Each Wednesday night, EBS's 'Space Sympathy' has delighted our eyes and ears through stories of classic albums and special live performances. The 'Classic Album Documentary Series' will conclude with its twentieth episode.
'Space Sympathy' will unveil a dramatically different format in 2024, marking its 20th anniversary. Based on the '100 Classic Albums of 2000s Korean Pop' selected with 11 experts, this 'Classic Series' focuses on 20 classic albums, deeply exploring the album production processes and the struggles of musicians. Viewers were thrilled by the genuine stories of musicians representing 2000s Korean pop music, such as Kim Yoon Ah, Jannabi, Broccoli You Too, Jeong Mi Jo, PEPPERTONES, Se So Neon, Zion.T, Sunwoo Jung-A, and E SENS, noting, "The intimate stories of musicians that 'Space Sympathy' could capture" and "I was happy to hear new stories that I couldn't hear anywhere else." The newly created classic album live performances also drew significant attention.
In this context, the last episode of EBS's 'Classic Album Documentary Series,' which will air on the 19th, features rapper E SENS's segment on 'The Anecdote', marking a grand finale.
The meaning of the album title 'The Anecdote' is 'personal anecdote,' and the album cover resembles a handkerchief engraved with the initials of his real name, Kang Min Ho. In this way, E SENS's first studio album 'The Anecdote,' released in 2015, seems to foreshadow what stories it will tell from the very first impression. The anecdotes of the human 'Kang Min Ho,' which he cherishes like a handkerchief, are the essence of this album.
Having started rapping in middle school, E SENS won first place in his first competition. Later, he formed the duo 'Supreme Team' with Simon Dominic, gaining fame even before releasing an album. At the age of 27, he released his first album under the name E SENS. "I think Kang Min Ho, who wanted to be a rapper, neglected the human side of him. It's an album that melted away while living with the mindset of 'I need to do better' instead of 'Are you struggling?" he recalled during an interview with 'Space Sympathy.' He left for Denmark to work on the album and completed it in just two weeks with hip-hop R&B producer Obi, focusing solely on music in an unfamiliar environment and pouring out his thoughts with the intention of capturing 'what I think now.'
E SENS stated, "I thought my uniqueness would be cool and impressive, but the outcome was unexpectedly different." He mentioned that the album only captures moments of crying, anger, and struggle. However, both the public and critics responded enthusiastically to the raw stories he shared. 'The Anecdote' achieved the remarkable feat of winning both 'Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album' and 'Album of the Year' at the 13th Korean Music Awards in 2016, and it has consistently been mentioned as a classic album in various lists. Moreover, it was selected again in 2024 as part of the '100 Classic Albums of 2000s Korean Pop' by 'Space Sympathy.'
This year marks the 10th anniversary since the release of 'The Anecdote.' Reflecting on the past decade, E SENS noted, "I think people loved me because I honestly showed my flaws without pretending to be cool." This album became a hint and an opportunity for him, and 'The Anecdote,' which taught him to live as his true self, has been captured in a documentary by 'Space Sympathy.'
This broadcast will focus on the rapper E SENS's musical life centered around the classic album 'The Anecdote.' It captures how his perspective on music and life has changed, from a past where he thought, "As someone who showcases, I must explode myself" to the present realization that "living life as if it's a fake blind date doesn't allow me to feel anything." E SENS expresses his philosophy, saying, "Creating music seems similar to being a good dad," highlighting his human charm. He expressed his desire, saying, "I want to keep making music. I hope to continue doing well like seniors Cho Yong Pil and Na Hoon Ah," demonstrating his unwavering passion for music.
The special live performance by E SENS, which is rarely seen on EBS, is also prepared. He will present a total of nine songs live, including 'Back In Time,' 'A-G-E,' 'Writer’s Block,' and 'Unknown Verses' from the classic album 'The Anecdote,' as well as 'I Must Know' from the second album 'The Outsider,' 'Flight' and 'sleep tight' from the EP 'Marigold Tapes,' and 'No Boss' and 'What The Hell' from the third album 'Piggy Bank,' released in 2023.
After completing all filming, E SENS said, "I hope people are curious about hip-hop, not just about the cool things I do."
A time to meet the human 'Kang Min Ho.' The 'Space Sympathy' classic album series episode on 'E SENS - The Anecdote' will be available on March 19 (Wed) at 10:45 p.m. on EBS 1TV.
'Space Sympathy' has left a significant record by looking back at the history of 2000s Korean pop music through the 'Classic Series' and opened a place for dialogue among music fans. With the final episode set to be released on March 19, 'Space Sympathy' will conclude the 'Classic Series' and prepare for another music story. Look forward to 'Space Sympathy' returning in October 2025 with a new project. The 'Classic Album Documentary Series' can be revisited on the official 'Space Sympathy' website and YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, E SENS was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison with a 2-year probation for habitual marijuana use in April 2012, along with 160 hours of community service, 40 hours of drug treatment classes, and a recovery of 2,133,500 won. He was also placed on the broadcasting suspension list after this incident, and in April 2015, he was arrested again for smoking marijuana and was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, being released in October 2016.
[Photo] EBS
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