1997.02 Star Live Concert Magazine - Hamo Hamo article
Scans credit: I don't know, man, I just got this off Pinterest and Google image search didn't give me anything...
A talented group formed through public auditioning
Hamo Hamo
"Scary rookies" discovered by Sobangcha
Less than a month since the release of the song "Papillon (His Headache Was Freedom)," which elicits an odd but entertaining power of imagination, the male dance duo Hamo Hamo have been well received and fans are burning with curiosity. Coverage: Min Seon-hwa / Photography: Choi Yonggi
Hamo Hamo, who've proven popular mainly in downtown Seoul, are quickly gaining fans with "Papillon (His Headache Was Freedom)," a classic Miami bass dance track with a bright and easy melody. Behind Hamo Hamo's popularity is the knowledge that Sobangcha's Jung Wonkwan and Kim Taehyung have gained from their many years as singers. Jung and Kim had already set their eyes on former Solid backup dancer Chun Myunghoon; through an audition, they chose the beautifully voiced Lee Sungjin and put their heart into making Hamo Hamo the second Sobangcha.
The name Hamo Hamo was one Jung and Kim had once used while active as DJs, meaning "that's right" in Gyeongsang-do dialect. Chun Myunghoon explained that it's a Korean word which is easy to remember and has a positive meaning, so it also sounds good to the ear. Thanks to their group name, the number of fans in cities such as Daegu and Busan in the Gyeongsang-do Province is skyrocketing, already inaugurating their line of support.
Lee Sungjin, the group's lead singer, had experience as a vocalist in high school and has a bright and cheerful personality. But he says that because his expression grows serious whenever he thinks deeply about something, people sometimes misread him as angry.
Chun Myunghoon, with his excellent dancing and rough-voiced rap, is a recognized dancer to the point where he's received offers to become a full-time singer since his Solid backdancer days. He's responsible for the choreography of their title track "Papillon," including the so-called "dog dance" and the "beggar dance," which playfully combines the motions of asking for food and hitting the back of one's hand. The group's dances strive for uniqueness, so that anyone can tell at a glance that it's Hamo Hamo's choreography.
Lee and Chun, who've both acted in dramas, say that they prefer being the main attraction as singers over being extras. In their debut album, which many hitmakers such as Yoon Ilsang, Joo Younghoon, and Yoo Jeongyeon have contributed to, contains a varied repertoire that's been diligently prepared over the course of a year. Aside from "Papillon," the title track, the Hamo Hamo members strongly recommend "Pang Pang," whose production American arranger Mark Davis helped with; they say they were ecstatic when they first received the song. "Silver Line," which depicts a happening at a ski resort, and "No, Already," a club remake of the Kim Changwan song which adds a quirky rap, are also acclaimed among club DJs and candidates for the follow-up track.
Hamo Hamo's debut album is mainly composed of dance music, but Lee and Chun have future plans to equip themselves with maturity and diversity, and try genres such as black music and R&B. With their clean, striking, primary-color-oriented stage outfits, the dance duo Hamo Hamo are taking time out of their busy schedule to dream up their bright, primary colored dreams for '97.
