Singer Lee Yong, the busiest in October
Joint performance with Im Byung-su of 'Ice Cream Love' on the 17th at Mapo Cultural Foundation's 'How About It October Night Special'
41 years since debut, meticulous self-management... "More confident on stage than anyone else"
Singer Lee Yong (66)'s signature song "Forgotten Season" is the most played song in October throughout the year. Contrary to the saying that the song follows the singer, he remains extremely busy every October, actively performing on stage. "If I consider my annual income as 100, 90 comes from October alone, and the remaining 10 months combined make up 10. (laughs) That's why 'Forgotten Season' is also called the original pension song."
Singer Lee Yong, who will take the stage at Art Hall Mac in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 17th. On this day, he will perform his signature song "Forgotten Season" along with "Seoul" and "Love, Happiness, and Farewell." He is also expected to present an unreleased song "Jayu-yeo," a Korean adaptation of a song by Italian singer Albano Carrisi. [Photo by Mapo Cultural Foundation]
He will take the stage on the 17th at the Mapo Art Center in Seoul with fellow singer Lim Byung-soo (63) for the "How About It - October Night Special" performance. Despite debuting 41 years ago and having every reason to slow down, he was preparing for the concert with thorough management and rehearsals. "To always stay active as a performer, strict self-management is essential. I have long avoided alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, and even carbonated drinks like cola. As you age, your throat naturally weakens, and a singer whose voice is everything should not abuse their throat with irritants."
Especially, he still sings "Forgotten Season" in the original key. He said, "I hear some lower their key as singing becomes harder with age, but when that time comes for me, I have decided I will retire then," showing his unique passion.
What is the secret behind a song from 40 years ago still loved by the public? He said, "The warm yet chilly October weather, autumn foliage and fallen leaves, and the lonely autumn nights naturally remind people of meetings and farewells, which may be why this song is loved. Above all, the heartfelt emotion conveyed by the lyrics still moves listeners' hearts today."
The lyrics were written by the late poet and lyricist Park Geon-ho, based on his real breakup story. The longing for a lover who disappeared without even saying goodbye, combined with the loneliness evoked by the specific date of the last night of October, has made it a timeless classic still talked about by the public.
Riding on the song's popularity, he appeared alongside actress Lee Hye-sook in the 1984 film of the same name, attracting 600,000 viewers. "Taking acting classes during college helped me. My acting wasn't bad, but back then, post-dubbing was common in film production, so the voice actors' dubbing made the overall atmosphere awkward, which remains a regret. My voice is my charm point, you know. Haha."
He also confirmed the legendary story that he rented a helicopter to travel nationwide to cities like Busan, Jeju, and Daejeon to perform amid his hectic October schedule. "The song was broadcast 137 times in a single country in one day, setting a Guinness World Record for the most broadcasts. Thinking back, I hardly ever had personal time in October." Despite the unprecedented hit and the popularity in October, he continues to release albums and actively perform as a current singer. The title track "Sorry, You" from his 13th album released in 2017 remains his second signature song that he tirelessly promotes. At this concert, he plans to surprise the audience by performing "Forgotten Season," "Sorry, You," his debut song "Baramiryeo" that made him a star on the Gugpoong 81 stage, as well as "Seoul," "Love, Happiness, and Farewell," and an unreleased new song "Freedom," a Korean adaptation of a song by Italian singer Albano Carrisi.
Singer Lee Yong, who will take the stage at Art Hall Mac in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 17th. At this performance, he will present his signature song "Forgotten Season" along with "Seoul" and "Love, Happiness, and Farewell." He is also expected to perform the unreleased song "Freedom," a Korean adaptation of a song by Italian singer Albano Carrisi. [Photo by Mapo Cultural Foundation]
"I take pride in still being active as a performer. While most people get upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies once or twice a year, I get vocal cord endoscopies twice a year to check my throat condition. I exercise and practice singing for an hour every day. This practice is not to avoid forgetting or messing up my songs, but to present the album exactly as it is to the public. On stage, I am still more confident than anyone else. While 'Forgotten Season' is great, I want to be a singer who continuously gives hope and courage to many people through a variety of songs."
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