I don't like the word retirement, I don't like it...This concert will be the last one
Mar 05, 2025
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At a meeting held at Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Mapo, Seoul on the 5th, Lee Mi-ja said, `I don't like the word retirement, but I think this is the last time.'
Lee Mi-ja will hold the 'Lee Mi-ja Traditional Song Tribute Performance-Maek (脈)" at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on April 26 and 27. This performance is prepared by Lee Mi-ja with respect and affection for traditional songs, and will be on stage with junior singers who will continue the tradition of traditional songs.
In particular, this performance will also feature a special collaboration stage between Lee Mi-ja and junior singers. Collaborative stages such as Lee Mi-ja's representative songs 'Camellia', 'A Woman's Life' and 'Sum Village Teacher', as well as traditional song duets and generational emotional stages are expected to be the highlight of this tribute performance.
Lee Mi-ja is the happiest year, having been singing for 66 years. I am happy and pleased to be able to present something that can continue the traditional song that I insist on with my strong juniors and back down from it."
With this performance, Lee Mi-ja's masterpieces, who have been together for 66 years as a singer, will be met again with vivid live performances. It is expected to reflect on the past 66 years of crying and laughing with the public through masterpieces covering Lee Mi-ja's generation.
Lee Mi-ja `often says retirement a lot. I don't like the word retirement. I refrain from saying retirement because I think it's too careless to make a decision. I think it's a time when I can say for sure that it's the last time", hinting at the final performance.
"Every time I'm on the stage, I've always done a lot of research to keep our traditional song roots alive, keep them going, and keep them from disappearing. But I almost gave up on it, but they prepared this kind of performance. I think this has been achieved because there is a place to select a reliable junior and pass down the traditional song to him. "
In the meantime, "Those who lived in difficult times struggled while traveling to Germany to send their children to the learning place and feed them. I cried and laughed, comforted and consoled by the song of pain. For them, I am proud that traditional songs are songs that represent the trend of the times. It was so sad that those songs disappeared, and it was very hard. I remember thinking it was a low-quality song and being alienated. I think the songs that I had in difficult times should not be forgotten."
I also thought "Whenever I was on stage, please sing this song like this and listen to it like this." As long as I could be on stage, I asked him not to forget about it until then. It was about this performance when I almost gave up and thought, `I can't stand on stage anymore.' I worked hard to prepare this song because I thought that this performance would give this song to my juniors and that my performance would end" he said.
"I told you that the word retirement is not good, but now that there is someone who can pass it on, I think that these people can also end up asking people to pass it on underneath."
There is also a regret that it is actually retirement from the mention of the 'last'. Imita "Again, I don't like retirement. As I've been getting older, I don't think it's better to just quit when I can't sing quietly. I didn't call it retirement. Instead of retirement, I can give you the last word. As I said earlier, traditional songs like gemstones do not disappear, and they can pass them on to juniors and make the performance. I thought it would disappear quietly by myself, but I thought it would be disconnected, but I thought I could finish this performance with the thought that I had a chance to reach it," he added.
'Lee Mi-ja Traditional Music Tribute Performance-Maek (脈) Ieum' will be booked through the ticket link and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts website at 2 p.m. on March 6 (Thursday).
정빛 기자 rightlight@sportschosun.com
rightlight@sportschosun.com
