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| Yoo Seung-joon from the album jacket of "Another Day." |
By Ko Dong-hwan
Former K-pop star Yoo Seung-joon, ostracized from Korea for disloyalty after dodging military duty, has made a surprise comeback here.
Also known as Steve Yoo, the dance music artist on Friday released the mini-album "Another Day" with four tracks, including the title track named that of the album.
It has been 12 years since his last full-length album "Rebirth of YSJ" ― his seventh album ― was released in Korea. The title track was "My World."
Yoo had planned to release "Another Day" in Korea last November, but did not do so, fearing a negative reaction.
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| Yoo Seung-joon speaks to reporters at the Incheon International Airport in February 2002 after the Korean justice ministry banned him from the country. Korea Times file |
The lyrics of "Another Day" strongly reflect Yoo's remorse for what he did to be charged with military dodging and being permanently expelled from Korea.
The lyrics go, "Nothing has changed except myself like a dream, I was the only one who didn't know I was lost" and "I didn't know I was loved, which I now realize."
Asking for fans' forgiveness and love, the father of four children, 42, sings, "I am afraid but want to be loved again … badly want to unwind the time before too late" and "want to be born again if I can erase the painful memories."
The former K-pop star who made his debut in 1997 recently expressed his thanks on Instagram to "fans who still remember me. I have never sung with more sincerity. Word by word it carries my life and confession. I still dream of meeting you all."
After passing a military aptitude test in 2001, Yoo acquired U.S. citizenship three months before he was due to enter the military service the following year. The justice ministry ruled that he became an American to dodge military service and banned him from Korea under the national immigration law.
He continued his show business career in China, building up muscles and appearing on Chinese TV shows and in movies.
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