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| Singer-songwriter Lee Mu-jin / Courtesy of ShowPLAY Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Singer-songwriter Lee Mu-jin, who rose to fame after appearing on JTBC's audition program "Sing Again" (2020), is sitting atop the music streaming charts with his May release, "Traffic Light."
As of Monday morning, "Traffic Light" ranked first on Melon's real-time chart, while grabbing the No. 3 and No. 10 spots on Genie and Bugs, respectively. It also topped Melon's daily chart on Aug. 7.
The folk song debuted at No. 110 on Melon's real-time chart on May 14, but has climbed up the chart slowly after gaining popularity on various social media platforms, including TikTok.
"Traffic Light has created buzz among youngsters," Lee's management company, ShowPLAY Entertainment, said in a statement Sunday. "It clinched the top spots on multiple streaming charts in July and became the No. 1 song in August."
"Traffic Light" is Lee's first self-written song, in which he likens people in their early 20s to novice drivers. Through the lyrics that reflect his personal experiences, the singer-songwriter attempts to bring solace to young people struggling to find their path in life.
"It is a piece about confusion," Lee said in an email interview in May. "I poured all my energy and passion into creating it… In the future, I will continue to explore everyday life stories in my songs so that a lot of people find them relatable."
Having debuted in 2018, Lee first reached public attention on JTBC's "Sing Again," an audition show for "forgotten" singers who have been off the public's radar. Hosted by singer/actor Lee Seung-gi, the program featured high-profile stars, such as singer Lee Sun-hee and rocker Jeon In-kwon, as the judges. Lee Mu-jin was one of the top 3 contestants on the show, along with Lee Seung-yoon and Jeong Hong-il.
Currently, his other tunes ― including "Rain and You," a song featured on the soundtrack of tvN's ongoing drama "Hospital Playlist" season 2 ― are also going strong on the streaming charts.
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