[Exclusive]Cho Hye-ryeon: "When your mother passes away, I'll sing 'Anakkana' at the funeral" [Interview 2]

*This content was translated by AI.

-Following Interview 1

Cho Hye-ryeon's passion extends beyond performances into music. For her, music is another vital force that drives life. Last year, she formed a project team called 'Mechanism' with the group Peppertones and released their first single, 'Broken Time Machine'.

Her signature song 'Anakkana' has now been out for 21 years. The track was created by combining English lyrics from pop songs with Korean pronunciations that sound similar. At the time of its release, it received a broadcast ban from KBS and remained unseen for a long time. "I never thought 'Anakkana' would be used like this," she said. "Back then, people criticized it as substandard, and some even claimed it hindered English learning. I just assumed it would remain buried."

However, the situation changed over time. Starting with a wedding song for Lee Kyung-sook's daughter Yelim, 'Anakkana' began to regain attention once again. It has now become one of the most representative songs used as a finale at many celebrities' weddings. The broadcast censorship was also lifted after 20 years. Cho Hye-ryeon is also preparing a 'second Anakkana'. It is a new song adapted from the popular 1980s pop hit 'Mickey'.

Cho Hye-ryeon stated, "In the past, it wasn't even approved for broadcast and was almost forgotten for 20 years. Now, people are actually asking me to sing it." She added, "Recently, I've received requests to perform for hospitalized patients and even proposals to sing at funerals. Such requests make me a bit cautious, so I haven't been reading DMs (direct messages)." However, she also shared, "When Lee Kyung-sook's mother passes away, I want to sing for her." She continued, "My sister has already given her approval. She is 98 years old and in great health. I think I'll be the one blessing her when she goes to heaven."

One of the most significant figures in Cho Hye-ryeon's recent activities is Lee Kyung-sook. The two have collaborated again following 'New Woman' in 'I Love You, Mom'. However, they were not close from the beginning. "Sister Lee was someone I found intimidating," she said. "She gave a lot of criticism and was my senior, so I was afraid to work with her."

The turning point that brought their relationship closer occurred on tvN's variety show 'You Quiz on the Block'. During a joint appearance, Lee Kyung-sook expressed gratitude to Cho Hye-ryeon by saying, "Thank you for working with me as a junior." Cho Hye-ryeon revealed that this was the first time she truly understood her senior's sincerity. She confessed, "I was so flustered. At that moment, I realized how much my sister enjoyed and appreciated working with me. Since then, I've started to think of her more closely."

Afterward, Cho Hye-ryeon recommended the play 'Special Boing Boing' to Lee Kyung-sook and proposed they work together on 'I Love You, Mom'. Lee Kyung-sook's daughter, Son Su-a, also appeared in 'I Love You, Mom', continuing their connection. What was once an intimidating senior has now become a colleague with whom she shares concerns about each other's works.

"I've always been the one receiving criticism. Since I disliked being criticized from a young age, I became stubborn like a bullfrog and resisted even more. But now, I understand my sister's sincerity. So, no matter what she says, I respond with 'Okay, okay' and make changes. Because I know her heart, I can understand her better."

-Following Interview 3

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*This content was translated by AI.