New Duet !!! And some old duets.

Oh, my goodness. Saturday October 11th was something different. Dong Ha and Ali went to sing together on Immortal Songs 2.
It's a singing competition, where young contemporary singers  interpret old classic songs (therefore "immortal songs", or sometimes the name of the show is translated as "enduring classics"). The idea is to bridge the distance between the old and new generation of singers, so that they can appreciate each other more. The show has been on  Korean TV weekly, for at least couple of years now.
The formula is very different than American Idol. There is usually about 6-8 contestants per each show. They perform in front of a live audience of about 1000 people, and the audience votes immediately, kind of like during our American Funniest Home Videos. The camera goes to backstage, to see the reaction of  other singers to what is going onstage. There are also brief conversations with the performers, where they comment on their choice of song, and why they interpret it the way they do, or what difficulties they had preparing their song. In addition to the audience there is sometimes a guest, older generation singer, who did the song first, some 10-20 years earlier. They also share their comments. At the end of the show, the winner is announced.
The show is immensely popular on the Eastern Hemisphere. I read somewhere that it is broadcast into 78 countries, including all Asian countries, Middle East and Turkey.

I'm not sure this lengthy  explanation was necessary, but I wrote it in case SOMEONE, somehow happens to read here, and is not from any of the countries that receive the broadcast, and had not heard about "Immortal Song".
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So, back to Dong Ha and Ali. Oh, my goodness! They sang a duet, recently, on Immortal Song!
And they didn't win!??  The first time I watched the video and listened to them sing, I had goosebumps. Uncontrollable emotions swelled in my heart, and I was teary eyed. That's the power of great singing.
DONG HA and ALI beautiful duet
Someone else won that round of Immortal Song show, dedicated to duets .  It boggles my mind that the audience chose two other contestants. Was it because both Dong Ha and Ali had won so many times in the past? The winners, two young men were not bad, but they were just too mellow and gentle. I'm trying to put myself in the minds of collective Korean audience there, to understand how they have decided that Ali and Dong Ha were not the best that evening?

Here is what I think, and that is only my speculation. At the very end of the song, when their performance is most intense, and the two of them exchange "I love yous" back and forth,  Dong Ha in his fervor makes a little too aggressive move towards Ali. It's an almost predatory jump, looks very uncontrollable. Perhaps the people didn't like that? But maybe Dong Ha simply tried quickly to get closer to Ali, in order to be able to hold her hand, which was supposed to happen at the end? I have to say, I expected Dong Ha to kiss Ali's hand that moment, but perhaps it's not the Korean way. :)

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Jung Dong Ha and Ali did a duet  of similar style on Immortal Song named Gwanghwamun  Love Sonata, about 2 years ago, and I believe they won, judging from this picture, where Dong Ha is holding a trophy, and Ali has her hair dyed blond!

 

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And now to something completely different! A duet from back in July 2014, and still one of my favorites, WHALE HUNT! Dong Ha singing together with a lead young singer of the band Dickpunks. It's a fairly old song, but as my son Miki said, it can't be VERY old, since it talks about catching a train, and going to the east coast. I love the energy of this song, and how they pretend they have already finished, and come back with louder, and more speedy singing!

Whale Hunt 고래사냥

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Here is another duet, official music video, of the song  LARVAE  , from 2009.  Beautiful melody, beautiful images. Very young Dong Ha, too, still with the band Boohwal.    

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Another duet that I wanted to include in this collection comes from a live recording in a radio studio,from June 2013. Dongha was working in the musical  "Jack the Ripper" as Daniel, and he and his partner on theater scene were invited to to perform their duet in front of microphones. It's pretty common that such visits in radio stations  are sometimes videotaped and posted online. I just love how easily Dongha adapts to different performing situations. Ha, ha! He should, I guess it's his job.  ^_^

 

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There are many more examples of Dong Ha  singing duets , with various other artists - females and males, young and old.  I posted just a few of my favorites.  ♥

On Pins and Needles - because of first album, OCTOBER 8, 2014

The year is 2014! This is a very, very important year for Dong Ha. Crucial year! A year of many important events for him. This is his first year he is attempting to make it as an entertainer on his own, without the band Boohwal. His contract with them ended the last day of 2013, and in the beginning of 2014 he  was picked up by a new music agency, The Evermore Music.  

Dong Ha also got married in January this year, to a mysterious woman that nobody has ever seen. :)
He is quite overprotective of her. 

Then there were many many appearances on TV, and countless live performances, plus interviews. Then  came his "first solo concert" - and it turned out there were several of them between March 2014 - June 2014. The musical  "A Tale Of  Two Cities" where he had a role of Charles Darnay, brought him a lot of accolades. 
He had a special celebration of the 9th anniversary of his official debut, and his fans listed 9 most appealing things about him, but this will be a separate post
Then there was a very ill fated "first solo USA tour" in August, which gave me a chance to go to his concert and see him live!  The US tour was ill fated for several reasons - but this will be entire separate post. 

Upon his return to Korea from the (very ill fated) US tour, he started his own radio show! Daily radio show. This man is way too busy. I'm sure I forgot a few more things that happened with him between January 1st 2014, and today. October 1st (or now it's the 2nd) 2014.
As of October 1st 2014, fans of Jung Dong Ha in Korea and in other countries, are on pins and needles !!! The countdown begins  to "BEGIN" - his first solo album, which is going to be released OCTOBER 8, 2014. 
It's going to be a so called "mini-album", with only 7 songs. But Evermore music is making a very big deal out of it.

Some fans are really nice. One of them posted a vary heartfelt comment under the announcement of album release (this was in Hangul, and then beautifully translated by my son Miki):

"Congratulations!  I've been a fan since your days as a vocalist for Bu-Hwal.  Because it's your first solo album, are you nervous and anxious about what kind of response you'll receive?  I think the songs will be so good that they'll show you have some of the best vocals of any singer.  I'm counting down to midnight the morning of October 8th.  You've put in a lot of hard work towards making your first album.  Please be a singer that interacts with the public for as long as possible."

I am not as much of pins and needles, as some other fans, about the new album. I don't really care that much if it's great or not great. Of course, I want it to be a success, because I care for Dong Ha. I wish him all the best in my heart, because I can see how fantastically talented he is. But if the album is not that great, then I do not worry. From my selfish point of view, I can still enjoy the hundreds, if not thousands videos of him scattered all over the Internet. They  have been posted  by his dedicated fans for the past 9 years, so I have a lot of  "material" to occupy myself with, and be delighted by. 
Hi accomplishments up until now are tremendous, and undeniable. Everything is all out there (eg. You Tube).