By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Many singers are crossing the line between writing and acting, but some are actually trying different genres, particularly traditional trot.
Singers like Seo-hyun from Girls' Generation, Dae-sung from Big Bang and Kim Jong-kook, Sung Jin-woo and even Kim Sung-soo from pop group Cool have released singles that carry the famous trot beat.
Trot is a traditional pop genre based on a simple and cheerful beat and rooted from the Japanese genre known as ``enka.'' The delightful melody soon met distinctive vocals in which the voice lilts and makes drastic flips and turns, and it has become one of Korea's best-known and loved genres.
Mostly enjoyed by older crowds, the simple melodies, fun and entertaining lyrics caught the young generation's attention with the debut of relatively young trot queen Jang Yoon-jeong in 2004, and the craze has moved on to many more singers over the years.