March 2021
March 2021
Of the select few capable of retaining mainstream popularity alongside critical and artistic prestige in any arts field, a handful of oldie K-pop singers remain active to this day. Lee Moonsae is one such legend whose works not only remain alive in the collective consciousness of the Korean mainstream, but have even gone as far as to spur a flurry of throwback remakes.
Written by
Kim Jane,
features editor
Photo courtesy of
KMOONfnd
Appreciation of Lee Moonsae¡¯s music has lasted forty strong years and more. When asked how different he is now in contrast to his former self as a young ¦¡ as equally renowned ¦¡ musician and pop star, he cites ¡°oh, health and physique ¦¡ definitively. My weight was prone to frequent fluctuations back in my youth; nowadays, I¡¯ve naturally fallen into a routine wherein I my body is quick to retain, or revert to what seems to be the ¡®appropriate¡¯ weight for me.¡±
Lee continues, ¡°On the other hand, the one definitive thing that has remained consistent over this duration ¦¡ rather long period of time, I suppose ¦¡ is how much my life and my being revolve around music. Even while I prepare for a new release, prospective performances or indulge in a streak of restful off days, I¡¯m filled with thoughts on how I can polish my music further, what I¡¯d create later or what I¡¯d set myself up to perform next.
¡°As long as it involves music, in whichever way I attend to it, I never in my life have approached music half-heartedly. I do get nervous before an album release or stepping onstage ¦¡ which I overcome with enough preparation for alleviating my pressure. The fact that I tap into this energy on behalf of sheer love for music, which accounts for my drive and motivating force, is evidence that music is at the core of my being and thus, that my affection for music accounts for all my achievements.¡±
© Studio Kenn
"I¡¯m careful to guard myself against any sort of mannerism.¡± With much regard for his audiences, he claims that ¡°any lack of sincere input or all-around authenticity makes evident to the audience, no matter how the audience fools him or herself into believing they¡¯ve faked well. The audience is very quick to notice, which is precisely why I go persistently undergo repetitions and analyses in my practice routines. And when all of that wears me down at all, I make the point of indulging in complete ¡®rest.¡¯ That process involves emptying out all that had crowded my headspace. That way, I¡¯m able to fill myself up with renewed strength and to go on singing, with as much enthusiasm and energy as I ever harnessed.¡±
When he elaborates on how he seeks to orient himself in the future that awaits, his characteristic exuberance bubbles up yet again. ¡°I strive to continue leveraging my music as a mode of communicating ¦¡ with consistency and lasting endurance. I hope to stay moving. The world keeps evolving in countless ways, as too are the myriad influences or the scope of influence our cultures exude. There¡¯s just so much energy, so much to do in this wide world of ours to simply stay still. It¡¯d be a shame to ¡®stay static¡¯, per se, or in one fixed place in such a world like ours!¡±
Lee still gets nervous, attends to
his art with utmost discipline
and keeps his mentality in check.
When asked to pinpoint what he finds particularly exceptional about Korean pop music, he cites its lyrical factor. ¡°The Korean language is particular in that a wide range of adjectives can be applied in order to describe the same thing or feeling. Each term, varying slightly in meaning, carry different nuances and connotations, which oftentimes isn¡¯t fully translatable into other languages.¡±
In fact, ¡°Lyrics seem to me the pivotal differentiator of what constitutes quality pop music. Though melodies are also important components, I feel that what touches hearts is authentic storytelling, the narrative that forms the basis of any given song.¡±
For someone so renowned for his live performances ¦¡ as to be hailed for paving a discrete genre of live music ¦¡, it comes as no surprise how effusively he lists the qualities that comprise a a live performance. ¡°A well-directed, perfectly choreographed movements and alignment between the song and (vocal or instrumental) execution are the ingredients that produce a combination of high synergy. Such performances are encapsulating, immersive in the way they capture audiences¡¯ attention as well as their hearts. Such factors can neither be captured nor portrayed to their full power or extent with technology just yet. And for that reason, every experience wherein I step onstage feels like an entirely new, thoroughly different experience from my previous one(s).¡±
Another facet of Lee Moonsae that deserves heady mention is his activities in charity. Having long been unsparing in his donations toward either the deceased, handicapped or those undergoing other such hardships, he has also repeatedly given his profit for benevolent causes as such. Despite having done so for three entire decades, he speaks of his deeds nonchalantly, as per his characteristic humility.
¡°Oh, these are simple acts of sharing my talent as a singer, plus that warm feeling of contributing solidly to be of help to somebody out there. That feeling of care does spread that way. It¡¯s how you amplify acts of giving, in a way, and the best thing is how minutiae, seemingly small acts can spawn greater, eventually even grand impact. Such stem from acts as simple as being attentive to the needs of others, tapping in to develop an understanding and empathy for what others are going through.¡±
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