Lee Jung reflects on 20 years of guilt over death of 7Dayz bandmate

Singer Lee Jung has opened up about a person he has been unable to let go of for over 20 years: the late Seo Jae Ho, with whom he began his musical journey in the group 7Dayz. Despite the long passage of time, Lee confessed that he has lived with the guilt that "if it weren't for me, our Jae Ho wouldn't have had to go," unable to separate Seo's death from his own life.

Recently, the 10th episode of 'Baen Live,' which covers Lee's musical life, was released on the YouTube channel 'Miss & Mr. Trot.' Lee retraced his journey, from the days he nurtured his musical dreams while living in a gosiwon in Wangsimni before his debut, to the formation and disbandment of 7Dayz, and finally his solo debut. Behind the glamorous stages lay a period of youth where he clung to a single dream while struggling to make a living.

Driven by a singular determination to become a singer during his college years, Lee lived in a gosiwon and experienced periods of wandering during his trainee days. Eventually, through contact from his college classmate, actor Choi Young Joon, he joined forces with Ha Dong Kyun and Seo Jae Ho to form 7Dayz. Recalling those days, Lee said, "Our mindset was to become the Backstreet Boys of South Korea." It was a moment when the ambition and friendship of young musicians converged into a single team.

However, their debut did not go as planned. 7Dayz debuted in 2002, a time when the fever of the 2002 FIFA World Cup was at its peak. Lee explained that because the nation's attention was entirely focused on the World Cup, it was relatively difficult for singers debuting that year to receive attention. Ultimately, 7Dayz disbanded after about one year of activity, and Lee continued his musical career as a solo singer, while Ha Dong Kyun, Seo Jae Ho, and Kim Jae Seok continued as Wanted.

At that time, Lee and the members promised to meet again someday. It was a common promise of youth: to succeed in their respective places and laugh together again. However, that promise was cut short. Seo passed away in a car accident in 2004, shortly after making a new start with Wanted. Recalling that time, Lee said, "We said let's meet again once we've settled down, but Jae Ho went to heaven first due to the accident."

The pain became even greater after that. Lee could not keep Seo's death merely as a sad memory. "My time has been frozen since then," he confessed, adding, "I have lived all this time thinking it was all because of me. I have been carrying the guilt for over 20 years that if it weren't for me, our Jae Ho wouldn't have had to go."

Regardless of the actual causality, his confession demonstrates how long the feeling of placing responsibility on oneself can persist after losing a loved one. Lee subsequently walked his own path as a solo singer, and recently took on a new challenge under the name 'Cheon Rok Dam' on 'Mr. Trot 3,' where he won the final 'Mi' (third place). While he still sings on stage, his journey has not been filled only with applause and success. The apology he has held in his heart for over 20 years after losing a friend he once dreamed with has remained a part of his musical life. This confession serves as a reminder that for Lee, singing is not just a profession, but a way of remembering people and times passed.