KOR
Singer Kim Gun-mo has returned after 10 years with his new song, Where Am I Heading. It is a remake of a song of the same title by Jeon Young, originally released in 1977. Instead of the piano that was once his trademark, he was holding a guitar.
For Kim Gun-mo, who has been a national singer for nearly 30 years and even set a world record for album sales, the past six years were like a dark tunnel. He repeatedly asked himself, "Should I just quit music now?"
The one thing that stayed by his side the longest was the guitar. He practiced the guitar for at least four to five hours every single day without fail. He spent his days riding his bicycle for 100km to get by, and from evening until dawn, he would spend his time playing the guitar. That time eventually brought him back to music.
When SBS Entertainment News met Kim Gun-mo at his studio, he looked much healthier than before. The interview lasted for over three hours. Even while talking, he would naturally pick up his guitar. Like someone who finds singing more comfortable than speaking, he hummed his own story while playing the instrument. Regarding his new song, Kim Gun-mo emphasized several times, "This is not a 'comeback' or a 'resurgence,' but the 'debut' of Kim Gun-mo, the guitar player."
Q. I am curious about what led you to return to music after six years.
"I lived playing the piano every day for 28 years, but for the past six years, I barely touched it. I only tinkered with the guitar a little. Whenever I saw the piano, I would feel overwhelmed. All the things that had happened came rushing back, so I couldn't bring myself to touch it. I didn't perform, and I didn't intend to do music. Honestly, I thought about quitting. But one day, I happened to watch the MBN show 'Oppasidae' on TV. I heard the song 'Wings' sung by Jo Beom-jin, and the lyrics, 'Rise up,' and 'Youth, run with your dreams,' hit me right in the heart."
Q. So, that music ended up moving your heart again.
"It made me think, 'Oh, God hasn't abandoned me yet.' Strangely enough, I was later introduced to Jo Beom-jin, who sang that song, at my studio. At that moment, I felt, 'This is not a coincidence,' and from that day on, I felt the urge to do music again."
Q. It must not have been easy to pick up the guitar and start singing again.
"I only rode my bike every day. That was really all I did. My manager stayed with me almost every day for about three years. Overnight, I became a person with no performances, no schedule, and nowhere to go when I woke up in the morning. But I kept playing the guitar. I think that is what helped me endure."
Q. Did you start doing music because you fell in love with the guitar?
"At first, it was just with the mindset of, 'Let's just try recording something.' I wasn't in a happy state like I am now. I would practice the guitar, which I learned on my own, from evening until dawn, and then call Jo Beom-jin, who would wake up around 5 a.m., to pour out my questions. When I asked, 'Is it okay to play like this?' Jo Beom-jin would explain it well. That is how I became deeply immersed in the guitar. That is why I don't consider this song a 'resurgence.' To me, it is like a debut song where the 'piano-playing Kim Gun-mo' has ended, and the 'guitar-playing Kim Gun-mo' is greeting the world for the first time."
Q. Is there anyone you especially want to hear this song?
"I hope it reaches those who have lost family members, those who have lost loved ones, and those who are going through difficult times right now. Everyone experiences loss in life. I like the movie 'Coco,' and I believe that as long as someone remembers a person, they are still alive. I sang with that sentiment."
Q. What kind of emotions do you hope people feel when listening to this song?
"I hope many people who come to my concerts listen to it. Whether they are meeting a friend or are alone, I hope it becomes a time for them to look back and ask, 'Where am I heading right now?' and 'Have I lived well so far?' People who are struggling look for comfort more than those who are happy. I hope my song can be a small comfort to someone."
Q. I heard the recording process for this album was also special.
"I didn't record it with the intention of releasing an album from the start. 'Let's just give it a try.' That was truly all I had in mind. I went into the recording studio and sang comfortably while playing the guitar, and that recording remained as it was. I tried singing it again later, but it didn't have the same feeling. When I listened to it later, I found that the natural emotion was actually better. So, this song was recorded during my most difficult time."
Q. Has your mindset toward music changed a lot as well?
"In the past, I had a strong desire to show something. That is not the case anymore. I don't want to make music in a difficult way, and I won't struggle to pack it with grand meanings. I just want to make music that is fun for me and fun for the listeners. That is who I am now."
Q. You knelt and shed tears at your Busan concert, your first return in six years. I am curious why.
"I was just grateful. I couldn't believe there were people who had waited for me. The moment I saw the audience at the concert hall, I thought, 'There are still people who waited for me.' I was filled with nothing but gratitude. I heard later that the staff members who had been waiting since my performances stopped in 2019 all cried. My dear junior colleague Baekga, who came to Busan to support me, burst into tears, and I heard my manager, who rode bikes with me every day, also cried."
Q. Are you still deeply immersed in the guitar?
"I definitely play for four hours a day. The piano is an instrument my body already remembers, but I am a complete beginner at the guitar. That is why it is even more fun. There is so much to memorize and so much to practice. It feels like I have returned to the days when I was first learning the piano."
Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon | Produced by SBS Entertainment News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
