JEONG DONGWON : The Daddy Long Legs you’ve been waiting for

The young trot singer JEONG DONGWON from SHOWPLAY ENTERTAINMENT is back on stage!

On this 13th of March, the artist JEONG DONGWON made his comeback with a second album called «키다리의 선물». A few days from his 18th birthday today, the young man made his debut in November 2021 with the album “그리옴, 아낌없이 주는 나무“, an album whose songs are directly addressed to his father to thank him for all the things he has learned in life. This comeback is intended for fans this time, drawing inspiration from the novel «Daddy long legs» by JEAN WEBSTER. This story follows the orphan Jerusha Abbott who, thanks to a mysterious benefactor whom she nicknamed “Daddy long legs”, managed to leave her home and go to university. JEONG DONGWON is therefore a protector of his fans, seeking to fulfill their wishes. Thus, the album can be translated as «The gift of Daddy Long Legs».

In order to discover its musical spectrum, the album is composed of fourteen tracks, exploring different musical genres such as trot, walks, pop and other rhythmic songs. Thus, the young man makes sure that there is something for everyone, and proposes two title songs: «흥! » and «꽃등». Previously, the artist had already made a name for himself in the music business by participating in the famous show “MR.TROT” at only thirteen years old and also made his debut as a Kpop singer in January 2024 with the single “WHO AM I” under the stage name JD1. Winner of five awards including the best new artist, this showcase is highly anticipated by his fans and journalists present on site.

JEONG DONGWON

The event takes place on a small island on the Han River, not far from Yongsan. Atypical as its artist, this showcase promises performances and confidences. JEONG DONGWON goes on stage to present himself to the reporters, addressing some gestures for the photographers, then he follows directly with two performances in order to present the title songs. While the first performance of “꽃등” is a gentle ride, “흥!” is a song mixing the inspirations trot and hip pop, with a dynamic dance break. The associated clip is later broadcast, where we discover the singer working as a receptionist in a hotel, accompanied by rapper HAON with whom he shares the song.

When he comes back on stage to chat with the MC, his experience of the scene is felt through his gestures. However, he confides his stress in the face of this comeback, hoping that the performances presented have pleased journalists and that the fans will be satisfied with this new album. He says he has worked very hard, and also hopes that his efforts will pay off. He goes back to the two titles presented, as what the ballad «꽃등» may seem tragic to listen, but that it is far from being it, because its slowness recalls more the delicacy of a flower. Regarding “흥!” , he tries a new genre by mixing musical styles to give a hip-hop vibe to the trot, in order to reach more generations.

« I wanted to give a gift to my fans, so I prepared this album and especially the song “Present” that I unveiled in advance during a live with them» – JEONG DONGWON

JEONG DONGWON

He then talks about the other songs on the album, going back to the other inspirations that he received, such as the track “Only U” which with its rock style allows to highlight a more masculine aspect of his person, despite his young age. Above all, he hopes that the songs will bring comfort to his fans, and that they accompany their daily lives. The MC asks him why he chose the concept of “Daddy Long Legs”, joking that he had grown a lot since his last comeback. JEONG DONGWON says he wanted to become the benefactor of his fans, who in recent years have given him support and a lot of love, as if they were his Daddy Long Legs. This album is therefore a way to thank them and return the favor.

He also asked different artists to help him in the composition of the songs on this album, making the songs have a collaborative aspect. As for the choice of the title song, he reveals that he had more than two hundred songs prepared, but that by listening to “흥!” for the first time, he knew that she was to be the title song of this album. As for the clip, he wanted to represent a love story between a receptionist, whose hotel resembles the famous Budapest Hotel, and his client, who against all odds is not receptive to his signals.

JEONG DONGWON

For the preparation of this comeback, he says he did not feel any particular difficulty, having been helped and surrounded by many people. He goes back to his participation in “MR.TROT” five years ago, stating that what has changed most since is his height, having increased by 30 cm since then. Trying out different genres is a way for him to find his way and voice, taking pleasure in exploring different styles. Nevertheless, rather than enjoying himself on stage, his priority is to give love to his fans, who have seen him grow before their eyes over the years. Many words speak of hope, a message he is trying to convey.

« When I grow up, I hope to become a good person and an example for the younger ones» – JEONG DONGWON

This album has been in preparation for several months, highlighting the fact that several years have passed since its first, it was necessary to redouble efforts to satisfy its fans. He hopes to receive proposals for collaboration or composition in the future, when other artists see his efforts. As for his collaboration with HAON, JEONG DONGWON begins by saying that he has been a fan of hip-hop and rap since he was young, but also of HAON and having contacted him on social networks to ask him to collaborate with him. To his surprise, he immediately agreed, and they started working together by message, sending him vocals to see if he liked the rap, before recording and filming together. He is very grateful for this opportunity, and the final result.

He also thanked all those who helped and advised him, sometimes taking more than two hours on the phone to talk with some of them. In the future, he wants to hear words about how he is cool on stage, and good in the styles he tries, not just in one discipline. Today, he also performs his first performance in front of an audience of fans by going to M!Countdown just after the showcase. If he ever wins first place in a music show, he promises to wear a tiger costume, the “흥!” that he sings accompanied by a clawed movement with his hands, like a tiger.

He ends by saying that as a child, he hoped to become an adult quickly, but now, when he sees how fast time passes, he wants to slow down time to enjoy and have more fun before being confronted with the responsibilities of the adult world. His goal for this new period of promotions and show his hard efforts, before going on tour in the country, going for example to Seoul, Busan, Daegu and many other cities. He thanked the journalists who came to the showcase and drew attention to his future promotions for this album, and the next ones.