Jeong-won and Shauders - Jeong-won (정원과 샤우더스 - 정원) - S2 Ep13
Front cover of the Jeong-won and Shauders album
This marks the first solo album of Jeong-won, a prominent figure from the 1960s theatre scene. Although the album achieved commercial success, King Records failed to provide any promotional support for either the album or the artist. Consequently, Jeong-won was left to independently promote his work by visiting music cafes in the city, as he was not afforded opportunities to appear on television. The album, subtitled "My Mind is Empty and Empty," was released in 1966 under King Records, classified as a regular album with the catalogue number LK-7015.
Jeong-won's Debut Process
Hwang Jeong-won (황정상), known professionally as Jeong-won, emerged as a prominent figure in the theatre scene during the 1960s. Unconventional in his approach, he achieved remarkable success through live performances and album releases, notably without the aid of television appearances. Born in 1941 in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, his theatrical debut occurred at the "Gubongseo Show" held at the Jayu Theatre in Namdaemun Market, Seoul.
Initially, Jeong-won faced challenges, including hostility from the audience, who booed him during his early performances. However, he gradually gained recognition by performing lively foreign songs in various shows, such as the "Saenara Show," "Seoul Show," and "Busan Show." A pivotal moment in his career came in 1965 at the "Imja Show" in Seoul Citizens' Hall, where he encountered difficulties when the Choi Jang-kwon (초 장크원) Orchestra refused to play without sheet music, forcing him to confront the struggles of an unknown artist.
The turning point arrived when Jeong-won transformed Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" into a slow ballad, captivating the previously indifferent audience. His dynamic performance, characterized by passionate singing and energetic movement across the stage, left a lasting impression on local theatre directors in attendance. This electrifying display of talent solidified Jeong-won's status as a regular performer at the Citizen's Hall, ultimately propelling him to stardom within the theatre community.
The absurd recording of the debut album
One day, Park Sung-bae, the CEO of King Records, known as King Park, caught wind of a rumour about a promising new singer poised to take the theatre stage by storm. Intrigued, he approached the artist with an offer to record an album. However, after two months of silence, he decided to visit the Dongdaemun Theatre show stage unannounced, where he promptly requested a recording session.
Faced with a prior commitment to perform, Jeong-won made his way to the Majang-dong studio in Seoul the following day. There, he encountered the US 8th Army band Shauders, which featured composer Oh Min-woo, lyricist Jeon Woo, and Ha Cheong-il. Unsure of which song to record, Jeong-won received encouragement from King Park to simply perform a song he was accustomed to singing on stage. During lunch, Jeon Woo inquired about Jeong-won's rendition of "Hound Dog." After hearing him sing it impromptu, Jeon Woo quickly penned the lyrics, and they agreed to use "Hound Dog" as the title. Additionally, Jeong-won recorded his signature song, "Empty Heart," composed by Oh Min-woo, after familiarizing himself with the piano accompaniment.
The recording of the debut album, which began under such unconventional circumstances, was completed in a mere two days. Following the sessions, while touring local theatre shows, King Park urgently travelled to Daejeon to arrange for album jacket photos. Jeong-won, having cancelled his scheduled performances, hurried to Seoul and successfully completed the photo shoot at a studio adjacent to the National Theatre.
The debut album of the superstars of 1960s theatre shows, Jeong-won
In 1966, King Records launched the inaugural solo album of Jeong-won, a prominent figure from the 1960s theatre scene. This album featured twelve tracks and showcased photographs of Jeong-won during recording sessions, as well as images from a performance at Citizen's Hall on its reverse side. Additionally, it included pictures of composer Oh Min-woo and the members of the Shauders.
The album's first half was designed with a white background, and the jacket's back presented an intriguing introduction that read, “Young people we met at Record Studio!!” This section highlighted the emergence of new young music, lauding both Jeong-won and the Shauders as talented newcomers. However, the inclusion of this information limited the space available for credits and lyrics related to the writing and composition. The lead tracks featured on the album were 'Back Alley Life' and 'Dong-Grang Ddaeng.'
