Na Hoon-a Takes the Stage for Retirement on the 12th
Responds to Opposition Criticism Over "Left" Remark: "Stop Nitpicking"
"Do Your Job Properly... Division Must Not Continue"
‘Gahwang’ Na Hoon-a, who is about to retire, made blunt remarks about the chaotic political situation even during his final performance. He once again criticized opposition figures who voiced criticism over his earlier comment, “Did the left do well?” saying, “I cannot forgive them.” On the afternoon of the 12th, Na Hoon-a held the last show of his ‘Last Concert - Thank You!’ at the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park, Seoul. He plans to retire from the music industry after this stage.
On the 10th, Na Hoon-a commented on the recent political situation, saying, “The left is making a huge fuss, saying the right did wrong,” while pointing to his left arm and asking, “Did you do well?” This remark, seen as targeting the opposition, sparked controversy, and opposition figures expressed critical views on social media. Choi Min-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asked, “Since the left hasn’t done well, should we just overlook the emergency martial law?” Lee Eon-ju, a Supreme Council member, said, “Whether it’s the left arm or the right arm, both are necessary parts of the body. But what if the right arm gets infected and starts to rot?”
Kim Won-i, a Democratic Party lawmaker, criticized, “After receiving so much love all his life, if he had kept his eyes closed and mouth shut about the world’s affairs, he should have just kept quiet when leaving. What’s with this meddling?” Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok also said, “Na Hoon-a is a nationally recognized singer and I am a genuine fan, but his recent remarks about the impeachment situation are hard to agree with, no matter how much of a fan you are,” adding, “It’s never right to water down the issue with false equivalence and stir social chaos.”
During the performance, seemingly aware of the criticism, Na Hoon-a explained, “The left is making a fuss, saying the right did wrong. So I said, ‘Did you do well?’ What I meant was, ‘Yes, the right hasn’t done well either. But did you do well?’” He continued, “But they are nitpicking over this again,” and shouted, “Since this is the last performance, I have to speak frankly. Whether you’re a member of the National Assembly or a governor, listen carefully. Those who criticize me, mind your own business. How can you be acting like fools when an elder is speaking?”
He added, “During elections, one side is red, the other is blue, and they’re acting crazy. On such a small land,” he said, “If you give me just one year, I will make a law so that people from Gyeongsang Province run for National Assembly seats in Jeolla Province, and people from Jeolla Province run in Gyeongsang Province. East-West harmony must be achieved. We must never leave such a divided country to future generations. We must not let it be divided,” he said strongly.
On the afternoon of the 12th, citizens are leaving the venue after attending the first session of the '2024 Na Hoon-a Thank You - Last Concert' at KSPO Dome in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.
Having sung in front of the public for over half a century since 1967, Na Hoon-a will put down the microphone after this stage. He displayed photos of 11 presidents and said, “I thought about how to express my long singing career in one scene, and this is what I came up with,” mentioning, “From Park Chung-hee to Yoon Seok-yeol, 11 presidents have changed. But I am still (a singer).”
Na Hoon-a said, “Because I am a star, I walked above the clouds. I lived only in the sky beyond the stars. Living like that was hard. Now I will walk on the ground,” and added, “I want to try things I haven’t done, eat things I haven’t eaten, and visit places I haven’t been. What I want most is to eat Makgeolli and Bindaetteok on market day. Thank you all,” bidding farewell.
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