2024-08-04 04:59:47
[19] Actor and singer Kim Sung-hwan, ‘the best of the best’ – Jinseong, the ‘BTS of the trot world’
Kkanbu. It is a slang and colloquialism that means ‘the same side’, and further, ‘a person who can share everything no matter what’. No matter how much you have in life, if you don’t have a lifelong friend with whom you can share healthy relationships, can you say you’ve lived well? It is said that good interpersonal relationships have a positive effect on health. We introduce the ‘value of togetherness’ that blooms among Kkanbu.
Kim Seong-hwan (74), an all-rounder actor and singer, is known in the entertainment industry as an upright, honest, kind, and loyal person. He is also very talented.
First of all, his acting skills, which are his main profession, are top-notch. When I watch his acting, I can sympathize with him because it contains our lives and our lives. It is savory like fermented soybean paste, and its fragrance lasts a long time. He is also excellent at talking, so he often dominates the room while sitting. If he imitates a medicine vendor or a snake vendor, everyone will be shocked.
He mixes well with everyone, and he has lived a life of integrity, saying, “Let’s not do anything that will make others suffer,” so he has been an entertainer for 55 years without a single word of gossip. Thanks to this, he is well-known to everyone in the entertainment industry. Seniors do not hesitate to contact him, and juniors wait in line for him. That is why he is called a “celebrity’s entertainer.”
He has one finger that is particularly sick and that he treats with great care. It is trot singer Jinseong (64). He is the younger brother that he has watched over for nearly 40 years and has gone through many ups and downs during his unknown days. Whenever he was in trouble, he suffered with him, took care of him, and looked after him.
But now, Jinseong is enjoying BTS-level popularity in the domestic trot world. His younger brother’s journey from obscurity to the top is beyond admiration and deserves respect.
On the 25th of last month, the two met in Ilsan New Town, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. As they had lunch together and reminisced about the past, I felt a love and friendship that went beyond that of brothers.
The conversation between the two began with praise for his younger brother. “Jinsung, this guy only graduated from elementary school, but if he graduated from college, he would be the lowest minister. I don’t know how smart he is. He only went to elementary school for two years, but Jinsung speaks really well. He’s smart.”
This is what Kim Sung-hwan spits out like a vending machine when he meets Jin-seong. If Jin-seong had continued to live a difficult life, it would be a difficult story to bring up. Seeing such Kim Sung-hwan, Jin-seong also remembers the past that he wanted to forget as a precious memory, and brings it up without hesitation.
● “My brother’s night stage poster is my life guide”
In the entertainment industry in the early to mid-1980s, Kim Sung-hwan was called the ‘Emperor of the Night Stage.’ This is a story that is difficult for the 2040 generation to understand. It may be hard to believe that a successful talent would go to a night club.
However, at that time, there were almost no sources of income other than broadcast appearances. Above all, performing on stage was the best way for entertainers to make money at that time. Kim Sung-hwan was a 10th generation talent of TBC (Dongyang Broadcasting) in 1970 and enjoyed such popularity that he even starred in a weekend drama. However, when the company disappeared due to media consolidation in 1980, the number of appearances gradually decreased and his income also decreased. In addition, he was the eldest son of eight children.
When the nightlife entertainment industry first asked him to perform on stage with a huge fee, Kim Sung-hwan refused. It was because he felt burdened as a celebrity with a well-known face. However, as the number of dramas he could appear in decreased and it became difficult to make a living, he changed his mind.
The first place I visited was the ‘Empire’ club in Mugyo-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. I went there in person and shamelessly asked to appear. However, I got the response that “I can’t just put you on stage.” Nevertheless, after a fight with the head of the entertainment department at the club, I was allowed to go on stage on the condition that I would only work for a few days.
Kim Seong-hwan decided to transform into someone who came to Seoul from Jeolla Province. He thought that if he wore white pants and a jacket and rubber shoes and sang in a strong dialect, he would be able to attract the attention of his guests.
“I just came up from Jeolla Province, so I’ll sing too. Even though I’m like this, I’m known in our neighborhood as a better singer than Nam Jin. I went to the National Singing Contest, and I almost won the grand prize, but some guy used his connections and I ended up getting the encouragement award.”
His performance, which started with a medley of songs in the Jeolla dialect, was a huge hit. After that, he took over the businesses in the Seoul area with ‘Kim Seong-hwan’s One-Man Show’. At the peak, he performed on stage at up to 16 businesses a day.
At this time, he and Jinseong have a fateful encounter. Jinseong, who grew up alone without parents after his family scattered when he was 3 years old, went to Seoul and tried everything, but he dreamed of becoming a successful singer in a night club.
