“Not Ashamed Even Beside Queen”: 40 Years of Choi Seong-won and Deulgukhwa’s ‘That’s My World’
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
At a book talk in Mapo, Seoul, veteran musician Choi Seong-won of legendary Korean band Deulgukhwa (들국화) reflected on the group’s 40-year legacy, the making of their hit “That’s My World,” and Korea’s changing music scene. He emphasized that Deulgukhwa weren’t overnight stars but a hardworking live-club band whose steady performances built their reputation. Choi recalled signing with a record label almost by chance and shared candid memories from the 1970s “marijuana incident” (대마초 파동), when musicians were harshly investigated under shifting drug laws. He discussed the band’s fluid genre identity—rock and folk overlapping—and the creative tensions that kept their music alive. Choi explained the personal drive behind “That’s My World”: to write a song he wouldn’t be ashamed to sing even alongside global acts like Queen or The Beatles. He also introduced a revived project, “Our Song Exhibition Reboot” (우리노래전시회 리부트), aiming to pass the stage to younger artists with an album planned for January. The event ended warmly with Choi signing records and speaking with fans.
