10 Years of Jung Seung-hwan and Seo Dong-hwan, from the Ichon-dong Basement Studio to 'Hello, Winter'

Singer Jung Seung-hwan and composer Seo Dong-hwan looked back on the time they have walked together as musical partners. In a video released ahead of Jung Seung-hwan's 10th-anniversary concert, the two shared the process from their beginnings in a basement studio in Ichon-dong to the completion of their first self-produced album.

The Ichon-dong Basement Studio and the Birth of 'Hello, Winter'

The connection between the two began in a basement studio in Ichon-dong. Composer Seo Dong-hwan recalled that the environment at the time was not very good, with things like crickets or cockroaches appearing, but there was a sense of desperation felt in that place. After returning to Korea following a leave of absence from Berklee College of Music, Jung Seung-hwan was drinking beer with Seo Dong-hwan and singing to the piano, which led to a proposal for work, and 'Hello, Winter' was born there.

The working method at the time was unique. When Jung Seung-hwan arrived at the studio around 2 AM after finishing a radio broadcast, the two would each close the door and proceed with individual work for one hour. Afterward, they would meet again to compare the melodies they had made, and it was shared as an anecdote that they were sometimes surprised because the texture or flow of the melodies were almost identical even though they worked separately.

The Start of Self-Producing and the Evolution of 'Perhaps We'

For Jung Seung-hwan, certain albums were turning points where he gained musical agency beyond simple singing. Seo Dong-hwan explained this period as the 'starting point' where Jung Seung-hwan gained confidence in his songs and began to decide the direction and color of the albums himself. Jung Seung-hwan expressed the pressure he felt while preparing the album at that time, saying that he had to exceed his own limits to fill the gaps.

The trial and error in the song-making process were also revealed in detail. The song tentatively titled 'Perhaps We' went through several revision processes. Originally, it was a song about a bad man with lyrics saying 'Do not forgive' or a song themed around unrequited love, but through several rounds of pruning and arrangement revisions, it acquired its current color. Seo Dong-hwan recalled working by overturning the arrangement many times during this process.

Efforts for Piano Performance on Stage

Jung Seung-hwan also showcased piano performances for fans on the concert stage. Seo Dong-hwan revealed that Jung Seung-hwan initially tried to avoid piano playing, but he suggested the performance after reading Jung's desire to show a wonderful side to the audience. Jung Seung-hwan put in a lot of effort for the stage, such as practicing playing with only specific chords because he found it difficult to handle major voicings at the time.

In particular, for a specific song, a technical behind-the-scenes story was shared where the position Jung Seung-hwan learned was different from the actual key of the song, requiring staff on-site to set the piano key one notch lower. Jung Seung-hwan did not simply memorize the chords at the time, but completed the stage by learning them through muscle memory.

Source: original video (YouTube)