Once I had dinner with the chairman of a newspaper company. It was a gathering with other vocalists, but I started to emphasize, "Korean songs need to have research on vocalization method, and I think the press should take charge in supporting the research funds." A big figure, music critic who sat next to me said, "Mr.Yim, you're black noodles are cooling, you should eat." politely cutting me off. I replied, "Mr. you take care to eat your noodles." but I felt bad. I was always like that. When I met ministers, congressmen, persons of fame, I would chatter all by myself. I didn't have the time to eat insisting on the usual things. While everyone was quiet and dignified, eating their meal, I would make those assertions on my own making the atmosphere a little awkward. The other colleague's would have this expression on their face that said, "There he goes again."
But still I don't stop my talk. I think that those gatherings are good chances. I can't miss the chance to talk about the wrong goings, and needs in our country by acting dignified. They might even wonder why a vocalist meddles so much.
But I don't think that an artist should know only art. When Mitarang went on a foreign tour, he took with him an actor. Gorrhbachof is said to have gone together with a tenor singer. When art combines with economics or politics, it displays more power. Even now I'm very interested in politics. During the president election in 1992, I'd sung for Mr. Jong-chan Lee. He had a great personality, and more important he knew so much about music that if he hadn't been doing politics, he would have been a tenor.
That's not all, his grandfather was Mr. Hee-young Lee from the allied political family. He's exactly the one I respect the most. After I got to know him I studied about the people who participated in the independence movement. And although many people have their names written in the history of the independence movement, I learned that Mr. Hee-young Lee was the one who was behind it all. Ever year when they cherish the memory of Mr. Hee-young Lee I throw everything I did aside and ran to the ceremony. That's how I've been singing the memorial song for 6 years.
While I went on the talk show on public air, I publically boasted that I would become the minister of the Ministry of Culture. There may be people who may thin of me as arrogant but I think that I have all the qualifications , and I really want to try.
Look at all the sides up till today, of the minister of the Ministry of Culture. They are all people with no relationships with culture. That's the reason why our country's cultural policies are so loose. For improvement specialists like me should go forth. There's a saying, "If you stay still, you'll get to the middle." Many intellects think that way and act that way. I may look foolish in the their eyes-supporting politicians, criticizing people in charge of the cultural policies, and even saying that I'm gong to become the minister of the Ministry of culture.
There are 2 reasons why intellectuals keep silence in a society. Because it's a total paradise, or because this society has no hope. If it isn't those two, then silence is not gold. To make a speech, is gold.