Moon Hee-jun, Eun Ji-won and Others Gather in One Place for Life Updates Talk
Moon Hee-jun of H.O.T., a first-generation idol group that received much love, and Eun Ji-won of Sechs Kies spoke about the 1 billion won advertising refusal incident, drawing attention.
On the 6th, Moon Hee-jun, leader of the first-generation male idol group H.O.T., Eun Ji-won, leader of Sechs Kies, and Park Joon-hyung of god appeared on SBS entertainment show 'Take Off Your Shoes, Divorcee Men' and showcased their wit. When asked about his friendship with Sechs Kies, the top idol group of the time, Moon said, "I wanted to get close, but their mystique made it hard to approach." He added, "I mustered up the courage to ask Eun Ji-won if he was the leader. When I asked if it was tough being the leader, he said it was manageable."
Afterwards, the two built a friendship and often met in private settings. Eun revealed, "We had a drink together just once as leaders during our activities. But Moon Hee-jun really only had one drink and left." In response, Moon explained, "I can't drink well, but I went because I wanted to get closer," bringing laughter.
Moon also opened up about an advertising contract he regretfully declined. At the time, Moon was maintaining the 'mystique' concept set by his agency and revealed that he turned down a 1 billion won advertisement, surprising many. When asked if any members expressed dissatisfaction, he said, "Their expressions looked a bit regretful." He explained, "The concept of the advertisement offered to H.O.T. was for a donut commercial. The members had to be inside the donuts. If it had been during the 'Candy' promotions, we would have done it, but it was during the 3rd and 4th albums when we had to maintain charisma." He continued, "We tried to compromise by not being inside the donuts, but the advertiser refused, so we ultimately declined the ad." He added, "Now, I would take the donut and even go into the actual oven."
In response, Eun recalled, "Back then, 200 to 300 million won for a CF was not even considered. Everyone's album sales were just that good." Moon agreed, saying, "When we were selling a million albums, just album sales alone were worth several billion won."
Meanwhile, H.O.T., which Moon was part of, was SM Entertainment's first boy group and is regarded as the starting point of idol culture in South Korea. They debuted on September 7, 1996, releasing hit songs such as 'Warrior's Descendant,' 'Candy,' 'Happiness,' and 'We Are The Future,' establishing themselves as the undisputed 'icons of teenagers.' Sechs Kies, which Eun belonged to, debuted on April 15, 1997, and gained public love with songs like 'Pomsaeng Pomsa,' 'Chivalry,' and 'Reckless Love.'
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