Tuk-sum in the 50's were totally different from today. It was the last stop of a bus as well as the end of the subway line, so it got the benefits of the city. It was also where boats sailed and village woman chattered while they washed clothes.
Before we moved to Tuk-sum, I was told that our house used to be a great mansion with 60 room. The place my father, who majored in English literature, after he got ruined doing business was Tuk-sum. We had all lived in one room, 6 brothers, father and mother. Living in a rent room also gave lots of sorrow, but Tuk-sum was a place with heaven's blessing to refresh one's spirits. In winter we skated, in summer we would swim in the fast waves made by rainy seasons. I cannot forget how we went fishing with the small rice cakes given by the old rice-cake man, and the taste of the cooked sparrows my older brother had caught.
At that time my father worked as an English teacher at Myung-Ji High School. But it was beyond capability to raise our six brothers with the monthly payment. plus he liked giving to other people.
My mother, whose capacity to living is strong, decided to help. She had managed a plastic plate factory, and she'd also opened a comic book store. I remember going around to get the money with her, when she also worked as a moneylender at daily interest.
I have a strange jinx. Always before an important exam I'd get scolded by my father or get really sick. It all started after graduating elementary school as second best, I had failed on the entrance exam in getting into Kyung-Gi middle school. After going through lots of complications in getting into high school, I had failed on the first and the second entrance exams and had to go to Taegu, I finally got into Myung-Ji high school. At that time my father had left the job as a teacher and started business again. The business was fairly stable related with bearings which even possessed a license. Our family situation was getting better, and during my second year of highschool, we even bought a nice house that had a pond.
My school grades had also gotten lots better, and I was fighting through second and third place. At that time my dream was to get into the Military Academy and become a soldier. I never thought of a vocal singer. I always had a loud voice, but I didn't use it for singing, but for speeches. Once I got up on the platform at school, my voice would be full and ringing. I won many prizes.
My mother was the one who stopped me from becoming a soldier. My mother was against it and advised me to look for another path. Just then I remembered the compliment I received from my music teacher in my second grade of middle school. Vocalist. I had confidence to become internationally famous if I became a vocalist.
I went to visit my music teacher and she said, 'Yes, I've been wondering why you weren't singing." as though she'd been waiting for me. That's how I started my music lessons. It was May first, during my third year in highschool.
Even now, when I think of the goodness my teacher, Do-sik Lee, gave me I feel this lump of emotion in my chest. At that time my teacher taught me for three hours everyday without missing one single day, for only 3 million won.
My teacher made her dream she couldn't make true, through me. It was a forced march, I beat up if I missed a single day. And after 7 months of lessons, I passed into Yeon-Sei University fairly as first in the Vocal class. It was after I chose vocal that I became first, for the first time in my life.