-I heard that the two of you first met on stage at night. How was your younger brother (Jinseong) doing around this time?
“When I was 17, I delivered jajangmyeon and sold fruit while pulling a rickshaw. When I was 18 or 19, I rang the doorbell at the house of Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Ju-young in Cheongun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, an area where only the wealthy lived, and sold fruit to Mrs. Byun Jung-seok.
In the beginning, I got a lot of criticism for making a lot of noise in the neighborhood. But I only sold good fruits. Later, I made all the neighborhood mothers my regular customers. Some people did it for years, but I conquered the neighborhood in 6 months. I just had to lower my voice and say, “Here comes the fruits,” and they all came.
Then, in 1979, I sang for the first time at a nightclub. The first place I went to was ‘Seoul Cabaret’ at the Sinsa-dong intersection (Gangnam-gu, Seoul). It was before the Gangnam Yeongdong Hotel was built. The bandmaster there was the younger brother of actor Jeong Han-yong.
I was 19 at the time. I was a minor, so I couldn’t enter. I raised my age and got in. That’s where I met Seonghwan. At the time, he got paid at least 1 million won, and I had to film 30 times a month to get 300,000 won.”
![“If Geosigi Jinseong graduated from college, he would be like Minister Choi Ha” Actor Kim Seong-hwan’s life is happy thanks to praise for trot star Jinseong[유재영의 전국깐부자랑]](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2024/08/03/126304421.1.jpg "“If Geosigi Jinseong graduated from college, he would be like Minister Choi Ha” Actor Kim Seong-hwan’s life is happy thanks to praise for trot star Jinseong[유재영의 전국깐부자랑]")
-It must not have been easy for an unknown singer to approach Kim Sung-hwan.…
“Yes. He was a senior like the sky, and I had a hard time standing up even in one business. At that time, there were promotional posters plastered all over the place with my older brother as the main character. I envied him and felt like there was a wall between us.
But the first time I met him, he was very humane. Unlike other famous celebrities, he treated me with warm eyes and words.
He was amazing on stage. He turned the joys and sorrows of the common people into laughter in an amazing way. It was his specialty. He was so talented in singing and talking, I was so envious. I learned a lot from him. I also thought, ‘I should live like my brother,’ and ‘I should live a life like my brother even when I get older.’
Kim Seong-hwan was drawn to Jinseong, who greeted him, from the beginning. Having experienced the sorrow of an unknown life, he felt sorry for Jinseong’s situation. He was from Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, and the fact that Jinseong was from Buan, Jeollabuk-do also made him feel affectionate.
So, whenever I had the chance, I would introduce him and ask him for favors. At events all over the country, I would call him a ‘tinkerer’ for famous singers at the time, such as Seol Woon-do, Tae Jin-ah, and Hyun Chul.
“A makeshift singer is a singer who prepares for a famous singer who suddenly cannot appear due to unavoidable circumstances. However, the structure is such that they receive money if the singer in question does not appear. At the time, Jinseong was on standby, but there were many cases where he did not receive money because the singer in question appeared.”
–‘Tinkeringsinger‘ seatHe said he was grateful for the beans that his brother gave him.allgo They said….
“If Jinseong had thought at that time, ‘Do I have to live like this?’, his path as a singer would have been over. He overcame his regret and despair and continued singing, which is why he is who he is today.”
In 1994, Jinseong released his first album, “Your Light.” At the time, he was an unknown singer who only sang medleys of the highlights of other singers’ songs. Kim Seonghwan wanted to erase the title of unknown from him.
-〈Your Light〉This will come out at the time Did your brother say anything?
“At that time, there were an overwhelming number of disco-style trot songs being released. I wanted to make something unique, so I sang it with a funky rhythm and style. When my brother listened to it, he said, ‘This song is good. It’s like a folk song and a song, and it fits your style well.’ He gave me confidence.
After that, whenever we went to an event, he would invite me and Park Jeong-sik, who sang “Millennium Rock,” and buy us a meal. Later, he would group the two of us and let us perform as a team at an event he had. He would say, “We only have this much money, but shouldn’t we be on stage?” and he would pull us along a lot.”
Kim Sung-hwan also played many of Jinseong’s songs on the Traffic Broadcasting radio program ‘9595 Show’ that he had been hosting since 1992. This was because he wanted to give courage to Jinseong, who was depressed because he had not gained popularity even after releasing an album.
– older brotherthis It seems like you’ve thought a lot about Mr. Jinseong?
