Cho Yong-pil

In this Korean name, the family name is Cho.
Cho Yong-pil
Cho in April 2013
Born (1950-03-21) March 21, 1950 (age 74)
Hwaseong, South Korea
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1968–present
Awards Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (2013)
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Labels
Korean name
Hangul
조용필
Hanja
Revised RomanizationJo Yong-pil
McCune–ReischauerCho Yongp'il
Websitechoyongpil.com

Cho Yong-pil (Korean: 조용필; born March 21, 1950) is a South Korean singer-songwriter who is considered one of the most influential figures in South Korean popular music (K-pop). He debuted as a member of the rock band Atkins in 1968 and made his solo debut with the hit single "Come Back to Busan Port" in 1976. Cho has released 19 solo albums and has remained consistently popular during his 50-year career.[1][2] Nicknamed the "King of Pop" of South Korea,[3][4] his songs have ranked number one on South Korean music charts in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s.[5] He was recognized with the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit for his enormous impact on the South Korean pop music scene.[6] He was selected as Singer of the Year and his song "Bounce" was selected as Song of the Year in the surveys conducted by Gallup Korea in 2013.[7]

Career

[edit]

1950–1967: Early years

[edit]

Cho Yong-pil was born in Songsan-myeon, Hwaseong, South Korea, on March 21, 1950[8][9] and spent part of his childhood in Seoul. He and actor Ahn Sung-ki were schoolmates at the now-defunct Kyungdong Middle School in Seoul and remained friends even though they attended different high schools.[10][11] When Cho was seven, he happened to listen to Ray Charles playing the harmonica, and this inspired the young Cho to become a musician.[citation needed]

1968–1975: Atkins, Five Fingers and Kim Trio period

[edit]

Cho began his music career as a guitarist in various bands. In 1968, he formed a rock band called Atkins and played for the United States Army.[3][12] Later, he founded Five Fingers, which played music by black artists. In 1971, Cho joined the band Kim Trio,[5] which motivated him to perform rock music. Members of Kim Trio included Pa Kim (guitar), Dan Kim (drum) and Sun Kim (keyboard).

1976–1992: Solo debut and commercial success

[edit]

Cho's debut single as a soloist, "Come Back to Busan Port [ja]", brought him national attention when it was released in 1976, later becoming a hit in Japan.[5][13] Cho then made a Japanese-language version of the song, and sang live in Japan. He was accused of smoking marijuana the following year and was banned from performing until 1979.[5] His first album, Woman Outside the Window (창 밖의 여자), was released in 1980 and has been followed by many others. In 1980, he held a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, the first Korean singer to perform there.[5] In 1988, he became the first South Korean singer to perform in China, before the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.[5]

1992–2012: Commercial decline and concerts

[edit]

His commercial success declined after the rise of the group Seo Taiji and Boys and many other young musicians. His studio albums released after 1992 were not so successful. Noticing this, he announced that he would stop appearing on television, concluding that he would hardly make any hits.[citation needed] Subsequently, he focused more on concerts and music performance. In 1993, his Busan concert attracted an audience of 1 million, a record for South Korea.[citation needed] The following year, he became the first South Korean singer to surpass 1 million record sales. In 2005, Cho performed a concert in Pyongyang, North Korea, a rare occurrence for a South Korean singer.[5]

2013–2021: Hello and 50th anniversary

[edit]

In April 2013, Cho released his 19th album titled Hello, which debuted at number one on the South Korean charts, eclipsing Psy's "Gentleman".[14] On April 25, 2013, he returned to television with the showcase "Hello". This show was also broadcast live on YouTube.[15]

The album ranked number one on the Gaon Album Chart for the week of April 28 – May 4, 2013.[16] Two songs from the album won first place on South Korean music shows: "Hello" and "Bounce".[17][18] Following the success of Hello, Cho reissued 14 of his old albums.[19] He later released a Japanese version of the album.[13]

In 2018, Cho held a series of concerts to mark his 50th anniversary as a singer.[4]

2022: Road to 20-Prelude 1

[edit]

Cho released the single album Road to 20-Prelude 1 on November 18, 2022. To promote the album, he released a 30-second teaser video on his official YouTube channel on November 15. The video contains the titles of the new songs "Moment" and "Like Serengeti". He will hold a solo concert, 2022 Cho Yong-pil and the Great Birth, at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul on November 26–27 and December 3–4.[20]

2024: 20

[edit]

Cho released his 20th album 20 on October 22, 2024, 11 years after the release of his previous album.[21]

Discography

[edit]

