Kim Da-hyun, 17, releases grandparents' love story as Korean traditional-style semi-trot

A real love story, set to semi-trot

Kim Da-hyun released 광양에서 만난 사랑 (Love Found in Gwangyang) on October 8 at noon. The track is a Korean traditional music-style semi-trot built around her grandparents' actual love story. She's 17.

Her grandfather was the son of Kim Bong-gon, a master at Cheonghakdong, and lived on Jungsseom island beneath Baekun Mountain in Gwangyang. Her grandmother came from Hadong, Gyeongnam. At eighteen, she crossed the Seomjin River to marry into the island.

Kim Da-hyun said she "wanted to express my grandparents' beautiful love through trot." She wrote the song "thinking of my grandmother who got married at a similar young age to mine."

A packed first two weeks of October

The release landed in the middle of a busy stretch. On October 5, she served as MC for the pre-opening ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. The following day she walked the opening ceremony red carpet as an actress. On October 9 at 10 AM, 24 animated Kakao Talk emoticons using her image went live.

As of October 13, she ranks 3rd in the October Netzens Awards Female Singer category.

She currently serves as a promotional ambassador for Gwangyang City—the song's setting carries weight beyond family history. The rest of October is booked with festival and event performances across the country.