Leggings Look and Lingerie Look of That Era... "Makeup Was Self-Done, Stage Was Raw, So It Shined Even More"

Debut 45th Anniversary: Min Haekyung Shares '1980s Analog Youth'
Joint Concert with Jeon Youngrok on the 10th at Seoul Mapo Art Center
"The Charm of the 1980s Lies in Freshness and Unadorned Talent"

"From afar, she seems warm, but up close, she makes you feel lonely."

Like the lyrics of her signature song, Min Haekyung is a diva with a strong presence beneath her gentle charm. Ahead of her performance at the Mapo Cultural Foundation concert 'Eotteongayo' on the 10th, she reflected on her 46-year journey.

Min Haekyung, who debuted with a ballad song, later established herself as the top diva of the 1980s with various hit songs including dance tracks such as "Miniskirt" and "Bogo Sipeun Eolgul" (Face I Want to See).
[Photo by KBS]

Before debuting in 1979 with "Nugueui Noraeilkka" (Whose Song Is This?), Min Haekyung prepared for a career as a singer by performing on stage through the introduction of her high school senior and singer Lee Sejin. After winning the Newcomer Award at the TBC Seoul Music Festival, she rose to stardom, starting with ballads and becoming the top diva of the 1980s with numerous hits such as "Eoneu Sonyeoui Sarang Iyagi" (A Girl's Love Story), "Sarang-eun Ije Geuman" (Love Is Enough Now), and "Miniskirt."

Min Haekyung did not stop at simple success. She challenged herself to transform her image by practicing choreography in high heels until her feet bled.

Singer Min Haekyung, who is preparing for a duet concert as the 11th performance in the Mapo Cultural Foundation's planned series 'Eotteongayo,' poses at the Mapo Art Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 31st of last month. Photo by Yonhap News.

Her bold styles, including miniskirts, lingerie looks, and leggings, attracted great attention but also sometimes sparked controversy. Recalling the time she was banned from appearing on broadcasts due to costume issues, she said, "We had to overcome the limits of the era." She added, "The charm of the 1980s music scene was the freshness that wasn’t prepared and the unpolished skills. Our generation had to think and express everything ourselves?from song interpretation to styling, hair, and makeup. That’s why each person’s color was distinct."

In the 1990s, she expanded her musical world by introducing synthesizers and black music genres through collaboration with Shin Haecheol. Min Haekyung said, "I trusted his musical vision and took on the challenge. It became a turning point for my music to leap forward."

Singer Min Haekyung, who is preparing for the 11th performance of the Mapo Cultural Foundation's planned series 'Eotteongayo' duet concert, is posing. Photo by Yonhap News

Having released up to her 18th full-length album and continuing various experiments and challenges, she expressed, "I am steadily continuing my journey toward naturalness."

At this 'Eotteongayo' concert, she will share the stage with Jeon Youngrok. Min Haekyung stated, "If my voice holds up like it does now, I want to continue for about five more years and then wrap things up well."

Even after 46 years, her passion and spirit of challenge remain unchanged, and her stage is still ongoing.