Jung Dong-won "Learned drums for the first time at 12... Had no interest in music before that"

On the 18th, trot singer Jeong Dong-won appeared on TV Chosun's entertainment program “The Taste of Wife, Nowhere Else in the World”. Photo by TV Chosun, screenshot from “The Taste of Wife, Nowhere Else in the World”.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] Trot singer Jeong Dong-won revealed how he got into music.

On the 18th, the TV Chosun entertainment program 'The Taste of Wife, Nowhere Else in the World' featured Jeong Dong-won undergoing a gifted child assessment.

On the broadcast, Jeong Dong-won's father said, "He seems different from kids his age. He can't stay still. He seems very restless, so I wonder if he has ADHD. But when he focuses on music, it's different. He learns quickly."

In response, Jeong Dong-won said, "I first learned drums in the band club when I was 12 years old," adding, "After about a year, I played the saxophone, and a year later, I participated in the National Singing Contest, gained popularity, and then appeared on 'Mr. Trot'."

He continued, "I wanted to join the soccer club, but the school limited the number of members per club, so I ended up in the band club," adding, "That's when I became interested in instruments. Before that, I had no interest in music at all."

He explained, "When I first learned drums, it was fascinating and fun. I could split the beats however I wanted and play," adding, "The teacher taught me a lot and was very good at teaching."

Jeong Dong-won also talked about his school life, saying, "I wasn't good at studying and just played with my friends. But these days, I stay in Seoul and don't get to hang out with friends much. Since about a year ago, I haven't had much time to play."

He added, "After I appeared on TV, friends approached me. It felt a bit awkward because it seemed like they became close because of the broadcast, but becoming famous after the show gave me an indescribable feeling."

After counseling Jeong Dong-won, Dr. Noh Gyu-sik said, "Jeong Dong-won has a strong liking and enjoyment of music," adding, "His bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is also high. I see him as an active child. Such kids don't fit well with rote learning. It's important to support and encourage Dong-won."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.