[Sportschosun Jung An-ji] Singer Cheon Rok-dam moved viewers as he shared how his outlook on life has changed after overcoming renal cell carcinoma.
The August 27 episode of KBS 2TV's 'Immortal Songs' featured the second part of the special 'Trot Best Friends King of Kings' edition, where Cheon Rok-dam and Chunggil, who transformed from ballad powerhouses into rising stars of Trot, performed a special duet stage.
That day, Cheon Rok-dam said, "Our team name is Chuncheon Auntie. It combines Chunggil, Cheon Rok-dam, Lee Jung, and Moses," adding, "We're aiming to become Chuncheon ambassadors," which sent the studio into laughter.
After hearing that, Lee Chan-won said, "You are now receiving so much love as a Trot rising star, but 20 years ago, you really swept up the hearts of many men." Kim Jun-hyun also showed his fandom, saying, "I used to keep Moses's songs on as background music for a long time."
Beyond their shift from ballad to Trot, Cheon Rok-dam and Chunggil have grown especially close because they both faced life-threatening moments around the same time, with Lee Jung battling stage 1 renal cell carcinoma and Chunggil suffering from ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.
Cheon Rok-dam said, "My brother went through a similar situation," and added, "If we think of this as time given to us as a bonus, there is nothing we can't do." After being cured of renal cell carcinoma, he took on Trot under the new stage name Cheon Rok-dam and shared his honest feelings about living a second life after illness, leaving a deep impression.
Chunggil said, "He is a reliable companion as I walk a new path in Trot. It feels like we ourselves have become Trot," drawing attention.
He went on to say, "Today's stage will be a performance that feels like four people, with former Lee Jung and Moses, and current Cheon Rok-dam and Chunggil, coming together on one stage." The two then reinterpreted Cho Yong-pil's classic "One-Hearted Dandelion" as a hybrid stage that blended the emotions of ballad and Trot, earning enthusiastic applause and cheers.
anjee85@sportschosun.com
