[Joo Young-jin's News Briefing]
When quoting this interview, please accurately credit the program name SBS 'Joo Young-jin's News Briefing'. Copyright belongs to SBS.
■ Broadcast: SBS 'Joo Young-jin's News Briefing' Mon–Fri (14:00–15:20)
■ Host: Anchor Joo Young-jin
■ Guest: Singer Ahn Chi-hwan
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● Interview with Singer Ahn Chi-hwan
"'People Are More Beautiful Than Flowers' Singer Ahn Chi-hwan Marks 40th Anniversary"
"Releases 15th Regular Album... New Song Titled 'I Only Live Today'"
"As Time Goes by, We Should Live Feeling More of the 'Preciousness of Everyday Life'"
"Focusing More on the 'Inner Self' After Democratization in 1991... Expanding Musical Horizons"
"'Singing Autumn' Concert Before Chuseok... Also in Busan in November"
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▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Everyone, when thinking of Ahn Chi-hwan, so many of you must have sung along to his songs. You sang "If I," and "People Are More Beautiful Than Flowers." He joins us here today. Welcome.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Hello.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Wonderful to see you.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Nice to see you in the studio.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: But you seem to have gotten younger.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Of course. Time treats everyone equally. Well, not really.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Speaking of time, is it true that it has already been 40 years?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: People say it has been 40 years.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: I am curious how you define your debut, Mr. Ahn. Do you consider your debut to be back when you wrote and sang those so-called protest songs (minjung-gayo)?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Well, it is hard for me to say definitively, but in my view, starting from the year I graduated. Simply put, if I count the period when I made a living through music and lived my life through music up until now, I still have about one or two years left.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: One or two years shy of 40. But the reason people say 40 years, as I just mentioned, is that when I entered university in 1987, students were already singing songs written by Ahn Chi-hwan.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That is right. At that time, the songs I wrote during my college days were already widely known on campus. It is almost unimaginable nowadays, but back then there was a network within campuses among song groups. So when someone wrote a song, they would practice singing it passionately and perform it at events like the May Daedongje festival. When it was unveiled then, people would come, listen, and spread it from mouth to mouth.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: It was truly incredible back then.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Not through broadcasts, but purely by word of mouth.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Recorded on cassette tapes that were not sold commercially. Right, transcribed by hand.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Exactly.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Then what was the first song you made?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Of course there were other songs as early drafts, but when I decided, "I should really try writing a song," memorizing and singing songs made by others made me ambitious, and this was the song I wrote: "As the fierce wind blows... Pine, pine, verdant pine... Green pine."
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: "Tremble not in the east wind."
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That is it.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: "Beneath the iron bars where you are bound."
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: How do you know that?
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Which student back in those days did not know this song? "Pine, Pine, Verdant Pine." And another song I remember is "Flag of the Lonely Land."
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That was around the same period, at a time when nobody could speak openly about what is now called the Jeju April 3 Incident or the April 3 Uprising. But we were young and hot-blooded. Seniors suggested we perform on this theme during the festival, and an older student told me, "You write the theme song. Give it a try." He handed me a book written by poet Lee San-ha.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: By poet Lee San-ha.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: He gave me the book "Hallasan," which was the first time I had seen it.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: I believe that was published by Changbi.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: I studied it thoroughly and wrote the song. In some ways, the musical mood is similar to "Pine, Pine, Verdant Pine."
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: "Sleepless Southern Island."
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: I remember writing it while thinking about how lonely that distant Jeju Island must have felt at the time.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: In fact, even students back then barely knew that April 3 was a painful part of our history.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That is true.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Now, many people know about it, legislation has been enacted, and honors have been restored. Looking at it, in a sense...
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: It is something every generation should know.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: "Pine, Pine, Verdant Pine." How was "Pine, Pine, Verdant Pine" created? Who were you thinking of when you wrote it?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: May I talk about this? It involves political perspectives to some extent.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: It is a story about that era, after all.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: At that time, I was a college junior, and there was a student council election. Everyone will recognize his name now—senior Woo Sang-ho ran as a candidate, and there was another person. He has not become a lawmaker yet. Two candidates ran, and a senior told me to go out and sing to support and root for a candidate. So I went and presented the song I had been working on. Back then, it was not Woo Sang-ho but the other candidate I supported, but senior Woo Sang-ho ended up winning the student council presidency. I did not really care either way, since I did not know them well. But after the election ended, senior Woo Sang-ho asked me to sing that song once again at his inauguration ceremony, so I sang it again. After that, the song became widely known and spread throughout the campus. Is it okay that I mentioned real names?
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Not at all, not at all. Hearing today for the first time that this song was ultimately created during the Yonsei University student council presidential election campaign is fascinating.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Do not bring up too many stories from the past.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Not at all. But I cannot help asking one more question. In June 1987, when student council president Woo Sang-ho was in office, our history witnessed the advancement of South Korea's democracy, but at the same time, another painful moment was the late martyr Lee Han-yeol. During his street memorial service, another song that was sung repeatedly was "Dry Leaves Revive."
