INTERVIEW 'Veteran actors showed it's never too late to tackle challenges': 'Hot Singers' producer
Shin Young-gwang, the producer of JTBC's “Hot Singers” / Courtesy of JTBC
By Dong Sun-hwa
One of the most attention-grabbing moments at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards held in May was when the cast members of JTBC's show “Hot Singers” sang together “This Is Me” ― a song featured in the 2017 musical biopic, “The Greatest Showman.”
During the event that took place at Kintex northwest of Seoul, the members, most of whom were not professional singers, struck a chord with the audience for showing their spirit of challenge. The video of their show has surpassed 1.4 million views as of Sunday.
“It was my first time to shed tears after watching a performance by people who are not flawless singers,” an internet user commented. “All members of 'Hot Singers' had something beyond singing ability that touched people's hearts.”
Premiered on March 14, “Hot Singers” featured the journey of 15 celebrities ― including veteran actors Kim Young-ok, 84, and Na Moon-hee, 80 ― taking a crack at singing by forming their own choir. Although its viewership ratings hovered around 3-4 percent, it still garnered rave reviews from numerous people for delivering heartwarming content amid a boom in sensational shows.
Actress Kim Young-ok / Courtesy of JTBC
Shin Young-gwang, the program's producer, is delighted that “Hot Singers” successfully conveyed the messages he intended.
“Through the show, I wanted to emphasize that our time is not infinite,” he said during a Zoom interview with The Korea Times on May 31, one day after “Hot Singers” wrapped up. Despite his hectic schedule, Shin still looked happy to talk about the show.
“That is why I believe we should take on new challenges in our finite life, just like our veteran actors,” he added. “I think the sincerity of these messages and our singers was the biggest contributing factor to our success. In particular, it seems the lyrics of our songs took the viewers on a trip down memory lane, leading them to look back on their own lives.”
“Hot Singers” marked a turning point in Shin's life, too. In the past, he was dreaming of creating a fun and entertaining program that evokes people's laughter, but after losing the most precious person in his life and facing health problems, he changed his mission.
“Just like the saying, 'It never rains, but it pours,' I was suddenly met with all the bad things in my life last year,” he recalled. “That made me realize the true value of my time, prompting me to think about different ways to use my limited time wisely before I vanish from this world. And as a producer, I found that one way to do so was to create a show with a long-lasting message.”
However, establishing a choir of “less experienced singers” was a daunting task. The producer had a tough time searching for celebrities with good potential, who could also show good chemistry with one another. But he could not just cast a group of stars who are already close to each other, as they had to assume different roles ― ranging from bass to alto ― in a choir.
A poster for “Hot Singers” / Courtesy of JTBC
“Luckily, the chemistry among our members was so great,” he commented. “It is very common for a production team to have conflict with celebrities when they work together, but this time, for the first time in my life, I had no clash with any member. So I am truly thankful.”
Musical director Kim Moon-jeong, whose previous stints include "Man of La Mancha" and "Mamma Mia," and Choi Jung-hoon of indie rock band Jannabi also joined the show to train and lead the choir.
“The goal of our program was to make everyone a hero,” Shin explained. “Honestly, this made editing a lot harder, but I could not compromise. Now I feel great that every cast member has received the spotlight they deserved. In the case of TV personality Jun Hyun-moo, he demonstrated his serious side in the show, while actors Kim Kwang-kyu and Seo Yi-sook showed their personal growth stories. They did struggle in the beginning, but improved a lot as time went by thanks to their endless practice.”
Another impressive member was Na Moon-hee, an actress famed for her roles in several hit films like “Miss Granny” (2014), whose career spans more than six decades.
Actress Na Moon-hee / Courtesy of JTBC
“Na was so professional,” Shin said. “After seeing how much she strived to get better at singing, I came to think that I want to be like her when I get older. It must have been demanding for a seasoned actress to practice late into the night, but she still managed this and said, 'I think I love singing so much that I can practice it even until now.' I truly respect her.”
But Shin revealed that he paid extra attention to avoid being “too emotional.”
“I tried not to make our show too emotional, because this could have the opposite effect,” he noted. “I did not want to force the viewers to be moved by our program. So I just worked hard to portray our members in an authentic and objective way, hoping their genuine feelings could be shared with the viewers.”
For him, “Hot Singers” will be unforgettable.
“I wonder if I will be able to produce another show with this much passion,” he said. “I am not sure if I will be making a sequel to 'Hot Singers,' but before mapping out any plan, I want to take a break and get some sleep.”