Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Lee Young-hwa |
Singer Lee Young-hwa, 66, said Tuesday she moved to the southeastern port city of Busan after realizing there was no place for trot singers like her in the nation's music scene. Trot is a local music genre popular mainly in the 1950s to 1970s.
Appearing on a KBS morning show, Lee, who used to be a pop icon of the 1980s with numerous hits, said the domination of trendy K-pop has pushed older singers like her out of show business.
"K-pop idol groups are a megatrend. There is no place for the rest of us to perform. So I went down to Busan three years ago. I now come to Seoul only occasionally, and I have completely settled in Busan," Lee said.
Since autumn 2017, Lee has run her own live music bar Lee Young-hwa 7080 in a central neighborhood in Busan, where she performs a repertoire of her hit songs directly for fans and visitors. The trot singer laughed that she often encounters loyal fans in Busan, who could not believe it was truly her, questioning why the star of the 1980s decided to take root in the southern city.
"People don't believe I live in Busan. That's why I try to stay in the music bar all the time, singing for my fans," she said.
Her remarkably versatile voice still resonates with music fans in their 50s or older. She was one of the highest in-demand singers of her time. But she said those good old days are gone with the influx of young, trendy K-pop singers.
Lee made her singing debut in 1979 with her first album, and earned acclaim for her rich and powerful voice. She has received various awards and honors for her contribution to the music industry, including a commendation from the nation's culture minister in 2001.
