim has been working hard in the Manhattan Center to create music that can replace the decaying music. It takes lots of hard work and guts.
Hyo Jin Nim’s life mission came to focus primarily upon recreating the environment through art and multimedia.
On February 3, 2008, in his message at Belvedere, Hyo Jin Nim said:
You make your own stories. That’s your life. You write your own songs. You write your own stories. That’s all we do. That’s the best we can do. And hopefully somebody can be inspired by it.
Hyo Jin Nim stressed the importance of the media. In his message on May 22, 1994, at the New York City Unification Church Headquarters Chapel (from the July/August 1994 Today’s World, p. 47), he said:
Not just the Principle, but your daily lives and activities could motivate millions of people. Teaching through deeds is the way we can witness in the future. We have a great theory but we also need to show great deeds. Everybody in this particular church is doing something great and inspiring—we are
not just a small band of people doing good things. Now if we could showcase that to the world, it would be really something about which to boast. That is what I want to do.
On September 17, 2006, at Belvedere, Hyo Jin Nim said:
What’s important for us is that from Father’s blessing we go out to the world using whatever means that is necessary that gives us the ability to spread the news—clear, concise and to the point, as fast as we can. There is no other way to do that. It must use multi-media. There is no other way because it is so flexible. It’s through communication.
This slightly retouched photo of April 3, 2004 comes from this video. It’s enlarged here at FFWPU Korea.
In 2003, Hyo Jin Nim established Manhattan Center Studios Entertainment in Korea.
In 2004, Hyo Jin Nim established the Defining Moment recorded broadcast series:
The Defining Moment Television Talk Show and The Defining Moment Europe.
In 2006, Hyo Jin Nim established Manhattan Center Japan.