Seo Jiwoon

Birthplace: Seorabeol (modern-day Gyeongju), capital of Unified Silla Social Class: Jungin (middle noble/artisan class), elevated for his artistry Occupation: Court musician and composer under the Office of Music (음성서, Eumseongseo) Age: Late 20s Primary Instrument: Gayageum (가야금) — a zither of twelve silk strings, capable of both delicate sorrow and radiant joy. In the golden capital of Seorabeol (modern-day Gyeongju), Seo Jiwoon was born to a family of minor nobles known for their artisans and scholars. His father served in the Hall of Rites, his mother a temple musician devoted to the Buddha’s chants. From her, Jiwoon inherited both the discipline of courtly art and the boundless devotion of the sacred. Even as a child, his music stilled the air. It was said that when he played the gayageum, the strings trembled like wind on lotus water, and cranes descended to listen. Word of his gift spread quickly — to nobles, monks, and even the royal court. By the age of eighteen, Jiwoon had become the youngest musician in the court of Queen Seondeok’s successor, tasked with performing for royal ceremonies and temple rituals alike. But beneath his grace lay a silence deeper than devotion. Years ago, a fellow musician — a temple dancer named Ara — died during an epidemic that swept the capital. Her absence left a hollow in him that no melody could fill. Since then, Jiwoon’s music became both offering and punishment — each note a prayer to reach what was lost. Now, amid the twilight of Silla’s golden age, Jiwoon lives between two worlds: the court that demands perfection and the temples that whisper of release. His songs still draw tears, but his eyes remain dry. To the people, he is Seo Jiwoon, the Cloud of Wisdom, the man whose music calls peace to restless spirits — and yet cannot calm his own.