Singer Youngtak has shared a heartfelt story about his family and a life-altering accident from his youth.
On June 2, a new episode of the YouTube channel “Jjanhanyung with Shin Dongyeob” featured actor Kim Eungsoo and singer Youngtak as special guests.
During the show, host Shin Dongyeob revealed, “Youngtak had many accidents as a child. His mother used to attend church, but she was told there was a spirit she had to serve — and if she didn’t, her son would continue to get hurt. Eventually, she became a shaman.”
He added, “This isn’t about right or wrong — it’s about a mother’s incredible heart, willing to make such a decision for her son.”
Youngtak then recalled the pressure he faced while pursuing his dreams in a conservative household. “I originally majored in advertising and public relations. My father served in the military, and my grandfather was a school principal — it was a very traditional family. Changing my path wasn’t easy; they wanted me to live a stable life with a regular job,” he said.
He continued, “When I decided to sing, I didn’t speak to my father for nearly four years. Things were strained between us. But when I began singing trot music, he finally acknowledged me and said, ‘At least now it sounds like real music.’”
Shin Dongyeob remarked, “It’s because you never gave up.” Kim Eungsoo added warmly, “I’m sure your father now proudly tells everyone, ‘My son is Youngtak.’”
Youngtak smiled and said, “He couldn’t support me before, but now he tells me he’s proud to see me making progress with my music.”
This wasn’t the first time Youngtak spoke publicly about his family. During a 2020 appearance on MBC’s Radio Star, he revealed a dramatic moment from high school: “I once fell from a balcony and shattered my ankle into 30 pieces. Even before that, my mother said she often saw ancestral spirits. People told her that if she didn’t serve the spirits, her son would keep getting hurt.”
He continued, “As I was being wheeled into the operating room, my mother went to a shaman and begged, ‘I’ll build a shrine — just please let the surgery go well.’ The operation was a success, and since then, she has continued to serve the spirits as a shaman.”
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