Sul Woon-do: Lim Young-woong's success boosts my royalties

Singer Sul Woon-do is drawing attention by candidly revealing that his copyright income has increased significantly thanks to the songs performed by junior singer Lim Young-woong. Beyond a simple 'Lim Young-woong effect,' it is noteworthy that Sul's songs, which represented an era, are being re-selected by the public through the voices of a new generation, creating a virtuous cycle between creators and performers.

In the 8th episode of MBN's 'Unknown Legend' airing on the 2nd, a special titled 'Good Luck, Sul Woon-do Show' will unfold. In this broadcast, the 'Unknown Legend' TOP7 members—Sung-ri, Haru Lee, Jang Han-byeol, Hwang Yunsung, Jung Yeon-ho, Lee Changmin, and Irune—will compete by reinterpreting Sul's representative songs in their own unique styles.

In this special, the participants added meaning by offering cherished personal items they prepared themselves as competition prizes to repay their fans. During this process, Jang Min-ho called upon Jang Han-byeol and Jung Yeon-ho to host a 'Lucky Battle' between the two 'lucky' individuals, boosting the atmosphere by introducing the special strokes of luck each had experienced.

Jang Han-byeol shared a harrowing experience of a traffic accident in the past where he was hit by a vehicle while crossing a crosswalk and flew about 15 meters. He explained that it was an accident so severe that witnesses worried about his chances of survival, yet he survived without major injuries. However, upon hearing this, Sung-ri expressed doubt about the exaggeration, asking, "Doesn't it smell a bit suspicious?", leading to an unexpected psychological skirmish. Jang Han-byeol sought help from his mother in the audience, but Jang Min-ho elicited laughter by retorting, "Hasn't your mother returned to Australia yet?"

After introducing his own 'lucky story,' Jung Yeon-ho chose Sul Woon-do's representative song, 'Lost 30 Years.' This track holds special significance not only in Sul's musical career but also in the history of Korean popular music.

Released in 1983, 'Lost 30 Years' received an explosive response as it coincided with the KBS special live broadcast 'Looking for Separated Families.' During a time when the heartbreaking stories of separated families, torn apart by the division of North and South and the war, were being broadcast live nationwide, the song's title and lyrics perfectly resonated with the collective sense of loss shared by the society of that era.

Sul Woon-do recalled the situation on the show, saying, "I recorded it tonight, and it became a hit the next morning." The song gained explosive popularity in a short period and was even recorded in the Guinness World Records as the 'fastest-hitting song.' It serves as a representative example showing that trot can be a form of popular culture that contains historical memories and social emotions beyond simple entertainment music.

Jung Yeon-ho received applause for reinterpreting a song with such deep historical context in his own color, and Sul also appeared visibly moved while watching the stage. It was a scene where a single song regained vitality through a new singer even after a long time has passed.

Jang Han-byeol chose Sul Woon-do's other hit song, 'My Love Like the Starlight.' This is a work that Sul personally wrote and composed, which achieved massive public success when sung by Lim Young-woong. In particular, it was evaluated as a song that demonstrated the new possibilities of trot, encompassing both the younger generation and the middle-aged through Lim's voice.

'My Love Like the Starlight' gained great popularity based on Lim Young-woong's wide fandom and music release consumption, and it also drew attention for the record of a trot singer's song reaching the top of terrestrial music programs. It is cited as an important case in the process of breaking the old perception that trot is a genre limited to a specific age group and restructuring it into popular music consumed across platforms and generations.

When Jang Min-ho asked Sul, "I heard you mentioned this is your most 'filial son' song (most successful song)," Sul acknowledged this and gave an unexpected answer.

"The money at home is increasing a lot."

He expressed with his characteristic humor the fact that his copyright income is increasing as the songs he created are being re-consumed through the success of junior singers. From a creator's perspective, the fact that music they poured their heart into for a long time is rediscovered across generations directly connects to economic value.

In particular, the case of 'My Love Like the Starlight' shows how the relationship between songwriters/composers and singers creates a new market in the trot industry. While album sales and television appearances were the main distribution channels for music in the past, music release platforms, YouTube, short-form video content, and fandom-based consumption are the primary variables determining a song's lifespan. This structure allows past hits or existing works of creators to regain marketability when they meet new singers and fandoms.

Sul Woon-do has played a bridge role since the 1980s, connecting the previous generation of trot, represented by Nam Jin and Na Hoon-a, with the subsequent generation. He contributed to the modernization of trot by releasing numerous hits, including 'Lost 30 Years,' 'Da Hamkke Cha Cha Cha,' 'Samba Woman,' and 'Woman, Woman, Woman.' His status as a singer-songwriter who writes and composes his own music is also a key factor in his musical influence.

The fact that Sul's songs have regained public vitality through a junior singer like Lim Young-woong is significant when looking at the generational lineage of Korean trot. Lim Young-woong is a representative figure who, since winning 'Mr. Trot' on TV CHOSUN, has formed an overwhelming fandom and elevated trot to the center of the music release market and concert industry. By maintaining the traditional grammar of trot while incorporating ballad and pop sensibilities into his vocal style, he has expanded the consumer base to include younger audiences.

Ultimately, Sul Woon-do's remark about his "copyright jackpot" is more than just entertainment news; it is an example of the temporal nature of music. In popular music, a song is not completed the moment it is released; its meaning and value are renewed every time someone sings it again and a new listener discovers it.

While 'Lost 30 Years' sang of the memories of division and separation in 1983, decades later, 'My Love Like the Starlight' delivered love and comfort of a different era through Lim Young-woong's voice. In this process, Sul's creations do not remain in the past but are redistributed within the current music market. Behind Sul's joke about increasing royalties lies the paradox of popular music: that good songs do not disappear with time but are reborn through new voices.

In this episode of 'Unknown Legend,' the TOP7 members will reinterpret Sul's representative songs with their own unique styles. In particular, interest is focused on how 'Lost 30 Years' and 'My Love Like the Starlight' will connect the emotions of different eras and generations.

The episode of 'Unknown Legend' aired on the 26th of last month recorded a nationwide average viewership rating of 4.2% for paid broadcasting households, with the peak minute viewership rating rising to 4.6%. Following its record of being the number one demand variety show for seven consecutive weeks, it continues to maintain its competitiveness as a music variety program, topping the charts among general programming and cable music shows for seven straight weeks.

This special, where past and present trot meet on one stage through Sul Woon-do's music, holds significance beyond a mere competition, representing the generational shift and succession of Korean popular music. In particular, attention is focused on how Sul's musical world, once again highlighted through Lim Young-woong, will be reborn through the voices of junior singers.