CNBLUE’s Jung Yong Hwa recently looked back on the harsh criticism the group faced in their early days and revealed how they managed to overcome it.
On the 14th, a video titled “Teacher Jung Yong Hwa singing ‘Lonely’ is really handsome” was uploaded to the official ChildFund Korea YouTube channel.
Through ChildFund Korea’s “After School Class” content, Jung Yong Hwa donated his talents to teenagers dreaming of becoming musicians.
“After School Class” is a campaign where celebrities from various fields serve as one-day teachers to communicate with children.
Upon entering the classroom, Jung Yong Hwa candidly shared, “CNBLUE was a group that received a lot of hate,” which left the students surprised.
He explained the reason behind the backlash, recalling, “In the past, music shows didn’t allow band live performances. Because we had to use MR (backing tracks), people criticized us, asking, ‘What kind of band is this?'”
However, Jung Yong Hwa revealed that the criticism actually motivated him. “I became determined. So, we used our own money to conduct actual band live recordings for the pre-recordings,” he shared.
He added, “We really wanted to prove our skills. Now, 17 years later, I feel like we are receiving a lot back for having proven ourselves.”
Expressing his gratitude for being able to continue band activities for over 17 years, Jung Yong Hwa smiled and said, “I’m happy.”
During the visit, Jung Yong Hwa gave the aspiring young musicians valuable advice and performed a song for them before leaving the school.
