Kim Hyun-chul credits 'Train to Chuncheon' for his chart resurgence

During a video on the Fill in the Blanks YouTube channel, musician Kim Hyun-chul revealed that his song "Train to Chuncheon" acted as the driving force behind the chart resurgence of his album containing "Fall of the Moon."

Musician Kim Hyun-chul, often called a pioneer of city pop, has reflected on his musical journey and memories of those times. In the video released through the YouTube channel Fill in the Blanks, Kim shared behind-the-scenes stories regarding his representative songs and memories of radio, which he noted is inseparable from his musical life.

"I didn't actually go to Chuncheon"... Real memories in 'Train to Chuncheon'

Kim performed "Train to Chuncheon" as his first song of the day. He revealed that the song was created based on actual memories of heading toward Chuncheon in 1988. However, he added a witty explanation regarding the song title and the actual destination, explaining that the route ended at Gangchon rather than going all the way to Chuncheon, meaning the title does not signify arriving in Chuncheon.

In particular, he mentioned the special status of the song. He expressed amazement that while the song was once a hidden track that did not receive much attention, it became the practical driving force behind the chart resurgence when the album containing "Fall of the Moon" began to climb the charts again. "I felt that a singer-songwriter must tell their own story," he said, suggesting that the songwriting method of specifying a particular region was the way to create music true to himself.

Episodes from the song-writing process were also revealed. He shared an anecdote where he originally intended to name a song "Strawberry Tree," but changed it to "Apple Tree" following advice from those around him. While he wanted to maintain the red image, he considered other fruits like tomatoes because the title "Strawberry Tree" was considered somewhat unfamiliar, but ultimately decided on "Apple Tree" as the most natural choice.

"Modern audiences have become warmer"... Changing stage scenes for a 38-year veteran musician

Entering his 38th year of musical activity, Kim Hyun-chul read the changes of the times by comparing past and present concert cultures. Recalling the days when he worked alongside Yoon Sang and Lee Hyun-woo, he said that audiences back then had distinct fandoms and applied strict standards to live performance skills.

In contrast, regarding the recent concert environment, he expressed his thoughts that audiences have become much warmer than before, stating, "These days, people cheer for you as long as you do well, regardless of live performance skills." This is interpreted as a sign that the way people enjoy music has changed beyond technical perfection.

Youth spent with radio, and music that connects generations

In Kim Hyun-chul's musical life, "radio" has been an inseparable keyword. He emphasized the emotional significance of the radio at the time, recalling his high school days of listening to a transistor radio without headphones behind his parents' backs.

An audience member in their 20s shared a story of naturally encountering Kim Hyun-chul's music while listening to LPs due to the influence of their parents. This highlights the phenomenon where Kim Hyun-chul's music is being consumed across generations amidst the city pop craze. Kim also empathized with the role of radio as a link between generations, mentioning how programs like "On a Starry Night" lasted a long time by spanning across generations.

During the event, Kim's history of being active as a radio DJ—to the point of being called a "national representative DJ"—and his activities based on musical knowledge were naturally highlighted, reaffirming his career where music and radio intersect.

Source: original video (YouTube)