KB's 'March 1' song makes huge success

Still cut of "A Prayer"

By Lee Kyung-min

KB Kookmin Bank is enjoying the brisk success of a song it produced to commemorate an independence fight movement led by a group of female inmates at Seodaemun Prison.

The bank sought a joint project with noted artists to commemorate the movement organized by Yu Gwan-sun, a symbolic figure of the 1919 March 1 Independence Movement against Japan's colonial rule of Korea.

The melody for the song with the English title “A Prayer” was written by noted composer Jung Jae-il, and sung by female vocalist Park Jung-hyun, also known as Lena Park.

The lyrics were also narrated by former figure skater Kim Yu-na, the bank's spokeswoman.

Since the online release of the music video featuring the three, it has drawn over 3 million views and garnered over 53,000 likes as of Wednesday.

KB has set up a foundation to which people can donate 3,100 won ($3) by clicking on the Youtube post or sharing it online.

The campaign has drawn over 100 million won. The amount will be used to build a square in Taehwagwan, Seoul, where the March 1 Independence declaration was read aloud.

KB said the words left by Yu and six others during a continued struggle illustrate their indomitable spirit against the unspeakably harsh circumstances, an important part of history that has made us who we are.

“They try to console one another and keep their spirits up despite the worst of circumstances, which is a quality we can all learn from,” a KB official said.

“There is a saying that there is no future for people who have forgotten the past. The campaign was organized to remember their devotion, determination and sacrifice that made us who we are,” he added.

KB sought collaboration for the project after The Korea Times' vernacular sister paper the Hankook Ilbo recently unearthed the lyrics of the song.

Meanwhile, KB has been a leader in the financial industry by launching campaigns that drew huge public support and accolades from critics alike, which in turn has helped the firm establish a positive brand image.

In January 2018, KB hired popular boy band BTS as its spokesmen, an idea that drew some pushback within the industry long defined by conservative values not associated with young entertainers.

Months later, hiring the then budding boy band with less global recognition in hindsight was a “spot-on” business move that increased the bank's profile with international audiences, in line with digitization and globalization, its two initiatives.

Hiring young pop culture figures has since become a cultural norm.