[Park Chan-wook's Fog②] "A Song Transcending Time and Space... Deeper Than 55 Years Ago"

Singer Jeong Hoon-hee Q&A "A Gift-like Time Received in Class 7-2"
"Sang as cleanly as possible... Got goosebumps thinking I contributed to the award"

-I am curious about the background of the creation of ‘Angae’ (Mist).

▲When Teacher Lee Bong-jo was looking for the right person, I caught his eye. I was seventeen years old. I sang at the Seoul Grand Hotel Nightclub, where my uncle (Jeong Geun-do) was the bandleader. My father (Jeong Geun-su) taught me music from a young age. I started working at the Grand Hotel Nightclub in 1965. Teacher Lee Bong-jo asked my uncle if he could let me sing. After I sang about six songs, he said, ‘Gashina, the little one sings arrogantly well.’ Then he quickly brought a record and told me to learn it. It was ‘Angae’ (Mist).

-Why do you think you were able to become the owner of the song?

▲At that time, a thick and lingering voice like Hyun-mi’s in ‘Bamangae’ (Night Mist) was popular. If you sing ‘Angae’ persistently and tenaciously, love fades away. The feeling Teacher Lee Bong-jo wanted was a love that seems visible but is invisible. He believed that singing with a clear voice like drizzle would bring out the wistfulness.

-There is a lyric, ‘Lonely and endlessly, I walk in the mist.’ Where do you think the destination was?

▲How could a seventeen-year-old girl understand the loving hearts of men and women? (laughs) As I grew older, I saw that everyone has a different color of love. Some insist only on red. When it’s too hard, it’s okay to glance at yellow or blue. Like walking through the mist in this song, it doesn’t matter. Then you might meet another color. Both the former and the latter have sadness underlying them.

-Is the ‘Angae’ inserted in ‘Decision to Leave’ the same feeling?

▲I asked Director Park Chan-wook if he wanted the voice from 55 years ago, but he said no. He asked me to sing it as it is. I think the mist has become thicker. Brother (Song) Chang-sik probably thinks the same. After experiencing vocal cord nodules twice, his voice changed. It’s not that he can’t sing. Each voice changes according to one’s circumstances. There is no essence or correct answer in singing. Whether rough or beautiful, as long as it evokes empathy, that’s enough.

-You teamed up for a mixed duet after a long time.

▲The traces of time are deeply imprinted. It’s not as delicate or pretty as before. Actually, the content is about a heart wandering in search of love like a wildfire, so it would be strange if it came out pretty. As for the harmony, no need to say more. Brother Chang-sik does not welcome recording for film music and such. This time, he refused several times, so I persuaded him personally. I went all the way from Busan to Misari and appealed that it was necessary for both the film industry and the pop music world. He is a singer who sings really well. Working with such an artist is an honor for me as well.

-Did Director Park have any special requests before recording?

▲He only showed me the scene where ‘Angae’ is inserted and the final scene. He said he had been waiting for this day for a long time (laughs). I sang as cleanly as possible. This is the third time this song has been inserted in a film. The first was in Director Kim Soo-yong’s ‘Angae’ where I sang, the second was in Director Lee Myung-se’s ‘M (2007)’ where BoA sang. Truly, good songs seem to transcend time and space.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

-Director Park won the Best Director award at the Cannes International Film Festival for ‘Decision to Leave’.

▲My husband (Kim Tae-hwa) has foresight. When he first received the proposal, he predicted that a miracle could happen. This song won a place in the ‘World Best 10’ at the 1970 Tokyo International Popular Song Festival. Even as a grandmother, receiving attention worldwide is deeply moving. I get goosebumps thinking I might have contributed even a little to the award.

-If you have something to say to Director Park.

▲I was so happy to record ‘Angae’ again after a long time. It was like a gift for Class 2, Grade 7 (72 years old). I was worried that my voice wouldn’t be good, but he kept saying ‘It’s so good,’ so I’m thankful. If you visit our shop (Jeong Hoon-hee and Kim Tae-hwa’s Flower Garden), I’ll treat you big (laughs).

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