Kim Hyun Joong who has long legs since elementary school, listened to songs by
‘Seo TaiJi & Boys’ when he is still an elementary student and indulge into music. He traveled to 5 European countries with his elder brother when he was in year 5 elementary school.
During 1st year middle school, cultural shock from
Seo Taiji ‘It’s Ultraman’
Practiced 10 hours of guitar a day
“I get really excited if I see him!”
Though Kim Hyun Joong swept away all the females’ hearts , there is a star whom he wants to meet. He is none other than the culture leader Seo Taiji.
Kim Hyun Joong started to be a fan of Seo Taiji when he went to the records store with his father and bought Seo Taiji’s LP for the first time when he was still an elementary student
. “I still have the LP that I bought at that time. Especially after I heard Seo Taiji’s ‘It is Ultraman” in year 2000, I started to completely fall for heavy metal genre.”
That was when he was in 1st year of middle school. Kim Hyun Joong saved up his money from his part-time job to purchase his first guitar.
“With 70,000 won, I went to the Music Instruments Shopping District but there isn’t any guitars that I can afford. One shop owner sold me at a discounted price feeling sorry at the look of me walking along and holding on to the 1,000 won notes which I’ve saved from my part-time job.”
After he bought his guitar, he neglected his studies and immersed with practicing guitar. Practically not going anywhere outside, he held to his guitar for 10 hours a day. And he formed a school band
‘AXERS’ with 5 friends, and when they have money, they would spend it on 7,000won hourly rent practice room to practice together.
‘
AXERS’ gained recognition for their relatively good merits among their same-aged group. Every time without fail, they would perform at school celebration events and their head-banging skills heated up the audience atmosphere.
Even though he is the leader of dance idol group SS501 now, rock is still Kim Hyun Joong’s favorite genre.
“Rock (music) is definitely the best to be in rhythm with the audience. Compared to singing in a band, I think it is more cool to be quietly playing the bass at the back.”
Kim Hyun Joong’s love for Seo Taiji doesn’t change as time goes by. When Seo Taiji released 10,000 limited edition of his 10 years debut anniversary commemoration album in 2007, Kim HyunJoong pre-ordered at various places to be able to purchase just 2 copies of it.
So we ask Kim HyunJoong if he has seen his all-time idol Seo Taiji after he debuted as a singer? Answer is
‘not yet’.
“Last year, when Seo Taiji comeback with his album ‘MOAI’, someone in the broadcasting company promised to show me to him, however it was a pity that I missed it due to SS501’s schedule. I still feel very excited when I think that I will get to personally see Seo Taiji singing.”
PLEASE RE-POST WITH FULL CREDIT
Credits : jjangga@sportschosun.com + SS601.com + (English Translation) xiaochu @ Quainte501.com
