A monument honoring singer Kim Yonja of Choi Creative Lab (CEO Choi Singyu) was erected in her hometown of Gwangju.
Kim Yonja attended the monument unveiling ceremony held in Nam-gu, Gwangju on the 20th. The monument, shaped like Mudeungsan Seoseokdae, is a sculpture 200 cm wide and 160 cm high, with the lyrics of her signature song "Amor Fati" engraved on it.
Despite the cold weather that day, Nam-gu Mayor Kim Byeongnae, Nam-gu council members, Sajik-dong civic groups, Kim Yonja's family and fan club "Moana", and residents of Seodong in Nam-gu attended to share the meaningful moment. Especially, the fan club "Moana" added significance by donating 140 1.5kg bags of rice to the Community Service Center for elderly people living alone and disadvantaged neighbors in Sajik-dong to commemorate the monument unveiling.
Kim Yonja said, "My hometown has always been like my mother's embrace. Whenever I felt lonely or having a hard time, I sang thinking of my hometown in my heart. Just knowing there is a place that would always welcome me warmly gives me great strength and courage," adding, "It still feels like a dream that something so meaningful happened in Gwangju. I will not forget this feeling and will repay my hometown with good songs so that I can be a singer worthy of it."
She also said of the trot classic "Amor Fati," beloved across generations, "I dreamed of a national song that not only trot fans but people of all ages could enjoy together, and this song made that wish come true."
Junior singers from Choi Creative Lab made a surprise visit to astonish the ceremony's honoree Kim Yonja and warmed the venue by enthusiastically singing "Amor Fati." Toward the end of the unveiling ceremony, Kim Yonja and the junior singers put on a special impromptu performance called "within 10 minutes," delivering moving moments to citizens and fans gathered at the scene with heartwarming chemistry that transcended generations.
Kim Yonja was born in 1958 in Seodong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, and is an honorary graduate of Daeseong Elementary School, Supia Girls' Middle School, and Gwangju Supia Girls' High School. After debuting in 1974, she worked between Korea and Japan as an original Hallyu star, and through numerous hits including "Su-eun-deung" and "Amor Fati," she became known in Korea as "the legend of trot" and in Japan as "the queen of enka," becoming a source of pride for Gwangju and a representative national singer of Korea. The engraving of "Amor Fati," which symbolizes more than 50 years of musical footsteps, on the monument further reaffirmed her stature.
Meanwhile, last year Kim Yonja released "Ssukdeokkung Remix (Remix)" and "Jusigo (Juicy Go)" with Youngtak, and after being appointed public relations ambassador for the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency she also participated in singing the voice-phishing prevention song "112 Party." She is currently continuing active work through various broadcasts, performances and public interest campaign stages.
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