▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁South ▁Korean ▁diplom at ▁and ▁the ▁family ▁was ▁station ed ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Although ▁his ▁mother ▁gave ▁up ▁a ▁professional ▁career ▁after ▁marriage , ▁she ▁gave ▁performances ▁to ▁represent ▁South ▁Korean ▁culture ▁at ▁diplom atic ▁parties , ▁including ▁the ▁Smith son ian , ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁teach ▁and ▁share ▁classical ▁music ▁with ▁him ▁at ▁home . ▁She ▁also ▁liked ▁ 7 0 ' s ▁guitar ▁music ▁such ▁as ▁Sant ana ▁and ▁Jeff ▁Beck ▁and ▁made ▁music ▁education ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁child hood . ▁He ▁said ▁he ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁a ▁family ▁environment ▁" filled ▁with ▁a ▁desire ▁for ▁un ification " ▁because ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁from ▁Ham hung , ▁a ▁city ▁in ▁North ▁Korea , ▁which ▁helped ▁him ▁develop ▁his ▁person ality ▁as ▁a ▁music ian ▁who ▁see ks ▁a ▁peace ful ▁cons ensus . ▁ ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁South ▁Korea ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁after ▁twelve ▁years ▁in ▁America , ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁n inet ies . ▁ ▁N . EX . T ▁and ▁other ▁bands ▁He ▁deb uted ▁with ▁a ▁rock ▁band ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁called ▁" D ow nt own " ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁with ▁bass ist ▁Jung ▁Han - je ong ▁and ▁drum mer ▁Lee ▁Ch ang - hy un ; ▁and ▁produced ▁their ▁album ▁D OW N TO WN ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3