“Actually, my brother is the MC who runs the program, but he doesn’t have the authority to choose the songs and broadcast them. It’s hard to ask the PDs because it could cause controversy over bias. Instead, I heard that the PDs praised my songs a lot. They also told me a lot of things that would be encouraging. They said, ‘If you dig one well, opportunities will definitely come.’
After hearing Seonghwan hyung’s story, teacher Nam Jin also gave me strong encouragement, saying, ‘You will get a chance someday. You are good at singing, so just hang in there for now.’ Teacher Nam Jin also let me go up on stage for the year-end dinner show event.”
If you have the intelligence, you can move heaven. Finally, Jinseong was able to escape from obscurity with the song “Don’t Tackle” released in 2005. Then, “Andong Station” released in 2008 became a big hit after 4 years. Thanks to that, he was able to escape from the semi-basement apartment.
The story of the birth of “Don’t Tackle”, which was created from a sudden idea that Jinseong had while drinking makgeolli in his father’s grave and lamenting his fate, became a topic of conversation as “Andong Station” gained popularity.
Kim Sung-hwan also recalled the time and felt moved. “Wow, I didn’t know that song would become so popular. No one expected “Andong Station” to become popular. I must have been really happy when I heard that Jinseong had made money and left his basement.”
Jinseong also chimed in. “I followed my brother’s example and followed his path in life. ‘Kim Seonghwan’ is truly Jinseong’s ‘guide.’”
● The younger brother who gave “Don’t Ask” to his older brother without really asking
The close relationship between the two people formed in this way was not only filled with love. There was also the younger brother’s extreme respect for his older brother.
“Singers and composers never give their songs to anyone easily. They don’t give them away even if they are rotting away without being sung. But Jinseong gave me a song that he really loved and wanted to sing.”
Kim Sung-hwan, who is an actor and also has outstanding singing skills, debuted as a singer in 2014 at the age of 64 thanks to his younger brother. Before that, Kim Sung-hwan had released albums such as Gaksseol-i Taryeong and Pumba.
But somewhere in my heart, I had a wish to have a proper hit song. Jinseong made that wish come true. He gave me the song “Don’t Ask” that I had already recorded.
〈Don’t ask〉
Don’t ask
Don’t ask, don’t ask
Don’t ask my age
I didn’t do anything good during my youth
This damn number is following me
I came this far
I came looking only ahead
Sad tears as time passes
Youth crossing Seosan
I didn’t know you were going
Time, stop talking
-It must have been a difficult decision to give the song away.…
“I have more affection for the songs I wrote myself than other singers. I thought “Don’t Ask” would be a hit like “Andong Station,” and I even finished recording it. But my brother listened to it and said, ‘Hey, the song is good.’ So I readily gave it to him. But the song was a hit. My brother solidified his position as a singer, not just an actor who is good at singing.”
-Was it popular?
“This song was a ‘semi-hit’, Jinseong-ah. For a real singer, it’s important for one song to become a hit. It’s a song I’m really thankful for.”
In fact, this song was so popular that it won first place in the adult song/trot category selected by the Korea Song Leaders Association in June 2016.
-Do you feel like you’ve repaid your debt to your brother?
“I would appreciate it if you would think so. I don’t mind giving it to my brother.”
“No. “Don’t Ask” was the catalyst that helped me find the path I should take in the future.”
-It seems like the two of you have a life story that you can talk about for a long time?
“That’s true. My brother and I can now have another fun time with this story for our fans. We go out and do that. We joke around saying, ‘I originally asked my brother to return “Don’t Ask” after 4 years, but he hasn’t returned it yet.’ Then, the fans find it funny.
So we went one step further. Should we resolve this issue through a criminal case or a civil suit? Haha. If we say that we should file a lawsuit for a refund somehow, the audience says, “Don’t file a lawsuit.”
If I sue, I’ll definitely hear people say I’m being unreasonable. My brother and I haven’t come to an agreement yet, and this is keeping me up at night these days. Haha.”
● An older brother who protects his younger brother’s original intentions with valuable advice
Even looking back now, there was something that made my heart sink. Jinseong, who had been living a boring life of obscurity for 40 years and was on the threshold of becoming a star, was hit by something like a bolt from the blue. At the time, Kim Seonghwan felt resentful that the heavens were so indifferent in taking his younger brother away so quickly.
The incident occurred in 2016, when Jinseong was trying to establish himself as a big star singer recognized by the trot world with “Andong Station” and “Barley Hill.” He had suffered all his life and only sang songs that lamented his sorrow and resentment, so it seemed that the heavens were giving him yet another ordeal and hardship.
