WONJI LEE

Based in San Francisco, California, USA

A serene and subtle journey from the mundane to the ideal

Wonji Lee is a Korean American female composer for film and visual media whose music evokes vivid imagery, deep emotions, and the uncanny déjà vu of another world. As an Asian composer based in San Francisco, she works across animation, VR contents, and psychological thrillers, blending classical training with inventive sound design. Her soundscapes often draw from unexpected sources, recording everyday objects such as laundry balls, shower water, or children’s DIY instruments to create a distinctive palette of textures.

Lee began her musical journey with classical piano, studying from arts middle school through college. This foundation gave her a deep understanding of chamber and orchestral repertoire. She later expanded her practice at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she studied Music Production and Sound Design for Visual Media, developing skills in composition, MIDI, and arrangement.

Since 2024, she has collaborated closely with AmazeVR, creating music and sound for immersive VR concerts featuring artists such as Zara Larsson, Cha Eun-Woo, Aespa, and Kai from EXO. In 2023, her score for the experimental stop-motion short Fortune Cookie was featured at multiple international film festivals. In 2024, her first feature film Don’t Tear Yourself Apart was released on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime. Earlier, in 2019, her sound design for the VR documentary Haenyeo was showcased at the TFI Network during the Tribeca Film Festival. Her work has also earned recognition such as the Silver Award at the Independent Shorts Awards in 2020 and the Best Music Score Award at the Top Shorts Film Festival in the same year.

In addition to her media work, Lee is the founder and artistic director of Melodique, an ensemble based in the California Bay Area. Passionate about live performance, she actively arranges music and brings it to the stage. With Melodique, she curates programs that creatively mix classical and contemporary works around themes and stories, connecting historical masterpieces with contemporary voices. The ensemble presents both beloved classics and newly commissioned works through performances that offer fresh perspectives and vibrant energy.