Eugene Cho

Wait! Before you decide not to click or read this blog entry because I’m talking about Korean Pop (K-Pop), I want you to do yourself a favor and read this.

Actually, see this and more importantly, hear this song.

I know. I know.

You’re not K-Pop fans nor fans of ballads. I’m not either.  Heck, I don’t even know what’s popular in the States. I’ve never even seen an episode of American Idol or X Factor or The Voice or whatever else it’s called now.

But couple days ago, I was working and stumbled onto YouTube and saw an episode of K-Pop Star – perhaps the equivalent of American Idol  and then, I couldn’t stop watching.

There were some decent talent and then this guy sang and I literally…

pushed play 6 consecutive times.

Who is this guy?

His name is Soo Hwan Kim (or Kim Soo Hwan in Korean).

For his 2nd round audition, he sang a cover of a song called “I’m so Fortunate.” I guess the title and content of the song is particular moving in light of the fact that Soo Hwan was born blind. The 19-year-old contestant (maybe 18 in Western age?) barely made it past the 1st round because one of the judges was particularly moved by his attempt to hip-hop dance despite another judge giving him a “No.” He was definite fortunate in that way as well.

But for the 2nd round, Soo Hwan literally mesmerized the judges. I think they all got a little teary-eyed. I may or may not have teared up watching this in my pajamas in my office late at night. Maybe. After watching his audition, I may or may not have dreamt about being a K-Pop star.

One of the judges, J. Y. Park, asks if he had a girlfriend and if he thinks of his girlfriend when he sings a song like this. He answers:

“Yes. I do have a girlfriend. And I do think of her. She’s really cute. We’ve been dating for seven years. She’s also blind. Her condition is worse than mind. I was in 6th grade and she was in 4th grade when I first started courting her…”

I’m a sucker for these kind of stories – even at the risk of losing any remnants of the man-card I have left. Stories like Susan Boyle and Sung Bong Choi (an orphan boy who is discovered in a similar kind of audition and who blows everyone away). I love these stories because vocalized or not, we all have judgments about what people can or can’t do. Perhaps, no one experiences this more than those who are physically challenged or to be more politically incorrect…disabled.

But as we learn again and again…

Everyone has dreams. Everyone.
Everyone has gifts. Everyone.

There’s power and beauty when we pursue those dreams with the gifts that we have…

I know. I know. You don’t understand Korean. But just listen to it. I have a feeling you’ll understand at least the crux of the song:

“I’m so Fortunate.”

We are all so fortunate. We just need to have the sight to understand this.

If you don’t want to watch the intro, forward to 1:26.

Filed under: , blind, I'm so Fortunate, k-pop, kim soo hwan, Kim Su Hwan, korean pop, kpop, soo hwan kim