'Mr. Trot 3' Kim Yong-bin, Son Bin-a, and Cheon Rok-dam showcased their diverse storytelling skills.
On the 20th broadcast of KBS1's 'Morning Yard,' Kim Yong-bin, Son Bin-a, and Cheon Rok-dam, who took the top three spots in 'Mr. Trot 3' (眞善美), made an appearance.
Kim Yong-bin, Son Bin-a, and Cheon Rok-dam evoked memories of the late Hyun-cheol while singing 'Bongsunhwa Love Song.' Shin Yong-bin said, 'We three had previously sung songs by Teacher Hyun-cheol. And then we became the top three, which feels destined.' Currently on a national tour, the three expressed their gratitude, saying, 'There are still more than 17 locations left. We plan to visit Seoul for an encore performance in September, and thankfully, it is selling out.' Despite currently having a cold, the three promised to complete the national tour, stating that they derive great strength from the audience.
The three feel the change in popularity after appearing on 'Mr. Trot 3.' Kim Yong-bin said, 'After appearing on the audition program, the number of fan cafe members increased twentyfold. It's around 25,000 now. Recently, when I went to an event, about 40 buses showed up, and over a thousand people came. I was surprised. I was so moved that I hope a day will come when I can repay them.' Son Bin-a shared, 'I came wearing a hat and a mask because I caught a cold, but when Shin Yong-bin was interviewing, I sat next to him, and I think they mistook me for a manager,' sharing a humorous embarrassing moment. Son Bin-a added, 'After coming in second, more people started recognizing me. Now, as soon as they see my silhouette, they ask for signatures and photos. But I can still move around comfortably.' Cheon Rok-dam said, '9 out of 10 people recognize me as Cheon Rok-dam. I've been active for a long time, but before 'Mr. Trot 3,' even if people recognized me, they felt awkward approaching. Now that I'm active as Cheon Rok-dam, they approach me more warmly, and I'm grateful for that. The age range of my fans has increased too. Women in their 50s to 70s are showing their support.'
What were the feelings of the three on the day of the finals? Cheon Rok-dam said, 'As long as I made it into the TOP 7, I felt I had done everything I could. My goal was to show myself singing trot after appearing, and as I made it to the TOP 7, I kept moving up. When just three of us remained, I prayed, 'Please allow me to make it just as far as this.' and laughed. Son Bin-a remarked, 'I was happy every time I moved up a round. Rather than feeling that I had to come in first, I was grateful for that alone. So I was the only contestant who gained weight during the competition. When there were only Kim Yong-bin and me left, I thought, 'Could it be?' but I didn't feel regret at all.' Kim Yong-bin noted, 'At the time of the announcement of the first place, I had no thoughts. So when asked if there were any competitors, I said no. I was that out of it. Although I consistently ranked first in the popularity vote, I thought Son Bin-a would make it to the finals since she kept advancing.'
Kim Yong-bin was a 'trot prodigy' who started his activities in Daegu at the age of 7. He reflected, 'It was in the 90s when I got an offer to perform at a department store in Daegu, and I sang there. I sang trot before children's songs when I was 4 years old. I was raised by my grandmother, who also received a proposal to become a singer, but she couldn't due to family opposition. I was able to fulfill my grandmother's unfulfilled dream. After the news spread that I sang at the department store, I participated in a music contest at the Seoul Children's Grand Park and won the grand prize.'
However, Kim Yong-bin experienced a slump due to a long-standing anxiety disorder. He shared, 'I had been doing broadcasting activities since childhood, but when my voice changed during puberty, it wasn't in a condition that I could sing. Even when I moved to Japan, things didn't go well, and when I returned to Korea and released an album, the pressure and burden increased. I could have participated in an audition program, but I thought, 'What if I can't sing?' and 'What if I fail and hurt my pride?' So I didn't go out. I participated in 'Mr. Trot 3' because my grandmother, who was battling pancreatic cancer, said it was her last wish, and when I came in first, the first thing that came to mind was my grandmother.'
Son Bin-a quit preparing for a civil service exam in his mid-20s to enter a music contest. He stated, 'As a child, I never thought about being a singer. I grew up in the countryside and was exposed to trot, but it seemed too difficult, so I thought I should get a job that utilized my major. I worked at a company that manufactured automobile parts but almost had a severe accident, and while preparing for the civil service exam, my father asked me, 'What do you really want to do?' and I said I wanted to be a singer. That's how it began.'
In particular, Son Bin-a continued to participate in the 'Mr. Trot' series without giving up on his dreams. He said, 'In Season 1, I was mentioned but didn't get to sing. In Season 2, I was eliminated in team competitions. In Season 3, I miraculously came in second,' and 'I love the mountains, and the process of climbing is hard, but it's so good when you reach the top, so I challenged myself with the mindset that I would eventually reach the summit.'
Cheon Rok-dam's life changed due to joining the band club in high school. Originally named 'Lee Jeong-hee,' he recounted, 'I was at a point where I was thinking about what I should do with my life, and up until then, I was a judo athlete. I was contemplating whether to pursue my major in university, and then I heard they were forming a band club at school. Since I liked music from a young age, I joined without hesitation. I applied to be on keyboards, and the vocalist was my one-year senior, Ha Dong-kyun. That's when my musical life began. Following my brother, I registered at a music academy and quit sports to start music.' He later debuted as a solo artist under the stage name 'Lee Jeong' and contextualized, 'Before my solo debut, I debuted with a group called Seven Days alongside Ha Dong-kyun during the World Cup, but it went unnoticed, and I experienced a period of being unknown until I debuted as a solo artist.'
Cheon Rok-dam, while active as 'Lee Jeong,' also distanced himself from the music industry and went to Jeju Island. He said, 'After working, I returned from the military and even started a company, but it was difficult and I got hurt. As I was hurt by people, it seemed like I developed wounds on my body and mind as well. I even considered emigration abroad, thinking I would never return to being a singer. I went down to Jeju and spent almost two years relaxing without a single thought. But since I wasn't working, I felt empty. After that, I tried several businesses and worked hard until I met my wife, which changed my life. Right after we got married, I was diagnosed with stage 1 kidney cancer, but thanks to my wife, I detected it early, which became a turning point. I'm very healthy now,' he said. Cheon Rok-dam continued, 'Encouraged by my wife, I decided to challenge myself in trot. I usually didn't sing Lee Jeong's songs, but while drinking, I sang trot and she recommended it, saying it might go well. I took on a big challenge.'
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