Siingwa Chonjang's Ha Deok-gyu and Ham Choon-Ho: A Reunion After 26 Years and the Untold Story Behind the 'Blue Sail' Album

Ha Deok-gyu and Ham Choon-Ho of Siingwa Chonjang, iconic figures in folk music, met again to look back on their past musical journey. The two, who presented lyrical music through the 1986 album 'Blue Sail', are continuing active activities, including a recent performance held for the first time in 26 years.

A sense of togetherness after 26 years, 'Blue Sail' unfolded again

Through a recent interview, Ha Deok-gyu and Ham Choon-Ho shared their feelings about performing together on stage after a long time. Regarding the concert, which took place approximately 26 years after their performance at the Seoul Arts Center in 2000, Ha Deok-gyu stated, "The memories of the past came back well, so we played enjoyably." Ham Choon-Ho also mentioned that the sense of that era continued, saying, "Even though we performed together for the first time in 26 years, we played pleasantly with the same feeling as those days."

The background of the two resuming their activities was musical communion. Ha Deok-gyu explained that the catalyst was receiving contact from Ham Choon-Ho, who was serving as a music director for a program on Jeju KBS. Ha Deok-gyu said, "I had the mindset that I should help Ham Choon-Ho, who was acting as a music director for a program," and "I was happy to meet again and play old songs, and because the response was good, I started with the intention of letting many people hear the songs again."

A connection that began in Daegu and the birth of 'Blue Sail'

The meeting of the two, who together created the masterpiece 'Blue Sail' in 1986, goes back to 1981. Ha Deok-gyu, who was active in a club in Jongno at the time, visited Ham Choon-Ho, who was making a name for himself as an outstanding guitarist in Daegu, to propose working together. Ha Deok-gyu conveyed the situation at the time, saying, "I heard rumors that Ham Choon-Ho's guitar playing was incredible back then, so I went down to Daegu to make the proposal."

Ha Deok-gyu emphasized Ham Choon-Ho's role regarding the perfection of the 'Blue Sail' album. Ha Deok-gyu evaluated, "In the process of creating stories and writing songs, I needed a musician who could properly convey those stories," adding, "Ham Choon-Ho was the appropriate partner to clothe my songs." Ham Choon-Ho suggested that the emotional commonalities shared by the two led to their musical combination, saying, "When I listen to the music, a certain image and atmosphere naturally appear."

The reason they met again after walking separate paths

An honest conversation also took place regarding the reason why the two went their separate ways immediately after the album release. Ha Deok-gyu explained that they naturally divided into their respective fields as Ha Deok-gyu chose a shift toward gospel music based on faith, while Ham Choon-Ho chose the path of a session musician. The two conveyed their calm feelings, saying, "It was not that we broke up because we fought or our hearts did not match, but our paths changed according to the changes in life."

They added that they have been steadily connected through the medium of music, and that their recent activities are for the fans who have waited. Siingwa Chonjang is scheduled to take the stage at the 'ASCOM Music Festival' to be held around the Camp Market Baseball Field in Bupyeong on September 19.