[Sportschosun Reporter Jung Bit] "I want to be an active singer who is always by people's side rather than a legend."
THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL ultimately became emotional as he faced the milestone of 40 years since his debut.
THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL held a showcase for his 40th-anniversary album, 'Making a New Ending for This Story,' on September 29 at Hyundai Card Understage in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. He shared his reflections on reaching 40 years since his debut and discussed the making of his new songs.
Over four decades, THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL has protected his voice while weathering countless ups and downs. He made his debut as the vocalist of Boohwal in 1986 and rose to fame with 'Heeya' and 'The Story of Rain & You.' He later pursued a solo career and released numerous hit songs, including 'Don't Say Goodbye,' 'Jasmine' and 'Fate.' In 2002, he reunited with Boohwal to create 'Never Ending Story,' remaining a constant presence on stage for 40 years.
THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL said, "Even at my 30th anniversary, I didn't feel particularly moved, and I didn't have strong emotions at 39 years either. But as I prepared for this 40th anniversary and looked back on the past, I thought, 'So this year has finally come.'"
Recently, he has also been performing at university festivals, connecting with younger generations. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL stated, "I'm excited that I've started performing at university festivals these days. The national tour has already begun as well. Once the university festivals are over, I'll begin the national tour in November."
He cited 'Fate' as the driving force that allowed him to continue singing in the Korean music industry for 40 years. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL said, "I think so many wonderful connections have come into my life. That includes great lyricists and composers, as well as my fans. I think they are the ones who made me who I am today."
He continued, "When I debuted, I never imagined reaching my 40th anniversary. Even if you continued working, there was a sense that you would step away once you reached your 30s." As he spoke, he became teary-eyed and visibly emotional.
His long career as a singer has not always been smooth. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL recalled, "I developed vocal nodules and also underwent surgery for a polyp, which kept me from singing for three years. I even observed a vow of silence for a month." He continued, "The song I released afterward was 'I Will Give You All.' The song was so good that it came out effortlessly. It felt as if a great song had found me by destiny."
He pointed to his continued performances as the secret to preserving his voice for 40 years. He emphasized, "I keep performing concerts without taking breaks from singing. I think it has been important to maintain that sense of practice. When I sing, I think, 'I hope every day can be like today.' I was deeply moved even while performing for KBS recently. I want to be an active singer who is always by people's side rather than a legend."
Among his many hit songs, he chose 'Heeya' as the one he feels most attached to. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL said, "'Heeya' is my favorite. I still make sure to sing it at every concert." He added, "The song I wish would receive more attention is 'Noeul Geurigo Na.'"
To mark his 40th anniversary, he is also launching a special project with younger singers. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL introduced it by saying, "KIM JAE JOONG, Young K, Wendy, Lee Mu-jin and Jannabi participated in Part 1. The younger artists remade my songs and dedicated them to me."
He continued, "I kept wondering whether this was a dream or reality. I thought, 'What does the number 40 really mean? I'm not ready yet.' Making my debut with Boohwal, returning as a solo artist, and releasing songs such as 'Never Ending Story' and 'Jasmine' became turning points for me. I think this occasion will become another turning point and a memorable moment in my life."
He then laughed and said, "There are many things I would like to turn back, but now that I have a grandchild, I found myself thinking, 'There is nothing more I could wish for.'"
The song 'Making a New Ending for This Story,' which opens the 40th-anniversary project, was written and composed by younger singer WOODZ as a gift for THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL praised it, saying, "WOODZ sent me the song. I was so moved that I cried. It's such great music that I wondered whether there had been anything like it in K-pop recently."
The two also revealed their special connection. THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL said with a laugh, "WOODZ was a younger artist I personally liked, and we happened to have drinks together. WOODZ calls me 'father,' and I call him 'son.'" He added, "I heard that WOODZ's father and I are the same age. He said his father was a fan of mine, which is why WOODZ calls me 'father.'"
WOODZ, who attended the event, responded, "I think my father would be envious as well. When I was young, he always listened to your songs. He would also sing your songs whenever he went to karaoke. I think he would be very envious of me at this moment."
Explaining 'Making a New Ending for This Story,' WOODZ said, "I wrote it while thinking about many things. I felt that I could comfort people going through difficult times with my voice. If I could encourage them through my voice, I wanted to create it with the thought that our story would never end."
WOODZ was also impressed by the recording skills of the singer with 40 years of experience. He said, "Although you have served as a judge on many audition programs, I wondered, if I evaluated you strictly as a producer, how you would sing with real feeling." He continued, "When I gave you the song and received the recording back, I thought, 'Ah, this is it.' You sang it twice. It shouldn't have come out that well in just two takes, and I realized that I still have a long way to go."
In response, THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL joked, "I was worried that I might sound like an old-fashioned elder when I sang it. So I tried to sing as plainly as possible. I tried to sing like WOODZ."
For WOODZ, THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL was more than just a highly senior colleague. WOODZ expressed his respect, saying, "My father passed away a long time ago, but as I grew up and reached the age of 31, you have been someone I wanted to emulate in many ways, both as a singer and as a person." He continued, "I want to learn from and respect you because you shine brighter than anyone and have continued working for so long. So when I first received this offer, I said I would do it no matter how busy my schedule was."
THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL chimed in, "I think we should stay together at least through WOODZ's 20th anniversary."
Regarding his feelings about the current global K-pop market, he said, "In a word, I want to be reborn. I felt envious watching BTS perform a world tour. In our day, we weren't even allowed to use English on television." He added with a laugh, "I hope the younger artists I helped nurture through audition programs will achieve the dreams I couldn't."
Finally, THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL said, "I felt truly overwhelmed. WOODZ gave the first duet track a wonderful start. Another excellent younger singer is preparing the second track as well, so you can look forward to it." He expressed his hope, saying, "I hope you will join me for my 50th anniversary, too."
THE VOICE : LEE SEUNG CHUL's 40th-anniversary project pre-release single, 'Making a New Ending for This Story,' will be released through various music streaming platforms at 6 p.m. on September 30.
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
