[Exclusive] “I Never Gave Up” — Jang Han-byeol Makes History as ‘Unknown Legend’ TOP3 Winner!

For singer Jang Han-byeol, making it into the ‘Unknown Legend’ TOP3 was the moment he finally fulfilled his long-held wish to be a “proud son.” Despite his family’s worries and the harsh realities he faced, he never gave up on his dream, eventually proving his passion on stage. His tears for his mother at the end of the finale deeply moved viewers, revealing just how desperately he had fought to stay on this path.

Family was the biggest motivation behind Jang Han-byeol’s decision to appear on ‘Unknown Legend.’ He gave up a stable path, which included attending dental school in Australia, to pursue his dream of singing. However, he always felt a sense of apology in his heart for not showing clear results for a long time. More than anything, he wanted to be a son his parents could be proud of.

“Since coming to Korea to become a singer, I’ve always tried to be a proud son to my parents. But as time passed without clear results, I felt my parents were heartbroken, thinking, ‘Our son gave up everything to choose this path.'”

Jang Han-byeol’s desperate wish was finally realized with tears on the ‘Unknown Legend’ final stage. While singing the final song ‘그대 내 친구여’, he tried to suppress his emotions throughout the performance. However, as he thought of the years his mother spent supporting his dream without being able to smile comfortably, he finally burst into tears at the last moment.

“My mom looked so small from the stage. Standing there, I realized that while she watched me, she probably hadn’t been truly happy or at peace very often. She was always worried, but in the end, she only wanted me to succeed.”

Jang Han-byeol shared that through ‘Unknown Legend,’ his parents finally seem to be smiling with peace of mind. He said it brought him the greatest happiness to know that his parents, who had to watch him with worry for so long, are now proud enough to bring up his story to others first.

“I feel like I’m finally being recognized a bit. My mom told me that my father is so happy. Actually, my father and I aren’t the type to contact each other every day, but I can feel his happiness through my mom.”

After becoming part of the ‘Unknown Legend’ TOP3, Jang Han-byeol is no longer just an “unknown” singer. While he is receiving a lot of love and seeing a noticeable rise in popularity with the support of a passionate fandom, he revealed that his mother is giving him even firmer advice.

“My mom always tells me to be diligent and humble, and to promote myself carefully without any trouble. She also tells me to be a good example. I think my parents value me acting uprightly and not causing trouble for others more than the popularity itself.”

Despite the intense interest and popularity following the ‘Unknown Legend’ TOP3, Jang Han-byeol stated that he still considers himself an “unknown singer.” Since he isn’t the type to go out actively, he said he reflects on the time he endured rather than feeling the change in popularity.

“Looking back at the time that has passed, I think I’m quite proud of myself. To be honest, I wasn’t always diligent. There were times when I broke down and days when I did nothing. But seeing that I’ve endured until now, I think it’s great that I held on.”

Jang Han-byeol is determined to show new charms that he couldn’t fully display on the broadcast through the ‘Unknown Legend’ national tour concert starting next month. He plans to pour all the stage experience he gained from previous domestic and international tours into this performance and expressed his desire to connect more closely with his fans.

“You’ve seen many great moments on the broadcast, but a concert is a place where I can let you hear a real live performance. That’s why I’m preparing even harder so as not to disappoint you.”

Jang Han-byeol also expressed anticipation for various activities to connect more closely with fans. Along with the national tour, he stated that fan meetings and solo concerts under his own name are goals he definitely wants to achieve, sharing his sincere desire to create a stage that properly repays the fans who have supported him for a long time. At the same time, he added his wish to show new sides of himself through various broadcasts and variety programs beyond music activities.

“I really want to do events like fan meetings or solo concerts. The fans have sent so much support and love, and I think it would be a time to properly repay them. So, if I do a performance later, I want to show everything I can in a full show so that the ticket price doesn’t feel like a waste at all.”

“And I want to appear in various media in the future. I want to try variety shows and show more diverse sides of myself musically. I think I have a lot of episodes, stage experience, and inner strength accumulated throughout my life, but I haven’t had many opportunities to express them properly. So, I think now is a really great opportunity to show those things. Please look forward to it.”