Singer Kim Yeon-ja filled Wednesday night with her diverse charm.
Kim appeared on the MBC entertainment program 'Radio Star' special titled 'Age is just a number! The heart is real!' aired on the 30th, where she shared various episodes and talks.
Recently appointed as a promotional ambassador for the Korean National Police Agency to prevent voice phishing, Kim presented '112 Party,' a reworked version of 'Amor Fati.' Kim mentioned the issue of 'no-shows' at restaurants, stating, "There are more victims around than you might think. Since even employees of the police agency can fall for it, I hope you all stay cautious."
Having debuted in 1974, Kim Yeon-ja is actively working for 51 years now; she said, "I have never thought of it as long. Even now, I am still working with the heart of a newcomer." Earlier, Kim had stated she would only perform until she was 70, but she changed her mind under persuasion and received applause as she announced that she would release a commemorative album on August 15 to celebrate her 50th anniversary. Additionally, Kim revealed she participated in 'Giving' upon receiving a love call from Young-tak.
Also a legendary Hallyu star, Kim Yeon-ja is still actively releasing new songs regularly in Japan. With her new song 'The Woman's Wave,' she pleased listeners, stating, "Even now, Japanese trot often deals with lyrics about devoted love. Particularly since the main consumers of enka are karaoke customers, filming music videos is a must. It's like a music lesson for buyers," she explained.
Kim Yeon-ja recalled her time in Japan, saying, "Fortunately, I started gaining popularity by participating in 'Kohaku Uta Gassen.' However, I struggled with homesickness, and since I had to pay a large cancellation fee if I missed any schedule, I learned about my father's passing only ten days after. I returned home for my mother, but she is currently not in good health," eliciting a sense of poignancy.
Kim Yeon-ja rated her version of 'Amor Fati' as being at the highest level of difficulty, stating that there were many mistakes due to misalignments. In particular, she noted that there was supposed to be rap during the lengthy interlude, but the rapper bailed on the recording day, which led to Kim's unique turn in the performance. She attributed the popularity rise of 'Amor Fati' to 'Infinity Challenge,' saying, "At that time, I wasn't aware of my Bluetooth singing method until Byung-soo Park pointed it out to me."
Additionally, Kim Yeon-ja created smiles alongside Jo Hye-ryun, with whom she formed a special chemistry during overlapping periods of activity in Japan. Kim expressed deep admiration for Jo's performance of 'Mercury Lamp' and brought laughter with her stunned expression upon Jo's sudden revelation of her high heels.
Meanwhile, Kim Yeon-ja is loved by all generations for her numerous hit songs and active performances. Recently, she was appointed as a promotional ambassador for the Korean National Police Agency along with Kim So-yeon, and she continues to meet with the public while shuttling between Korea and Japan. In August, she plans to release a remix of 'Sookdeokkung' with a different charm from the original.
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