Korean studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
KOR
Gaon
[22] 		KOR
Hot 100
[23]
Woman Outside The Window
(창밖의 여자)
  • Released: March 20, 1980
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
 No data No data
Candlelight
(촛불)
  • Released: December 5, 1980
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
 No data
Cho Yong Pil 3
  • Released: July 10, 1981
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
Can't Find the Oriole
(못찾겠다 꾀꼬리)
  • Released: May 17, 1982
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
My Friend
(친구여)
  • Released: June 25, 1983
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
Party of Tears
(눈물의 파티)
  • Released: February 9, 1984
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
Let's go on a Trip
(여행을 떠나요)
  • Released: April 10, 1985
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
In The Air
(허공)
  • Released: November 15, 1985
  • Label: Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
Love and Life and Me!
(사랑과 인생과 나!)
  • Released: May 10, 1987
  • Label: Pil Company, Jigu Records
  • Format: LP
 No data
Cho Yong Pil '88
  • Released: May 28, 1988
  • Label: Pil Company, Jigu Records
  • Format: CD, cassette
Q (10th Album Part II)
(10집 Part II)
  • Released: January 14, 1989
  • Label: Pil Company
  • Format: CD, cassette
Reunion
(추억속의 재회)
The Dreams
  • Released: April 20, 1991
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Cho Yong Pil 14
  • Released: October 1, 1992
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Cho Yong Pil and the Great Birth
(조용필과 위대한탄생)
  • Released: July 1, 1994
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Eternally
  • Released: May 1, 1997
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Ambition
  • Released: October 27, 1998
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Over The Rainbow
  • Released: September 3, 2003
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Hello
  • Released: April 23, 2013
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1
20
  • Released: October 22, 2024
  • Label: Universal Music
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 TBA

Japanese studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN
[26]
Hello (Japan Edition)
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: Universal Music
 264 —

Book

[edit]
  • Speech which wind conveys (1985)

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Category Nominated work or nominee Result Ref.
Ampex Golden Reel Award 1982 Golden Reel Award Cho Yong-pil Won [27]
Baeksang Arts Awards 1981 Best Song – Film "Candlelight" (from Love Becomes Bitterness) Won [28]
1982 Best Song – Television "Flower Wind" (from Flower Wind) Won [29]
Gaon Chart Music Awards 2013 Album of the Year for the 2nd Quarter Hello Won [30]
K-Pop Contribution Award Cho Yong-pil Won
Golden Disc Awards 1986 Album of the Year (Daesang) Empty Space Won [31]
Album Bonsang Won
Popularity Award "Speech Which Wind Conveys" Won
2005 Lifetime Achievement Award Cho Yong-pil Won [32]
2014 Album Bonsang Hello Won [33]
KBS Song Festival 1980 Best Male Singer (Daesang) "Woman Outside The Window" Won [34]
1981 "Red Dragonfly" Won [35]
1982 "Tragic Love" Won [36]
1983 "Dear Friend" Won [37]
1985 "Yesterday, Today And..." Won [35]
1999 Achievement Award Cho Yong-pil Won
Best Singer of the 20th Century Won
Korea Popular Music Awards 2018 Thanks To You Award Won [38]
Korean Broadcasters Awards 1998 Best Male Singer Won
Korean Music Awards 2004 Singer of the Year – Male Nominated [39]
2006 Achievement Award Won [40]
2014 Song of the Year (Daesang) "Bounce" Won [41]
Best Pop Song Won
MBC Gayo Daejejeon 1980 Best Popular Singer (Daesang) "Woman Outside The Window" Won [35]
1981 "Red Dragonfly" Won
1983 "I Like You" Won
1984 "Dear Friend" Won
1985 "Darling" Won
1986 "In The Air" Won
Melon Music Awards 2013 Best Rock "Bounce" Won [42]
Top Ten Artist Award Cho Yong-pil Nominated [43]
Mnet 20's Choice Awards 2013 20's Record Won [44]
20's Online Music "Hello" Nominated [45]
20's Voice "Hello" and "Bounce" Nominated
Mnet Asian Music Awards 2013 Song of the Year (Daesang) "Bounce" Won [46]
Best Vocal Performance – Male Nominated
Artist of the Year (Daesang) Cho Yong-pil Nominated
Best Male Artist Nominated
Album of the Year (Daesang) Hello Nominated
Best Music Video "Hello" Nominated
SBS Gayo Daejeon 2005 Special Achievement Award Cho Yong-pil Won [32]
Seoul Music Awards 2003 Live Award Won [47]
2013 Best Album Hello Won [48]
Main Prize (Bonsang) Cho Yong-pil Won

State and cultural honors

[edit]
Country or organization Year Honor Ref.
Center for Cultural Unification Studies 2005 Grand Prize for Unification Culture [49]
South Korea 2003 Order of Cultural Merit (Bogwan, 3rd Class) [50]
2013 Order of Cultural Merit (Eungwan, 2nd Class) [51]
Tanzania 2001 Medal of Culture [52]
[edit]

References

[edit]
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