The first documentary about Kim Min-ki and his academic history, 'Kim Min-ki's Academic History and the Behind', made a huge impact by illuminating the behind-the-scenes look at Kim Min-ki, a genius musician who comforted the people with his beautiful music.
In the second part of 'SBS Special-Hakjeon and Behind the Scenes Kim Min-ki', which aired on the 28th, representative musicians of Korea such as Song Chang-sik, Jo Young-nam, Park Hak-gi, Na Yun-seon, Jang Pil-soon, Kang San-e, Yoon Do-hyun, and Jeong Jae-il, along with 'Dobidoo' Kim Young-se and 'Nochasa' Kim Min-ki's acquaintances, including Kim Chang-nam, Im Jin-taek, Lee Sang-woo, and Chae Hee-wan, as well as people who had a special relationship with Kim Min-ki at the labor site, willingly appeared in front of the camera and told the story about 'musician Kim Min-ki.'
Accordingly, the viewership ratings for the second part of 'Kim Min-ki's Before and After' increased compared to the previous episode, recording 3.8% in the metropolitan area and 3.4% nationwide, maintaining the top spot on terrestrial broadcasting in the same time slot for two consecutive weeks. In particular, the 2049 viewer rating recorded 1.1% in the metropolitan area, ranking first among all programs broadcast in the same time slot (based on Nielsen Korea).
This day's broadcast opened with a look back at the status of the small theater Hakjeon, which was considered a dream stage for all Korean singers in the early 1990s. Among the concert stages of outstanding singers such as Wild Chrysanthemum, Lee So-ra, Jo Gyu-chan, Nochatsa, Kwon Jin-won, Park Hak-gi, Kang San-e, Jang Pil-soon, and Yoon Do-hyeon, the biggest star was Kim Gwang-seok, who wrote the legend of '1000th performance'. Kim Min-ki was the one who opened the way for Kim Gwang-seok, who was evaluated as not having the talent to become a solo singer among the members of 'Nochassa' during his rookie days, to become a solo singer. At the time, when Kim Gwang-seok hesitated to perform solo, saying, “There aren't many songs that suit me,” Kim Min-ki advised, “There are many songs in the world, and among them, there is a song that suits you. If you find that song and sing it, it's your song,” and wrote 'Letter from a Private.' I had them call me. Afterwards, Kim Kwang-seok's performances, which created a huge sensation as a solo singer, were sold out every day. Actor Jeon Bae-soo, who was working part-time while studying at the time, said, “It was my job to send the audience away. One day, I was trying to send away an old couple, and they said it was Kim Kwang-seok's father. He also testified about an incident that made him laugh.
This history of academic scholarship was possible because of Kim Min-gi. At a time when pop songs were popular, Kim Min-ki created a sensation as Korea's first singer-songwriter by releasing his first album filled with only his own compositions. His lyrics that read a poem and the beautiful world of music announced the birth of a genius. . Many musicians who were influenced by Kim Min-ki's world of music came to respect him and flocked around him, and it was surprising that among those who showed respect for Kim Min-ki was the 'King of Singer' Cho Yong-pil.
It is said that Kim Min-ki himself actually disliked ‘singer Kim Min-ki’. She didn't like her own songs, so she never sang them in private. The interviewees' consensus was that the fate of singer Kim Min-ki, which was entangled in the history of tragedy at the time, may have had an influence in the background.
The Yushin era in the 1970s was a time when demonstrations criticizing the regime continued, and because citizens sang Kim Min-ki's 'Morning Dew' and 'Friend' during the demonstration, Kim Min-ki was branded as the instigator of the rebellion, and all songs were banned. He had to go through endless hardships, including being banned from artistic activities. Although Kim Min-ki did not sing songs for struggle, but merely composed songs purely for himself, he regarded the oppression of the regime as his fate due to the influence he gained regardless of his will.
