I first became familiar with Korean trot singer Nam Jin last year when one of his songs — ‘It’s Me‘ — was played during the first episode of the Korean drama Divorce Attorney Shin.
Since then, I have had Nam Jin songs on my Spotify ‘Liked Songs’ list, and played them often, as there is something cool and pretty damned modern about trot music.
Even if some of those songs were released decades ago.
Now, next month, a new concert movie is being released in South Korea for the singer’s 60th anniversary.
Called Oppa, Nam Jin, the film tells the story of the now-77-year-old trot singer and actor’s life, as well as features him in concert singing many of his hit songs.
As the promo information for ‘Oppa, Nam Jin‘ says:
‘My Everlasting Oppa’, the first fandom in Korea that shook up the music industry. They dreamed of an oppa that they could reach, rather than a star that they couldn’t! ‘Nam Jin’, a musician of the fans, by the fans, and for the fans!
The concert movie/documentary, which was written and directed by Jung In Sung, also features appearances by Johnny Lee, Sul Woon Do, Chang Yoon Jung, Song Ga In, Park Hyun Bin, and Jang Minho.
Nam Jin’s career began in 1964 and, despite being suppressed by the Korean government in the early 1980s causing the singer to briefly move to America, has spanned 60 years.
The Korean singer still regularly appears on music shows on South Korean TV, and is still releasing new music, with his latest single ‘My Love Geumheuk‘ coming out on May 13th this year.
Check out the Oppa, Nam Jin poster above and, yep, the Korean singer has more than a passing familiarity with Elvis on it! (Nam Jin is a huge Elvis fan himself)
Oppa, Nam Jin opens in South Korea on September 4th.