Byun Jin-sub reveals he planned to quit music after first album

South Korea's first million-seller Byun Jin-sub returned to the KBS music program "The Seasons S9" for his first appearance in approximately 19 years. During the broadcast, he disclosed that he had originally intended to quit music to return to school after releasing only one album.

Byun Jin-sub, the singer who holds the record as South Korea's first million-seller, has returned to the stage of a KBS late-night music program for the first time in approximately 19 years. Following his 2007 appearance on Yoon Do-hyun's 'Love Letter,' Byun reunited with fans through "The Seasons S9."

"Parents were worried... I planned to study after releasing only one album"

During the broadcast, Byun Jin-sub revealed personal anxieties that were hidden behind his illustrious career. He recalled that while he had been dedicated to music since his school days, his parents were deeply concerned about him focusing solely on his musical activities. "Due to realistic issues, I had decided to make only one album and then quit music to return to school and study," he disclosed. However, contrary to his plans, his first album became South Korea's first million-seller, leading him to continue his path as a singer.

The story behind 'Wish List' reaching number one... connections to Lee Moon-sae and No Young-sim

An interesting anecdote surrounds the creation of one of Byun Jin-sub's signature songs, 'Wish List.' The song was written and composed by No Young-sim, who was a piano student at the time. Byun explained, "At that time, a program PD connected me so that I could receive the song from No Young-sim." He added that the PD told him if he did not include the song in the album, it would be given to another singer. "Not wanting to lose the song to Lee Moon-sae, I hurriedly recorded it and added it as an appendix on the 11th track."

The movement on the music charts was also unique. While 'To You Once Again' was initially holding a position in the rankings, 'Wish List' rose later to take the number one spot. Byun added, "Watching 'To You Once Again' being pushed down, I personally felt a bit sorry for it." He shared memories of enjoying wordplay and laughter in the era before smartphones, alongside the witty lyrics of 'Wish List' that reflected the times.

The longevity of masterpieces through remakes by juniors

Byun Jin-sub expressed pride in the fact that his songs are constantly remade by junior singers. "These days, many people encounter my songs through things like Shorts, and seeing juniors remake them makes me feel that I did well to become a singer," he said. He particularly joked about 'To You Once Again' being covered by so many juniors that "it doesn't feel like my song anymore."

On the stage that day, Byun Jin-sub performed 'Wish List' and 'To You Once Again' while interacting with the audience. After finishing his songs, Byun appeared overcome with emotion, concluding the stage by sharing the weight of his long history in music with the host.

Source: KBS WORLD TV (YouTube)