'I could not list my name as the lyricist or composer of a single song,' wrote in Kim Min-ki's handwritten memoir that was released. The phrase, “My college life was already a mess,” made us feel a little bit of the magnitude of despair that Kim Min-ki had to go through at the time. In addition, Song Chang-sik recalled Kim Min-ki at the time and expressed regret, saying, “If she had put everything aside and just made music, she would have been great. If she had gone into music, she would have turned Korean pop music upside down, so it's a bit of a waste.”
However, Kim Min-ki's music for the people continued endlessly even in unseen places. Kim Min-gi, who was blocked from all artistic activities, worked as an administrator at a leather factory to make a living after being discharged from the military. Even in an atmosphere of disdain for production workers, Kim Min-gi was the only one who got along with them without any fault and tried to lead workers who were desperate to make a living to a better life. It is said that he worked hard.
Kwak Ki-jong, who worked at a leather factory at the time, said that Kim Min-gi would sit around with workers during lunch hours and play the guitar, and that he would personally teach early morning studies for workers who wanted education, and that 'Evergreen Tree', known as Kim Min-ki's signature song, was in fact It was surprising that it was revealed to be a congratulatory song written for the joint wedding of a working couple.
In addition, Kim Min-ki, who felt a sense of problem with the miserable working environment after witnessing the lives of factory workers first-hand, gathered his acquaintances and produced the song 'Lights of the Factory', which realistically captures the reality of the time in the lyrics. Kim Min-ki, who recorded 'The Light of the Factory' on a cassette tape that was easily accessible to the common people, even recorded only the accompaniment on the back so that workers could sing along directly. As it was a story about workers, there was no chance of it passing the review process, and government repression was obvious, but Kim Min-ki pushed ahead with the project, risking everything. Kim Min-ki's beliefs were passed down from hand to hand to the people in an unseen place along with the first underground illegal album 'Factory Light', touching the hearts of workers and making society seething. Furthermore, like the flapping of a butterfly's wings that caused a typhoon, it was revealed that it led to the sit-in protest by female workers at YH Trading Company, the expulsion of opposition leader Kim Young-sam and the dissolution of the opposition party, the Bouma Uprising, and ultimately the end of Yushin, giving surprise and great emotion.
In this way, in Part 2 of 'Kim Min-ki's Before and After', we will see Kim Min-ki as a genius singer-songwriter who was praised as a great musician, and Kim Min-ki, who had to accept his fate due to the oppression of the Yushin regime, and further, comforted the people through music in an unseen place in harsh times. It illuminated the life of Kim Min-ki, who moved the public sentiment, and gave a bittersweet aftertaste to the nose. Accordingly, attention is being paid to what kind of 'behind-the-scenes Kim Min-gi' will be highlighted in the remaining third broadcast.
Viewers' reactions were also hot. In various online communities and social media, “After seeing Kim Min-ki's story, it's a night where I reflect on whether I'm living like a shell”, “I realize once again that our country's popular culture owes a lot to Kim Min-ki. There's no place where his power doesn't reach”, “We are.” Let’s all look at Kim Min-ki from behind.” “Kim Min-ki is history itself. Let’s not forget that the world is indebted to those who quietly work together to change.”, “I sleep with a lingering feeling. I feel like I've been living in vain without knowing Kim Min-ki. I knew the Morning Dew song, but there was such a big person and story behind it.”, “I don't know Kim Min-ki well, but I wanted to listen to all of his songs. “, “Kim Min-ki's life and influence, I don't think even a trilogy will be enough,” continued the viewing impressions.
'SBS Special – Hakjeon and the Behind the Scenes Kim Min-ki' is the first documentary that tells the story of Hakjeon, a leading figure in Korean culture and arts who created the musical 'Subway Line 1', and Kim Min-gi, the representative of Hakjeon, who has strictly pursued a life behind the scenes and refrained from appearing on broadcasts. This is a unique project that includes interviews with over 100 celebrities who have come together for Kim Min-ki. The final third part will be broadcast on Sunday, May 5th at 11:05 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News Reporter Kang Seon-ae)
