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Middle-aged dance queen returns with new album

November 12, 2013

By Baek Byung-yeul

Nami

Nami

The latest addition to Korea’s overcrowded dance music scene is Nami, one of the most influential pop stars of the 1970s and ‘80s, who has just released her first single in 17 years.

Her new song ”Voyeur’’ is an upbeat, electronic dance song composed by German duo Andreas Bartels and Rudger Schramm, pitting the 56-year-old singer against the slew of K-pop girl- and boy-bands dominating the download charts. American director Michael Peyser, producer of the 2010 action flick ”The Warrior’s Way,’’ directed the music video for the song.

In preparing her comeback to show business, Nami is signaling her determination to connect with a younger generation of listeners. She has even started to tweet.

”Thinking of meeting my fans with a new song for the first time in 17 years makes may heart pound. I ask for support from many of you,’’ Nami said in her first tweet. Nami’s last work was ”Persuasion,’’ a single released in 1996.

There have been a number of older contemporary music acts returning with new works this year. The most notable of them was Cho Yong-pil, arguably Korea’s most influential post-war musician, who released his 19th album this summer, which came more than a decade after his 18th.

Nami, whose real name is Kim Myung-ok started singing at the age of six in performances for U.S. troops stationed in Korea. She also performed as a child actress in the 1967 movie “The Queen of Elegy” and “Mini Lady” in 1968.

After performing as a member of the girl group “Happy Dolls” in her teens, she began her solo career in 1980 and enjoyed a productive decade with hits such as “Bingeul Bingeul,” “Forever Friends” and “Like an Indian Doll.”

One Comment

  1. Anh Rohrbach

    September 3, 2014 at 8:12 PM

    Hello, I knew Nami and her family “The Happy Dolls”back in Vietnam 1971-1972. How do I get in touch with Nami/ Kim Myung-ok? I would appreciate for any lead…thanks

    Reply