“Cancer is such a scary disease. At the time, I looked for a hospital and a hospital, but the most unfortunate thing was that it was discovered that he also had a heart valve disease. He needed surgery, but they couldn’t give him anesthesia.
“They’re ripping out my flesh and doing surgery? And I heard that I fainted several times. I was really scared and in pain. When I saw her lying in the hospital bed with all her hair gone from the chemotherapy injections, it felt like I was lying there. I also thought about my younger brother who passed away in an accident early…”
“When I was diagnosed with lymphoma and heart valve disease at the same time, I almost gave up on life. It was serious. I had made an appointment at a university hospital, but my brother was concerned that another hospital might be better.”
Afterwards, Jinseong was discharged from the hospital after miraculously successfully receiving anticancer treatment, and Kim Seonghwan gave him a generous amount of pocket money. He was proud of him for overcoming his illness.
“That’s why I, hyung, didn’t do anything big for you before, but whenever we meet, I try to show my sincerity in some small way. I don’t mind giving you anything. I give you my heart more than I would give to my own brother.”
Kim Sung-hwan respects his younger brother who never gave up on life. That is why he wants to protect the popularity and fame he has earned with difficulty. His younger brother Jin-seong is now an outstanding star representing the Korean music industry. That is why he emphasizes his original intention to his younger brother every time they meet. Jin-seong cannot help but know his feelings.
“He always tells us not to forget our days of obscurity. He says, ‘You can’t change.’ That’s exactly what he says. Now that I have money, I can buy something a little expensive like a watch. Then, you can tell me something like, “It’s not easy to buy expensive things. People don’t think you’re great just because you wear that watch. You have to live with the same mindset you had when you were having a hard time, and that’s how you’ll maintain your popularity for a long time.”
As we live, we tend to forget these things, but at those times, He teaches us. I was able to accept trials and hardships as blessings. It was because of you, brother.”
● Crossover of mature masters, brothers challenging the musical
The two are 10 years apart in age. But now, they are on the same level and can take care of each other by giving and receiving. They want to tell each other that they are truly blessed, that they have endured well and lived well, and that they are grateful for enduring.
“The relationship can last a long time because the younger sibling treats his older sibling well.”
“After seeing you for a long time, learning from you, and standing by your side, I’ve been able to narrow the gap between us, and now I’m on the same ‘level’ as you. We’ve become truly inseparable.”
They keep in touch often due to their busy schedules, but it’s not easy to meet up. But when they do meet up, they don’t care about what other people think and show off their friendship. When they’re alone, their songs, wit, and all sorts of wit that have been honed through their long nighttime stage careers come pouring out.
When one does something, the rest follow suit. Even though we never promised to do it, it happens right away. That makes it more fun and meaningful.
“Yesterday, I had a fun show with my brother at a fried chicken restaurant. The atmosphere at the fried chicken restaurant was so good that they couldn’t help but give us a commercial.”
“I came back from a fan signing at a fried chicken restaurant, but it wasn’t that chaotic. I just casually commented to Jinseong, ‘Hey, did you have a good time at Andong Station? You look tired. You worked hard. Let’s go take care of your health.’ Then I saw Jinseong and I munching on something, and it was fried chicken. Haha.”
People’s reactions to the chemistry between the two are beyond imagination. The two are comfortable and happy together, and the fans who enjoy it are also happy, so it’s killing two birds with one stone.
People around him also expect that if the two people’s abilities are combined, they will create good synergy. Kim Sung-hwan is a master of talking that overwhelms the audience, and he would be sad to be second. Thanks to that, he has worked as a broadcast MC and radio DJ many times. He has also received several offers to be the MC of “National Singing Contest.” Jinseong is considered a special trot singer who best connects with the public with his sincere lyrics.
The two of them also know this fact. So they are planning a musical that will breathe with fans through acting and singing in life and daily life by combining their abilities.
“Jinsung is so good at talking. We didn’t even practice together, but we just get along well. Jinsung also wants to act on stage, and I want to sing more.”
“I’m a singer, so I basically have to be good at singing, but I also want to show my fans another ‘something’ that can appeal to them.”
Listening to the two people’s future plans, the domestic entertainment industry Unheard of or unseenNote ‘Combi’I hope that it might be borncrab Okay. In the middle of the conversation, the two people looked at each other directly. from now on Friendship more There was also a strong feeling that it could become stronger. As a lifelong nerd boxAlso on stage I want to standIt’s Kim Sung-hwan and Jin Sung. They will hit the Korean entertainment industry. two people’s brownThe future that romance will portray is like this It’s ‘don’t ask’.
Reporter Yoo Jae-young [email protected]
2024-08-04 04:59:47