Actor Kim Jun-han has talked about the long-lasting success of his band izi's hit song "Emergency Room." He said that the song still brings in steady royalties more than twenty years after it came out.
The actor, who started out as the drummer for the band izi, talked about his thoughts on the YouTube show "Weekend Drama," where he was with Lee Jong-won and Jang Da-ah. Kim went back to his musical roots during the show and even played "Emergency Room" on drums for the first time in 15 years.
According to Sports Chosun, Kim talked about going back to the instrument and how much time had passed since he last played. "It feels a little awkward since it's been a while," he said before smoothly playing the song, which got him praise from other cast members.
Host Yoo Yeon-seok was very happy with the surprise performance. He said, "It just comes out naturally. It reminds me of the old days. To think I'm hearing the original!" per Naver.
The conversation later turned to how popular "Emergency Room" still is, especially how well it does in karaoke rankings. Kim firmly denied the claim that the song was ranked, putting an end to rumors. He said, "That's a misunderstanding. It's still in the top 20."
As of mid-March, the song was in the top five of karaoke charts, according to production staff who were interviewed during the broadcast. This shows that it is still popular with listeners.
Kim also talked about how the song's popularity has stayed the same over time. He said, "It's a steady seller. As far as I know, it hasn't dropped out of the top 100 in 20 years," which shows how long the track has been around.
When asked how the song's ongoing success would affect her finances, Kim gave a funny and honest answer. He said about how royalties keep coming in.
The host made more funny comments after the conversation. "It keeps adding to my life, like getting wet in a drizzle,"Yoo Yeon-seok joked, and everyone laughed.
Kim's comments have brought attention to how Korean music from the early 2000s is still popular and how hit songs can still be worth a lot in the digital and karaoke markets.
Kim is still working on his acting career outside of music. He will be in the upcoming movie "Salmokji," which is about a film crew that runs into strange things at a reservoir. The movie will come out on April 8.
Kim's thoughts show how one hit song can change an artist's life for decades, both creatively and financially.
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