I was born at a farm village of Haeundae, a beach front community of Eastern Busan in 1958.
When I was a elementary school student, my father failed in his business and our family had to face a big difficulties in their livelihood.
All my family members had to work to earn money for keeping the livelihood. My elder sister and I did hard at each work right after school was over.
In the vortex of busy work, my mother came to run a small supermarket with the help of one of relatives. But we soon failed in the business and found to be cheated by the relative.
At that time, I thought I had to do something for our family. I went up to Seoul with no definite object in view and together with mother visited Mr. Gho, Dea-won who had debuted as a singer and begged him to help me to become a singer.

Since I had won three best awards at MBC singing contests while I was staying in Wul-san, I was soon debuted as a singer by passing the audition.
However I had to come back to my home town soon after my father died, and went back to study as a working student.
Afterwards I finished the military service and got a job at a bar providing accommodations and meals. I worked for the bar with several co-working clerks earning 60,000 won a month.

There is one friend among co-workers I still remember.
I cannot remember his name but his surname “Bae”. He helped me so a lot while I was working at a bar named “Utopia Club” in Myund-dong. He worked at a 2nd floor of the bar. We had not contacted with each other, but I want to meet him again. Please give me a call if he reads this.
A while after I came to meet Mr. Ahn, Tae-sub who had found and managed famous group singers “Sook Sisters”.
I practiced hard living at his house and finally released the first album “The Lost 30 years”.

Many of young artists today may not understand the bittersweet memories while trying hard to make one’ debut, but I think such a hardship and experience is an energy which makes me always humble in front of the public and appreciate each day as a singer. There are countless memories of happiness and hardship, but I can not introduce all of them here. Whenever I am in a trouble, such memories are my consolation.
There’s a Chinese idiomatic phrase, “Great success does not usually occur early”.
I think a man who experiences many of difficulties and survives them has always try hard every day and night. I hope you to be such a man!