Jeong-won, who had to promote the album himself
In October 1966, Jeong-won's debut album was released by King Records and distributed across the country. Unbeknownst to him, the album had launched while he was in Busan for a performance a week later, leaving him astonished to hear his music playing everywhere.
Although this album marked the first collection of Jeong-won's songs and achieved notable sales, the president of King Records, Park Sung-bae, operated with a minimal promotional strategy akin to that of a street vendor. Consequently, Jeong-won faced significant challenges in gaining visibility, as he lacked television appearances and formal promotion, compelling him to take matters into his own hands by visiting music cafes in the city to promote his work.
Back cover of the Jeong-won and Shauders album
The huge hits 'Vanity' and 'Hound Dog'
As the album gained popularity, King Records quickly arranged for a re-release featuring a striking red background and an updated title track. This new version included a cover of Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog," which was part of the repertoire from the Garden Theatre shows, alongside Oh Min-woo's "Empty Heart," a song that garnered significant acclaim.
Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" was a major hit in Korea during that period, having topped the U.S. Billboard singles chart in 1956. The success of Jeong-won's debut album prompted King Park to swiftly produce a series of follow-up albums, which included a compilation of Jeong-won's earlier works.
Notably, "Empty Heart" was also adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Jeong Chang-hwa (Jeong Chang-hwa), released in April 1969. The song has been covered by numerous artists, such as Ham Joong-ah, Kim Ran-young (킴 란영), Joo Byung-sun, and Kim Jun-gyu (김 준 기). Since the 1980s, it has appeared in various compilation CDs and continues to be cherished as a classic, symbolizing the autumn season and representing the garden.
Album Introduction
Young people I met at the Record Stadium!!
These are great new talents who have appeared like comets in our music industry, who can be called pioneers of the light and new rhythm of ROCK and TWIST TEMPO, which were welcomed for the first time in the Korean record industry. His name is "Jeong-won." He has become a singer of new songs for the youth, and he is a versatile singer who can completely digest any song he sings with his own unique vocal cords. In particular, he captivates our music fans with his hoarse husky charm, and the spirit he pulls out from the depths of his heart as if rebelling against something makes the listener lose their emotions, and his refined gestures monopolize his popularity on stage.
Together with the singer "Jeong-won", they are working with THE SHOUTERS, an ELOTRONIC BAND and a popular VOCAL GROUP in the US 8th Army, and are receiving guidance from the young composer Oh Min-woo, who has a promising future in our music industry, and will especially contribute greatly to creating new styles of songs among the middle-aged and high-teen generations. With FIRST GUITAR , SECOND GUITAR , and also BASS GUITAR, these 3 AMP GUITARs, as well as DRUM and DISC BAND PLAY, they can boast a truly flawless Mbaim.
Unlike the shabby appearance of the words, the very sophisticated and delicate GUITAR PLAY brings about feelings of love and romance in the listeners along with the singer "Jeong-won". Also, sometimes when he sings and plays like a foreign song, the audience cannot help but be amazed. In addition, this record has put all its efforts into adjusting the sound with special care, and the clear and elegant sound that cannot be found in any other disc captivates us even more.
Included Songs
The album features a collection of songs primarily performed by Jeong-won (정원), with lyrics penned by Jeon-woo (전우) and both composition and arrangement attributed to Oh Min-woo (오민우). On Side A, listeners can enjoy tracks such as "Hound," "Back Alley Life," "Hwas I Say," "A Vain Mind," "Let Me Go," and "That One Night," all showcasing the cohesive collaboration among the artists.
Side B continues this artistic synergy with additional songs, including "Ddonggrangddaeng," (똥그랑땡) "The Sun is Lonely," "The Girl Next Door," "Girl in White Seta," "Neighbour Cousin," and "Goodbye." Each piece reflects the unique style and thematic depth that the trio brings to the album, further enhancing the listening experience.
