Haenim

"Haenim" is the debut solo single by Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder. It is a cover of a song written by Shin Joong Hyun and originally performed by Kim Jung Mi on her 1973 album, Now. Schroeder said that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the song was calling him so he decided to record it with some friends as a form of healing. He dedicated the song to musician Max Perenchio (aka "The Pelican Boy"), who died in a car accident on November 26, 2020.

Schroeder first announced the song on Instagram on July 12, 2021, and it was released digitally on July 14, 2021.

The song is about finding a certain type of spiritual rejuvenation out in the countryside – being refreshed and renewed by the experience of being close to nature.

Recording
The recording features Third Eye Blind bassist Arion Salazar, Shane Graham on drums, and Heeya So on vocals. The initial session took place at The Cave studio in Los Angeles, and Schroeder later added additional guitar layers at his home studio. So recorded her vocals remotely. Schroeder told Guitar World, "I had to find someone that was comfortable singing the song in Korean, but also [that] understood the vibe … I wanted someone who could bring a Nico-esque character to the vocal performance. Heeya did such a great job."

Schroeder explained the song nods to his family's roots in Korea. "Much of my life, my existence of who I am, is because my mom was born there, and was from that generation. "Haenim" really connects me to that culture." What's influenced me more than anything is an internal spiritual journey. You realize at a certain point in your life that you have all these experiences within yourself – all these tastes and likes that I have, and things that I enjoy – and then there's part of you that has to translate that and present it to the world.

Lyrics
Lyrics are in Korean. English translation is as follows: