'이십세기 힛-트쏭' digs into the absurd and cruel history of "억까(억지 까기)" that legendary singers who once dominated the pop music scene had to endure.
On the 24th, the KBS Joy variety program "이십세기 힛-트쏭" aired a chart titled "Apologize to me! hit songs by singers who were unfairly criticized," which shed light on the truth about singers who suffered unseen wounds from the public's distorted views, malicious rumors, and groundless speculation.
At number 10 on the chart that day was Kim Hyun-jung's "Breakup with Her," which set a record in 1998 as a solo female singer. At her debut she drew attention for her tall stature of over 170cm and her striking looks, but the public illogically criticized her, saying, "She doesn't look like a singer" and "Her dancing is flailing." It was even revealed that her protruding teeth, once seen as a charming point, were criticized as "mumbling pronunciation," forcing her to undergo orthodontic treatment, a bitter detail that evoked sympathy.
The untold story behind Park Ji-yoon's "Coming of Age Ceremony," which ranked eighth, also left viewers heavy-hearted. Although it was an unprecedentedly bold sexy concept that shook Korea, it brought unbearable wounds to the singer herself. Park Ji-yoon was engulfed in all kinds of groundless speculation and entertainment industry X-files and malicious rumors, ultimately forcing her into a dark six-year hiatus.
The case of jewelry-wearing Seo In Young, who repeatedly received flak for her outfits and fashion and ranked seventh, was revisited. From low-cut hip outfits to high-waist pants, the public criticized every trendy fashion she tried as provocative and pelted her with hateful comments like "she looks like an aunt in wide pants." In 2008 she even suffered the extreme cruelty of being voted "the sexy singer I no longer want to see," among other ordeals.
The most shocking story was the debut story of BoA, the "star of Asia," who ranked sixth with her debut song "ID:Peace B." Debuting at the young age of 13, BoA faced indiscriminate attacks, including the creation of 15 anti-cafes within a week of her debut, as rumors that she was a project of a major agency overlapped with speculation about the breakup of top group H.O.T. In a past interview BoA confessed, "I used the expression 'catching two rabbits' and was criticized as being old-headed, which caused me to suffer from insomnia," a revelation that drew sighs from the hosts.
Meanwhile, the story of Diva, who suffered unfair misunderstandings because of a strong older-sister image, also drew attention. In particular, host Kim Hee-cheul personally testified to an early-debut anecdote in which a singer did not tolerate a manager's abusive behavior and intervened on Chaerina's behalf, saying, "I saw it myself." Host Lee Mi-joo also expressed deep sympathy for Chaerina's loyal side, hidden by misunderstandings, saying, "This kind of thing is really admirable." The show airs every Friday at 8:30 p.m. on KBS Joy.
[Photo] '이십세기 힛-트쏭'
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