Cho Yong-pil Marks 40th Anniversary

Cho to Hold Concerts in 22 Cities and US

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

One of Korea's favorite singers of all time, Cho Yong-pil, is holding the ``The History ― The Leopard of Kilimanjaro'' concert to celebrate his 40th anniversary as a successful singer.

At the press conference, the 58-year-old singer looked confident as usual, greeting photographers, reporters and his fans. Cho will tour 22 cities around the nation with his band ``The Great Birth,'' and visit New York and Los Angeles as part of his tour.

``I held a concert to celebrate my 35th anniversary and I can't believe five years have passed already. What made me come this far was my fans, who have loved me for all this time, and I thank them,'' Cho said.

Indeed, his fans have been with him all the way throughout his musical journey, and ardent ones were waiting for him even before he arrived.

``I've been a big fan since I was in middle school. The name `The Great Birth' says it all. He's a great musician. Simply number one,'' Lee Jung-soon, a 38-year-old fan, said. Lee and her fellow fans said they arrived at the venue early in the morning to greet the singer.

Lee Jong-il, the producer of the concert, explained that they were aiming for a more ``concentrated'' performance.

``If the previous concerts were like a buffet (with many different features), we are going for a more specialized restaurant experience. It will be all about Cho, his band and their songs,'' Lee said.

The concert will still have eye-catching features, including two walls ― both 40 meters high and covered with light emitting capacitor and light emitting diode screens. Various images will upgrade the performance both in technology and stage art.

Many singers, including Cho, have made efforts to raise standards in Korea's performance industry, and the singer agreed that they still had a long way to go.
``It's true that there are many things that lure people away from music and performances. But with more singers striving for a better performance atmosphere, I'm sure the industry will soon flourish,'' Cho said.

When a reporter asked him about his favorite song, the singer hesitated.

``It's a question I am asked frequently, but it is always difficult to answer. As time goes by, I think more about the lyrics than the melody of my songs. (Having said that), I would have to say `The Leopard of Kilimanjaro' and `Dream','' he said.

As for lyrics, 43-year-old Yoon Hyun-woo, the president of Cho's fan club, chose ``The Great Birth.''

``I have been a fan since the 1980s. When I was young, I didn't understand the lyrics, but as I get older, I start to realize that his songs are about the everyday lives of normal people. His songs are not just silly love songs, but about us,'' Yoon said.

Mentioning that he was still young compared to older singers who have held anniversary concerts, Cho said that he was grateful to his fans.

``The future seems a long way off, but when I look back to my past, it seems so short. I cannot believe I have been in the music industry for so long. We all went through difficult times, and if not for my fans, I would not have made it to this day,'' the singer said.

Cho will start his tour May 24 in Seoul, and then move on to major cities like Daejeon, Daegu, Incheon and Busan throughout the year. It will be the first time for an Asian artist to perform at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and the Radio City Music Hall in New York in August.

For more information, visit www.choyongpil.com or call 1566-1369.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

출처:http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2008/04/178_22652.html