Art Today – Musician
Red curly hippy hair, Glamorous make up, Fancy shirts, Shorts, High hill
What do you imagine with those words? If you’re straight, you may imagine a hot girl. But if you’re in the rainbow, you might imagine a Drag Queen. But that’s how SingSing is featured in their performance.
Beginning of SingSing
I introduced Leenalchi, the Pansori band formed by bassist and film music director Younggyu Jang. He formed SingSing before Leenalchi in 2015. Unlike Leenalchi, SingSing gained fame outside of Korea initially, particularly through the NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and then were reintroduced to Korea. I suppose the reason they didn’t gain fame in Korea is due to their genre.
Genre
If Leenalchi’s music is based on Pansori, SingSing is rooted in Minyo, traditional Korean folk songs. Both are traditional Korean songs, but they have different characteristics. Pansori is a type of solo opera, featuring narratives based on moral stories. It can take approximately 4 hours for the singer to complete a whole song. On the other hand, Minyo is closely related to everyday life, often sung during labor, funerals, farming, and Doing love. and typically shorter than Pansori, lasting only a few minutes.
Because SingSing is rooted in Minyo, their songs stem from this tradition. However, Younggyu Jang has re-composed its vibe into glam rock or psychedelic sound. The song they performed in the NPR Tiny Desk Concert immerses listeners in the rhythm of spring.
About members
Musical instrument
The bassist Younggyu Jang is known as a member of the band UhUhboo project in the Korean indie band scene. He gained fame as the music director of films like ‘Gokseong’ and ‘Train to Busan’. it seems he possesses an adventurous spirit, constantly testing boundaries to blend traditional Korean music with rock band music. He previously formed the ‘Bibing’ project band based on Buddhist music, and now leads SingSing, followed by Leenalchi.
There are two more instrumentalists in the group: Taewon Lee on guitar and Cheolhee Lee on drums. Cheolhee Lee has followed a similar career path to Younggyu Jang, starting with the UhUhboo project and later joining Leenalchi.
Vocals
SingSing features 3 vocalists: 2 drag queens and 1 chic girl.
The most technically proficient vocalist is Heemoon Lee, who sports red hippy hair and occupies the center stage. Surprisingly, he didn’t start learning to sing until 2004, despite his mother being a master singer of Gyeonggi province folk songs. His journey began when he was humming while driving with his mother’s friend, another folk song master, who heard him sing and recommended he pursue folk singing. He possesses a unique voice tone reminiscent of a boy, which harmonizes well with the others. His journey to fame included studying promotional videos in Japan, which likely contributed to his impressive stage presence.
Dahye Choo is the chic girl on the side. Despite the glamorous images of the two men, her prim style brightens her presence. Her sharp voice and rhythm conjures images of a kite soaring in the sky. She majored in Minyo and also studied acting. Dahye Choo’s foundation is in Seodo Minyo, originating from the western part of North Korea.
Seungtae Shin is the other drag queen with white bob hair. His voice is lower than the others, creating a stark contrast with his appearance. His singing is based on Gyeonggi province folk songs, although his major was traditional percussion instruments.
After break up
SingSing performed from 2015 to 2018, spanning about four years. Despite gaining reputation overseas, SingSing couldn’t sustain their career in their home country. However, each member endeavored to promote traditional music in their own way, such as Younggyu Jang founding Leenalchi.
Heemoon Lee has amassed experience in creating unique performances. He formed the boy group ‘NomNom’ (dude dude) with Seungtae Shin. He also ensures not to miss any traditional performance while directing his magnificent visual performances.
Dahye Choo has also formed her own band, ‘Chudahye chagis ‘. Her recent performances are based on shamanism, and she defines her genre as ‘Psychedelic Shamanic Funk’. Despite not being popular, her work is highly regarded by critics.
Seungtae Shin expanded his career as a trot singer by releasing his single album in 2020. He also starred in the TV show ‘Trot National Competition’ and achieved 4th place. However, he continues to maintain his identity as a folk music singer by participating in group performances.
Even though we can still watch SingSing’s performances now, I hope to see their performances again in the near future.
EZsPEDIA © 2024 by YUNMI LEE is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
EZ K-PEDIA 
Leave a comment