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That is right. I wrote it back then. "Who says it is sorrowful~" That song. "Across the river, the river~" It is a heartbreaking story, and even though so much time has passed, I always feel we must carry in our hearts all those who passed away after dedicating themselves to democratization.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Singer Ahn Chi-hwan, who once wrote songs that accompanied the spirit of that era, began singing about happiness at some point.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Naturally, because the world changes.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The world changes.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: And I change as well. But rather than altering my roots, I thought I should spread out many branches based on those roots and broaden my musical horizon. I thought that way then, and I still do today.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Popular songs often tell stories of love, parting, and sorrow. When reflecting on the songs by Ahn Chi-hwan that became widely known and loved, "If I"—was that also created by turning a poem into a song?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: No.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: So you did not write it yourself...
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: It was not a poem. A friend named Kim Young-guk, who writes songs exceptionally well, wrote that song for me. And "People Are More Beautiful Than Flowers" was indeed made from a poem.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That was made from a poem.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: The afternoon feels a bit sluggish, so if anyone craves it... shall I?
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Yes, please.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: (Singing)
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: When singing this song with colleagues and friends, we often sing, "It is you, precisely you." Thank you so much.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Since it is afternoon, my voice was a bit...
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Many people nowadays may feel life is challenging and gloomy, but people are hope, and people are more beautiful than flowers.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: No matter how harsh the world becomes, people must be there for happiness to exist. Warm flowers must blossom from relationships between people for the world to be worth living in, don't you think?
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Singing outside a concert stage like this is by no means an easy task, so thank you very, very much for doing this.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: I tend to follow directions well.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Thank you. Since you have sung for us, a song commemorating your 40th anniversary of debut has been released, and the title caught my eye: "I Only Live Today."
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That is right. "I Only Live Today." People around my age often say time passes far too fast. Why does time fly like an arrow? I feel the same, but another thought I have is that there really is no time.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: No time.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: I feel as though there is not much time left. So I should live feeling the value of each day and the preciousness of everyday life more closely. Time is precious. With that thought in mind, shall I play it for you?
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: I believe the backing track is ready right now.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Let me just play this part on the guitar first.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: You will just do it on guitar?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: It puts me at a disadvantage, but shall I try? "Let's be happy together~ Let's be happier now~ Having lived, that's just how it is~ Right now is also just a fleeting moment~ After hurting endlessly~ Looking back, nobody is there~ Even if I rush frantically~ It's all roughly the same~ I only live today~ Yesterday's me paid with bone-deep regrets~ I only live today~ Tomorrow's me, don't worry about worries~ It will do just fine~ I only live today~ Tomorrow's me, don't worry about worries~ It will do just fine~ I only live today~"
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: This brings Carpe Diem to mind.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That is right. It is Carpe Diem.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The past has gone, and the future has not arrived.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Exactly. I hope we can live thinking that right now is the time when we should be happiest and live our best lives.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: At what point did a singer who always shared the pain and concerns of the era begin shifting his gaze toward his own life, individual lives, and our everyday lives?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: That was around 1992—it is a very old story now—after a certain degree of democratization had been achieved and the authoritarian regime ended, the world changed significantly. The framework of ideological eras broke down, and I thought I should focus more on the inner self. Also, as a musician, human thought cannot be like an amoeba focusing on only one thing. There are many thoughts throughout life, and I decided to pursue my music based on three themes: life, love, and the times. That is why I expanded my horizons.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Have you ever thought that you would also like to create a truly beautiful love story or a beautiful parting story?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: I always do.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: You always do?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: And I have made them.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: You made them, but looking at Ahn Chi-hwan's beautiful love stories and parting stories...
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: There are songs like "If I Were the Sky~", and then...
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: "I want to be colored into your heart~"
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: There is also "From Which Star Did We Meet~ That we miss each other so desperately~". There are more than you might think.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Celebrating 40 years, it seems you should let many people hear even more great love and parting songs. What are your concert plans?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Coming up right away, there is a concert the week after next in September before Chuseok. It will be held at a venue called Yeonnam Space. There is another in November, and one in Busan in December, with possible shows in other regions as well.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That is wonderful.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: I will do my best to get the word out.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Isn't a singer someone who writes songs, sings songs, connects with the public through concerts, and makes a living that way? What do you think?
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Absolutely. Being a singer does not mean living an extraordinary life; cherishing everyday life, living faithfully, and focusing on music through that—that is the dream of a popular singer. That is what it is.
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Our time with Ahn Chi-hwan feels far too brief, and since you sang so many songs for us, please do not leave just yet today.
▶ Ahn Chi-hwan / Singer: Shall I stay?
▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: After we go through the remaining segments in the latter half of the program, there is a song I really want to hear, so I would like to make a request. Ahn Chi-hwan has not left yet, so viewers, please look forward to it.
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