Artist of the week - Kim Dong Ryul

Jun 21, 2009

PROFILE
Date of birth : 1974/03/15
Education : Hwimoon High School, Yonsei Universtiy, Berkley College of Music
Debut : In Dreams (Grand Prize, MBC College Music Festival, 1993)
Physique : 177cm, 58kg
Place of birth : Seoul
Hobbies : Watching movies, reading books, skiing and swimming
Motto : Live your best in every moment

BIOGRAPHY
For this week, we have Kim Dong-ryul. He is a talented musician who is capable of writing lyrics, composing, arranging and producing albums. Kim is a passionate young man who writes and sings his own music. In 1993, Kim formed a team called “Exhibition” with his buddy Seo Dong-wook and competed in the MBC College Music Festival. The team received the Grand Prize at the song contest with their song “In Dreams” and made their debut in the local pop music world.

Since their debut, the team released two official albums and recorded hit numbers like ‘An Etude of Memories’, ‘High Above’ and ‘Truth in Wine’. However, in January 1997, the team all of a sudden wrapped up their musical activities with a farewell album. In October the same year, Kim Dong-ryul formed a project group called “Carnival” with Lee Jeok, then a member of “Panic”. Displaying a perfect harmony between the low tone of Kim’s voice and Lee Jeok’s high key, the project team received a great response with songs like “That’s how it was then” and “A goose’s dream”.

In 1998, Kim Dong-ryul made his solo debut with the album ‘The Shadow Of Forgetfulness’. The title song of Kim’s first solo album “Consideration” was a sad ballad in a jazzy style that played a leading role in bringing about a ballad resurgence to the local pop music scene. In April of 1999, Kim flew to the Berkley College of Music in Boston. Although he was studying in the US, Kim released his 2nd and 3rd albums during his some time off from school. In April of 2004, Kim returned to Korea from his studies and released his 4th album, entitled “Revealing my true heart”.

For the fifth album Monologue it was create buzz among the fans and music critics who are taken aback by the singer’s suddenly change. This album are more into mainstream sound but still have his own touch like orchestral arrangement. It have more easy-listening tunes. He also work with many talented musical artist such as Big Mama, Jung Soon Yong of pop band My Aunt Mary, Alex of Clazziquai and Uehara Hiromi.

Last year in 2008, he had an exceptional year in 2008 Monologue album was the highest record sales and he also held two large-scale concerts. He released a 3-CD live album that been selected during the live concerts. There are new arrangement for different songs and styles. The track title ‘Lonely Voyage’ by Kim Dong Ryul was originally featured in his first solo album. He sang this as a ballad at his 2008 concert and has now released the studio version as the title song of this live concert album, featuring more effects which create the image of traveling with the seas.

DISCOGRAPHY
* EXHIBITION (1st album of Exhibition, 1994) : An Etude of Memories, High Above, My Thought About You

* EXHIBITION 2 (2nd album of Exhibition,1996) : Stranger, Truth in Wine, Testament, Bird

* Graduation (3rd album of Exhibition, 1997) : Graduation, First Love, We

* Lee Jeok + Kim Dong-ryul A Project Album – Carnival (1997) : That’s How It Was Then, Don’t Let Her Go, A Goose’s Dream

* The Shadow Of Forgetfulness (1st solo album, 1998) : Consideration, Miracle, Companion

* Hope (2nd solo album, 2000) : Walls, After 2 Years, A Christmas Gift

* Home-coming (3rd solo album, 2001) : Should I Say I Love Her Again, The Words of Love, A Song for Love

* Revealing My True Heart (4th solo album, 2004) : Letting Her Go Once Again, Because I Don’t Love You, Not Until Now

PURCHASE THE ALBUM HERE
* Monologue (5th solo album, 2008) : Departure, About It, Old Song, Jump, Like A Child feat. Alex, The Concert, Nobody, The Figure From Behind, Let’s Start Again & Melody