Lee Seung-chul at 40 years: "Time for true singer-songwriters to hit the world stage"
Lee Seung-chul marked 40 years since debut on JTBC Newsroom, calling for Korean solo artists to chase the Billboard success K-pop idols have found.
Forty years in, Lee Seung-chul is not slowing down. He has opinions.
The veteran singer appeared on JTBC Newsroom on July 26 to mark his 40th debut anniversary. His career spans Huiya, his solo debut Annyeongirado Malhajiма, Never Ending Story (released after his group Boohwal reunited), the widely beloved Geureon Saram Tto Eopsseumnida, and Amateur, which has found a following among younger listeners.
Asked to describe four decades in one word, he chose oreum — the volcanic hills of Jeju Island. "It was a journey of endless ascents," he said. "Many oreum came together to become songs, performances, and received love, and 40 years have passed."
On the inevitable dips: "There cannot always be flat ground. Flat ground is not fun."
He spoke about Amateur with particular warmth, calling it "a song that carries the meaning that everyone is an amateur on the stage of life."
The conversation shifted to his junior artist development project The Scout, whose winner is Lee San (이산). Lee Seung-chul framed it as part of a larger argument: "Now K-pop idols are active on the Billboard charts, but now it is time for true singer-songwriters and solo artists to go to the world stage." He added that The Scout is "the beginning to find such singer-songwriters" among the many Korean soloists he believes already have global sensibility.
(Forty years of oreum, and he's still picking fights worth having.)
Cheer the story
