Sung-Bong Choi - A Quick Catch-Up

A lot has happened to the manual worker from Daejeon over the past 8 months, and every day for the next few weeks until we reach the present moment, every aspect of that journey will be told.

This story paused at the point just before Sung Bong was invited to play at the Shani Rigsbee event entitled 'We Hear Your Voice', an event designed to achieve global awareness and strengthen solidarity through the unity of musical figures of hope. They would all come together to sing the song "We Hear Your Voice" which was also written by Shani herself to be performed by the entire ensemble (the lyrics to the song are enclosed in the gallery below).

There was initially some concern and worry as the target of $4500 in order to pay for Sung Bong's travel expenses was not reached. But where there is a will there is a way and he was able to make the trip and perform on August 4th 2012 to a packed Greek Theater in Los Angeles, USA. Shani personally expressed how overwhelmed she was upon hearing Sung Bong's story while looking on the internet and how she knew there and then that he just had  to be involved in the inspirational event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfPlWL9T-cU

A full video of the event will be available soon and all the proceeds from the downloadable single help promote the welfare of children throughout the world.

Pictures of the wonderful experience have been added to Sung Bong's Flikr photostream below

Photostream of Sung Bong Choi at The Greek Theater, Los Angeles

Sung-Bong Choi - 2nd Performance with Transcription

Transcript of Korea’s Got Talent – Semi-final Performance

(Narrator) The world started to pay attention to Choi Sung Bong with a lot of stars in support of him

Millions of people watched the video of his first performance

(Song-Yun Ah) I just want to give you a hug

(Sung-Bong) I am just excited and thankful but I am also a little nervous

(Sung-Bong’s friend) Sung-Bong is a friend who had excluded parental love and I can’t imagine how he has lived before. He is just so pitiful.

HQ - Sung-Bong Choi - Nella Fantasia - Unedited Version

At last, we have the full unedited version of Sung-Bong's compelling first performance. Without the emotive background and minus the subtitles (unfortunately for those who don't understand Korean!) But as we already know, the tone of the voice says it all. From the gentle conversation between Sung-Bong and the two female judges (Kolleen Park and Song Yun-ah), you can almost touch the high levels of emotion that must have been running throughout the studio. I hope I've still got some tears left after watching the last video!

Enjoy.

HQ - Sung-Bong Choi - Nella Fantasia - Unedited Version

Sung-Bong Choi - The Story Begins...

Ever since he first appeared on Korea's Got Talent, Sung-Bong Choi's life story and compelling baritone voice has been winning him hearts the world over.

From the start, life was against Sung-Bong, having to escape the harsh brutalities of an orphanage at the age of 5. With grit and an inherent instinct for survival, he made a living selling gum and energy drinks on the streets of Korea. In his own words he lived like a 'Dayfly'.

With a touch of self-doubt in himself, he nevertheless auditioned for the Korean version of Britain's, and once his stepped foot in front of the TV cameras, the world recognised in him, a truly sorrowful but uplifting tale, that had to be told. 

This blog intends to follow the journey of the mysterious manual worker from Korea..

note: The two backing tracks in this clip are Coldplay - The Scientist and Damien Rice - Cold Water

Sung-Bong Choi Transcript – Audition – 04/06/2011

Narrator: There’s an ordinary looking guy getting ready to go on the stage...

Sung-Bong: I’m 22 years old, and my name is Choi, Sung-Bong

I’ve lived through very difficult circumstances

I still feel uncomfortable challenging in this competition

I just want to be like other nomal people

I don’t sing that well, but when I sing, I feel like I become a different person….