Cheon Rok-dam Shrugs Off 'Korea's Michael Jackson' Tag; Navi Jokes She Is 'Korea's Alicia Keys'

Cheon Rok-dam opened up about the story behind his new stage name.

On the Dec. 8 episode of SBS's "Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny," the singer―formerly known as Lee Jung―appeared as a special MC.

Introducing himself with a laugh, he said, "I'm rookie singer Cheon Rok-dam." Kim Gu-ra greeted him as "Lee Jung," and Lee Ji-hye quickly corrected him.

Kim Gu-ra doubled down, joking, "I've called him Lee Jung for 20 years―am I breaking the law now?" which had everyone cracking up.

When Lee Hyun-yi asked about the meaning behind the new name, Cheon explained it's a nod to Korea's two iconic crater lakes―Heaven Lake on Mount Baekdu (Cheonji) and Baengnokdam on Hallasan―adding he hopes his music reaches that far.

Navi then teased, "Weren't you 'Korea's Michael Jackson'?" Cheon waved it off: "That was just something the label cooked up."

Navi fired back, "I was Korea's Alicia Keys," keeping the jokes rolling. Lee Ji-hye reminisced that she was once billed as having a "voice blessed by God," and Seo Jang-hoon quipped, "Not God-given―more like possessed," sending the studio into laughter. 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Hyo-jung)