Music and life of Tenor Yim Ung kyun, the Real Man

Professor Yim Ung kyun greeting at the ‘The teacher in my memory’ event hosted by Asia Journalist Association. His remarkable singing and eloquent verbal expressions are the result of formidable reading, gigantic efforts and wide experiences. He has been showing off an elegant singing style at every event hosted by AJA

By Sang-ki Lee
Former President of Korean Journalists Association
Asia N Founder

SEOUL: Yim Ung kyu, known as the best tenor in Korea, has very unique characteristics. It comes from his own self-discipline rather than a stubborn self-pride that can be witnessed from common artists.

With his 30 years of career as a professor in the field of music, he has been willing to participate at a music performance that can show off his love for music and students and enhance pride of the country and the people for free or for fees that only cover transportation at most.

As a music professor at Korea National University of Arts, he had never offered classes for college prep students or incumbent university students.

“As a professor at the national university, it is common sense that I never do tutorials for university students. Not even once,” he said”

On the other hand, he spearheads things that have nothing to do with making any profits. The first time I met him was at the voluntary music festival against the school violence at Ilsan lake park in the summer of 2002.

At that time, I took a post as a director of Korea Journalist Association (KJA) and he told me “The government is trying to remove Children’s Day from the list of holidays and anniversaries. Let us work together to stop it.”

Soon after, the government dropped its plan and nothing happened to withdraw the Children’s Day designation as a national holiday. He still shows appreciation for receiving an award certificate from the U.S president committee thanks to me. (To be honest, I always become flattered since I have not been much of a help to him.)

Professor Yim Ung kuy at the Night of sponsor of Asia Journalist Association

Since then, professor Yim Ung kuy has always asked me if he could be of any help to me. He performed up to ten different songs at the Night of AJA in November 2007 when I was appointed as a founding- president of AJA. He also provided substantial contributions to AJA without any compensation for his goodwill.

He has always participated at the events performing songs such as ‘The teacher in my memory’, at AJA general meeting’ and ‘AJA board of directors’ and gave lots of advice. What’s more was the fact that he accepted my request to perform at the commemoration ceremony of teacher Sang-sul Lee, by driving down to Jincheon, Chungcheongbuk-do.

It is almost unimaginable to see anyone other person so fully committed to work as a general director of arts at the ‘Promises of Hundred Years’ event commemorating the 99th anniversary of the establishment of Korean government-in-exile in Seoul and Busan.

He is the person who is fond of words such as ‘people’ or ‘country’. He is a descendent from a well-educated family with the fallen hero who died protecting the country.

I dare to say it is partly because he is a man with an exquisite public awareness and patriotism. In 1997, he was able to make Korean songs to be adopted as an official 4-credit recognized curriculum that was prohibited for around 110 years to more than 200 universities nationally.

Later he was recognized by the Korean Composers Association that presented to him an achievement award. Around this time, he got spotlight as the first person to perform as a main character on the national TV program, ‘Success era’ that recorded 28% viewing rating.

Professor Yim Ung Kyu dazzling audiences at Pyeongyang

A performance at the summer of Pyongyang with Mi-ja Lee and others in 2002 was considered a legendary event. North Koreans were captivated by every lyric he performed and every word he uttered.

Growing up in Ttukseom, Seoul, where the city and the countryside coexist, he has an amazing talent in making exact and accurate sentences from his knowledge he accumulated by reading books that can be piled up to five wagons and personal experiences.

Professor Yim Ung Kyu in another amazing performance

Professor Yim Ung Kyu is hosting a music concert commemorating his retirement on February 16 evening at Seoul Arts Center. It is estimated that more than 60 artists and choirs will perform with hundreds of staff for the event as well. It is expected to become the first face-to-face music concert in the world after the Covid-19 outbreak.

The theme of the concert will be “A dedication to myself”. Under the quarantine measure, out of 2,400 seats, only 742 were available and they were sold out quickly. Those who were not able to get tickets can watch a recorded video afterwards.

February 16 Concert Poster

Writing this article gave me a chance to come up with a proper title to call Professor Yim Ung Kyu other than ‘best tenor in Korea’ or ‘the best singer in Korea’.

The lyrics of his album released in 1999, ‘out of love’, says, “Let me give everything to you and please have me stand before you alone”.

As the lyrics say, the professor is the person who sacrifices his talent to society as he did in the past, is doing it now and will do forever. He is a man, the Real Man.