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| ▲ South Korean trot diva Song Ga-in performs at the press conference for her new full-length album "Ga-in;Dal," held in Seoul on Feb. 11, 2025. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- "I live just a minute away from Sim Soo-bong, so I boldly went to see her. It just so happened that she had a song she had written, and she offered it to me. At that moment, I thought, 'This must be fate.' I couldn't believe I was the first junior singer to receive a song from her."
Singer Song Ga-in, who has returned with her new full-length album Ga-in;Dal, shared her special connection with veteran artist Sim Soo-bong.
At a showcase event for the album held at Sky Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday, Song Ga-in expressed her gratitude, saying, "She even gave me one-on-one lessons—I truly feel like the luckiest person. I have studied her songs since my days as an unknown singer, and now to inherit such a masterpiece from her is an incredible honor."
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| ▲ South Korean trot diva Song Ga-in attends the press conference for her new full-length album "Ga-in;Dal," held in Seoul on Feb. 11, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Ga-in;Dal is Song Ga-in’s first full album in nearly two years and ten months since Yeonga. It features nine tracks, with double title songs Tears Fall and Asadal, both written and composed by Sim Soo-bong.
Tears Fall is a song that portrays the emotions of letting go of a loved one in a calm and heartfelt manner. Song Ga-in revealed that she took Sim’s advice during the recording process, attempting a softer vocal approach for the first time.
"I've always sung powerfully, so trying to sing delicately was a real challenge. I put in an immense amount of effort in a short period," she said. "When I returned to Sim Soo-bong after practicing, she called me a ‘genius.’ Singing with less force turned out to be beneficial—it put less strain on my voice and made it easier to sing."
The other title track, Asadal, is inspired by the tragic legend of Asadal, the stonemason who built the Seokgatap Pagoda at Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju. The song conveys the sorrow of Asadal’s wife, Asanyeo, who waited for him and ultimately ended her life in despair. Song Ga-in delivers the story with an emotional, traditional Korean vocal style.
"There’s a part at the end of the song where the lyrics mimic Asanyeo’s final breath," she noted. "It’s a hidden highlight, so I hope listeners pay close attention to that moment."
While the album explores various genres—including ballads, modern pop, and Latin-inspired tracks—Song Ga-in still sees traditional trot as the genre that best showcases her strengths.
"Trot and I are inseparable," she said. "Since I was trained in pansori, I see many similarities between pansori and trot. I want to continue performing songs that suit me best."
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| ▲ South Korean trot diva Song Ga-in performs at the press conference for her new full-length album "Ga-in;Dal," held in Seoul on Feb. 11, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Debuting in 2012, Song Ga-in spent years in obscurity before rising to stardom after winning Miss Trot in 2019. Aware of the weight of being the first-ever audition program winner in the trot genre, she hopes to serve as a guiding figure for junior artists.
"Since my breakthrough came through an audition program, I do feel a great sense of responsibility. I try my best to support and mentor younger singers," she said. "Knowing that my juniors are watching me, I strive to be a role model for them."
To aspiring singers following in her footsteps, Song Ga-in offered words of encouragement. She said, "Tough times will pass. If you keep working hard, good days will surely come, and you will be rewarded in the end. I hope you don’t waste those difficult moments but use them to grow."
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