Cho Yong-pil set to release 20th album next month

'King of Singers' Cho Yong-pil (74) will release his 20th full-length album, titled '20,' on Oct. 22. This marks his first album in 11 years since the release of his 19th album 'Hello' in 2013, which included the hit song "Bounce."

On Wednesday, Cho expressed his gratitude to fans on his official homepage. "I was able to complete my 20th album, which I have been preparing for a long time, thanks to the unwavering love and support of my fans,” he said. “I look forward to connecting more deeply with fans through the new music.”

The 20th album features many new songs while adding his songs such as "Moment," "Like Serengeti," "Feeling of You," and "La” from his single and mini albums released in 2022 and 2023. According to his agency YPC, the album blends Cho Yong-pil’s long-cultivated skills with new musical approaches and challenges.

Cho Yong-pil rose to stardom in 1976 with “Come Back to Busan Harbor." He recorded the first million-seller in 1980 in the history of the Korean music industry with his debut album, which included the songs “A Woman Outside the Window” and “Bobbed Hair.” He set records such as the first Korean single album to sell 1 million copies, the first to reach 10 million cumulative album sales, the first Korean singer to perform at NHK Hall in Japan, the first to perform at Radio City in New York, and the first to perform at Carnegie Hall in the United States. His song "Bounce" from the 19th album topped a nationally broadcast music program in 2013, 23 years after his last win. Last year, he celebrated the 55th anniversary of his debut with a solo concert at Jamsil Stadium.


이호재 기자 hoho@donga.com