Singer Kim Yeon-ja spent a meaningful time inviting her juniors.
On the 17th, Kim Yeon-ja, Hong Ji-yoon, Kim So-yeon, and Hwang Min-ho appeared on Channel A's 'Close Friends Documentary: 4-Person Dining Table' and shared various stories.
On this day, Kim Yeon-ja cooked with the help of her son-in-law and manager, preparing a nourishing meal with fresh ingredients like Hampyeong octopus, Wando abalone, and Korean beef. The invited juniors were amazed, saying it felt like they were in a high-end restaurant.
Kim Yeon-ja pointed out that a commonality with her juniors is that they all came from audition backgrounds, reminiscing about her debut days. She mentioned winning TBC's 'New Star of the Music Industry' and said, "I was so young that I don't really remember how it happened," adding, "I was scolded by the judges for imitating teacher Lee Mi-ja. So, for the finals, I chose a song by teacher Patti Kim."
Regarding her activities in Japan, she said, "I debuted in 1977 and started full-fledged activities in 1988, dedicating about 20 years to it. Fortunately, I was able to secure a spot by participating in Japan's representative year-end music festival, and while contemplating how to succeed in Japan, I thought I shouldn't just do enka. Since my voice is husky, I decided to incorporate the emotions of Korean music to differentiate myself." As a result, Kim Yeon-ja was able to hold over 100 concerts a year in Japan and achieved first place on the Oricon chart about 15 times.
Kim Yeon-ja also talked about her 'Bluetooth singing method.' She stated, "That's not a good method. You shouldn't imitate others," and added, "A singer should control their volume by placing the microphone in the right position, but I adjust my volume based on the microphone's position. That became part of my performance." She emphasized the importance of practice, saying, "I've been singing for a long time, but if I don't sing for just two days, I lose confidence. Practice has nothing to do with age."
Kim Yeon-ja became emotional while thinking of her mother. When Hong Ji-yoon mentioned seeing Kim Yeon-ja's mother at a performance, Kim Yeon-ja revealed, "My mother was diagnosed with acute Parkinson's disease in 2023. She has lived in Bangbae-dong for over 50 years, and I wanted to build her a new house, which is scheduled to be completed this year. I really hope she gets to see it. It's heartbreaking to see my mother change every day, but I wish she could stay with us a little longer."
