She is considered by many the greatest living female Korean composer.
[1] Born in Wonju, she studied at Ewha Womans University, the Conservatoire de Paris, and the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
[2] She was one of the six founding members of the Korean Society of Women Composers and served as the first president for the organization.
She is often called the "Face and Mother of Korean Modern Music.
[6] Young-Ja Lee's music combines elements from French, West African, Indonesian gamelan, and traditional Korean music, creating unusual intercultural compositions.