From being called a “beautiful youth” to carrying the stigma of a draft dodger, singer Yoo Seung-jun has candidly shared his hidden emotions and signaled a new start in communicating with the public.
On the 2nd, a video titled “‘I really collapsed back then’ Yoo Seung-jun Q&A begins” was uploaded to his YouTube channel.
Before diving into the Q&A, Yoo Seung-jun opened up, saying, “When you feel like there isn’t a single person in the world who understands your heart, and when you can’t tell anyone about your pain and worries, you feel loneliness and despair. To soothe that pain and escape it, some people make extreme choices or fall into severe addiction.”
He continued, “If even one person in the world can listen to, understand, and share my pain, I gain new strength and hope. This is because I realize the hardships and pain I’m experiencing aren’t mine alone.” He added, “Even people who look very happy on the outside have hidden pain and scars in their lives. Like two sides of a coin, the brighter and more glamorous the surface, the darker the shadow cast behind it.”
He spoke bitterly, adding, “How would I be any different? There were times when I felt desperate and wanted to give up everything. The lives of people living with pain and scars are mostly similar.”
Yoo Seung-jun was a star of the 1990s known as the “beautiful youth,” receiving immense love with hit songs like ‘Scissors’, ‘Nanana’, ‘Passion’, ‘Love Song’, and ‘Wow’. However, he was expelled from the entertainment industry in 2002 after obtaining US citizenship to avoid his military service obligations. Currently, his entry into Korea is restricted by the Ministry of Justice. Despite filing several lawsuits against the Consul General in Los Angeles (LA) to cancel the denial of his visa, he still hasn’t been able to step foot on Korean soil.
Regarding this, Yoo Seung-jun became emotional, saying, “Someone told me that it’s a miracle I’m still alive today. I wonder if you all know what those words mean. I’ve had a wide variety of experiences in my life. I received a huge amount of love, but I also received just as much misunderstanding, criticism, and condemnation.”
Having married in 2004 and now the father of two sons and two daughters, he shared his love for his family: “My wife was my first love, and we still rely on and love each other. She was by my side during my most shining moments, as well as the moments when I was pathetic and collapsed. I learned a lot while having four children over that long and distant time.”
Furthermore, he coolly announced his intention to communicate, adding, “Someone told me that if I had continued my career as a singer in Korea, I would still be enjoying immense popularity and making a staggering amount of money. I wonder if that’s really true. If there’s anything you’re curious about, please ask me anything. Even things like ‘Why didn’t you go to the army?’ are fine. There’s nothing I can’t say now.”
