[On the Record] Namjin "Have you seen someone dancing and singing at 80? I plan to do it until 100"

Singer Namjin Interview

Self-proclaimed 'Senior No.1 Singer' Quits Smoking and Drinking to Sing
Deployed to Vietnam War in '69... Rebounded with 'Dungi' After Marriage
Turbulent 60th Anniversary of a 'Eventful Life'

Singer Namjin [Photo by Babodeul]

"At 80 years old, being called 'oppa' makes me feel good. Have you ever seen a guy my age dancing and singing? I want to shake my legs excitedly, but honestly, I hold back because I worry it might seem foolish." Singer Namjin (79, real name Kim Namjin) shared his thoughts on celebrating his 60th debut anniversary like this. Born in 1946 as the third son of the wealthiest family in Mokpo, he grew up comfortably. He debuted in 1965 with "Seoul Playboy" and became the first singer to lead the "oppa army," but he survived two near-death experiences. We met this living piece of popular culture history and a figure of turbulent modern times at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Namjin was loved for dozens of hit songs such as "Heartbreakingly," "Hate Me But Once Again," and "Nest." Despite facing many hardships over more than half a century, he never put down the microphone. He said, "I've never felt satisfied just by singing as a singer." He added, "Fans who were in their 20s back then are now in their 60s and 70s. Can the same songs suffice? To fill the emotions deepened by time, I still practice these days."

He referred to himself as the "number one senior singer." Namjin said, "There are no senior singers active above me, so it’s a burden. Since juniors are watching, can I live as I used to? How you perform is more important than when you retire. I want to leave with a good image of singing well." He said he feels happiest when young fans recognize him. "Not long ago, an 11-year-old kid asked me for an autograph calling me 'oppa.' He’s like a grandson to me. (laughs) It felt good," he said.

When asked about singer Na Hoon-a, considered a rival of the century, recently hinting at retirement during a concert, Namjin opened his eyes wide and questioned, "Why would he retire? He can still sing..." He then described Na Hoon-a as a "born singer" and said, "He still sings well as an active artist, so it’s a pity that he’s retiring."

Singer Namjin [Photo by Babodeul]

Namjin said he prays every night not to lose his "emotion." He quit drinking to sing better and stopped smoking 32 years ago. He said, "Whether I’m 90 or 100, I will keep singing as long as I can. It’s just like an athlete. You have to be healthy to sing well. Once, about two weeks before a Christmas dinner show, I caught a cold and lost my voice. That’s when I quit smoking. I went to my ancestral graves in Jeolla Province and swore to my ancestors in front of my father’s, grandfather’s, and great-grandfather’s tombs. The last pack I smoked was that day. If I hadn’t sworn there, I probably would have smoked again long ago. (laughs)"

Namjin appeared in over 70 films starting with "Heartbreakingly" in 1967. In 1969, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was deployed to the Vietnam War. He said, "Life is like waves. There were times when things went well, but there were also hard times. A bullet fell just below my right foot a week after arriving in Vietnam," as he wiped his chest. During turbulent times, the biggest supporter was his mother. Namjin said, "My mother made green onion kimchi and told a Marine captain at Gimpo Airport to 'take care of my son.' I endured thanks to the power of that kimchi." He also said, "In 1991, I was attacked by someone and stabbed in the stomach with a long knife. The blade narrowly missed my carotid artery. If it had been a little closer, I don’t know what would have happened to me."

A documentary film capturing his footsteps through the era, titled "Oppa, Namjin," will be released in theaters on the 4th of next month. When asked to pick the song he feels most attached to among his precious hits, Namjin immediately sang a modified version of "Together with You," saying, "I want to live a hundred years with my fans~." The unforgettable song in his life is "Nest." It was the song that brought him back after returning from the U.S. following his marriage. "At that time, a composer whose name I didn’t even know, who was playing the keyboard at a cabaret, brought me this song," Namjin recalled. He said, "I was almost in my 40s and was going through a slump because my popularity wasn’t what it used to be. The song 'Nest' saved me, and without it, I wouldn’t have made a comeback. Through that experience, I came to value 'connections' in life."

Singer Namjin [Photo by Babodeul]

Namjin was called the "Elvis Presley of Korea" and worked as a pop singer, but he also left many impressive trot songs like "Did I Come to Cry?" and "Heartbreakingly." Recently, with stars like Lim Young-woong and Jang Min-ho rising, the trot market has grown. He said, "In our time, KBS, MBC, and TBC shows were everything, but a good era has opened. Now there are many theaters, and the scale has grown to the point of making people say 'wow.' What I want to advise junior singers is to be good people. Singing well is a given, but first, you have to become a 'person'."