Lee Mi-ja wraps up 66-year music career with final concert

Singer Lee Mi-ja holds her final concert at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Showdown Entertainment

Legendary singer Lee Mi-ja, 84, known for her rich, emotional performances spanning generations, has concluded her 66-year music career with a farewell concert in Seoul.

On April 26 and 27, Lee held her final concert at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, presenting it as a tribute to traditional Korean pop music and a celebration of its legacy.

All 6,000 seats across the two performances were sold out. Wearing a peach-colored jacket and skirt designed by fashion designer Ji Chun-hee, Lee opened the concert with "Music Is My Life," performing alongside singers Joo Hyun-mi, Jo Hang-jo, Kim Yong-bin and Jung Seo-joo. The song was originally released in 1989 to mark her 30th anniversary.

Throughout the event, Lee refrained from using the word "retirement," emphasizing instead that the concert was a tribute to traditional Korean pop music that she had long cherished.

Lee preferred to be known as a traditional Korean pop music singer rather than a trot singer. Other singers performed her signature songs, underscoring the concert’s commemorative nature. Over the two-hour set, Lee passionately sang eight songs, including five solo performances.

Although Lee announced that she would no longer release new music or hold concerts under her name, she stressed that she was not formally retiring.

"It pains me whenever I hear the word retirement," she said. "If I declare retirement and later appear on TV, people would say, 'She said she retired, but now she’s back.' I may still appear on television to advise younger singers or perform a song at their concerts."

Singer Lee Mi-ja performs her final concert at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Showdown Entertainment

Cultural icon

During the concert, Lee revisited some of her most iconic songs, including her 1959 debut "Pure Nineteen," as well as "Twilight Blues" and "Camellia Lady."

The latter, released in 1964, catapulted her to stardom but later became a painful memory after it was banned for more than 20 years. "I do not remember much about the song’s popularity," she said. "All I can recall is the pain when it was banned."

Debuting at the age of 18, Lee became a cultural icon, giving voice to a nation recovering from colonial rule and war. She released more than 500 albums and over 2,000 songs during her career.

In 2023, she became the first pop singer to receive the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit. She also broke barriers in 1989 by being the first pop artist to perform at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

Looking back on her career, Lee candidly spoke of the hardships and loneliness she endured. She expressed her deep affection for traditional Korean pop music and called for greater support for younger artists. The concert ended with Lee and the other singers performing "Island Village Teacher" together.

"Even though 'Camellia Lady' stayed at No. 1 on music programs for 35 weeks, I spent those days feeling isolated," she said. "Trot singers live very lonely and difficult lives. Unless they sing with heartfelt sorrow, they cannot connect with audiences. That is why I sincerely ask you to love and support the next generation of singers."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.