The poster for singer Na Hoon-a's final tour concert / Courtesy of Yearah and Yesori Entertainment

Na Hoon-a, the 77-year-old "trot emperor," reconfirmed his retirement to his fans during the opening performance of his farewell tour.

"Are you sad that I'm leaving?" Na asked during his final performance, and when the audience loudly responded with "Yes," he replied, "That's why I'm leaving. How sad would I be if you weren't sorry to see me go? I thought leaving when the applause is loudest would be easy, but it truly drained my soul and was incredibly hard for me."

He made the announcement during a show that is part of his final concert tour, "Thank You (Last Concert)," which opened on April 27 at Songdo Convensia in Incheon.

During the second show of the evening, he said, "I will never sit in front of a piano again, nor touch a guitar, and although I may read books, I will never write again."

The long-time trot legend's remarks elicited sighs from the audience, with remarks such as "You are still so vigorous," and "No, don't go."

The introduction to the concert featured a video montage covering his career from his self-declared debut in 1967 through 2024. He performed six songs starting with "Hometown Station," changing outfits between each song, demonstrating the unwavering energy that characterized his illustrious career.

During his first performance at 3 p.m., Na engaged with the audience for over two hours and showed no signs of fatigue during his 7:30 p.m. show, where he also performed 22 songs over approximately two and a half hours.

"Since this is my last concert, I will definitely do a good job," he said, putting all his effort into the performance. His flawless and captivating singing throughout the concert elicited continuous applause and cheers from the audience.

Fans take a photo after attending Na Hoon-a's final concert tour "Thank You" at Songdo Convensia in Incheon's Yeonsu District, April 27. Korea Times photo by Go Kyung-seok

Concerts sold out

The concert venue was filled early with a predominantly middle-aged and older adult audience over 50. Many families also attended the event with their children.

A male attendee in his sixties said, "I couldn't get tickets through regular booking, so I ended up paying a premium to finally secure them."

A couple in their fifties shared, "Our two daughters managed to get tickets using one computer, one tablet, and two mobile phones."

Fans universally expressed regret over Na's retirement.

Jung Hye-ja, a 67-year-old who has been a fan of Na for over fifty years, said, "He is the greatest singer — he is humane, honest, bold and very masculine. It's hard to believe he is retiring; his voice hasn't changed a bit over the years. Now it feels like I've lost a joy in life."

Following his performances on April 27 and 28 in Incheon, he will continue his concerts in other cities including Cheongju, Ulsan, Changwon, Cheonan, Wonju, and Jeonju. The 13 scheduled shows quickly sold out after going on sale. The "Thank You" tour will extend into the second half of the year, with dates in major cities such as Seoul, Daegu, and Busan yet to be determined.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.