Lee Seung Gi: "I Wanted to Quit Being a Celebrity"

Lee Seung Gi first debuted in 2004 with his first album’s title song, “Because You’re My Woman.” The song was an instant success. So who knew that he felt this way? 

“The album that I prepared in 2006, ‘Crazy For U’ contained a lot of my desperation and sadness. I thought, ‘Can I really do well?’ and I felt lacking in many ways.” He continued on with, “The time during my 1st album to my 2nd album was the most worrisome part of my life. I worried a lot, Lee Seung Gi as a human. I often thought, should I not be a celebrity? Afterwards, I just wanted to run away and hide. I really contemplated about it a lot,” Lee said during an interview with Mnet’s “MIC.” 

“Also, there’s a jinx called the sophomore jinx, as in, the bigger the first hit is, the less successful the second one will be. But I had no room to even think about those jinxes. I was scrutinized a lot for my lack of singing skills,” he stated as he revealed his inner self past the colorful and cheerful face of his.

He also continued the interview, answering the big question. “I’m really lonely without Kang Ho Dong. I miss him a lot. People tell me that I’m doing well and the show is going fine, but I just can’t be smiling…”

After Kang Ho Dong left SBS “Strong Heart,” Lee had been maintaining the song by himself. Lee said, “‘Kang Shim Jang (Strong Heart in Korean) is our teacher and our mentor. We started this together with Kang Ho Dong. When I had to MC without him, I really felt that it was a life or death battle. That was the first time I had ever done something with the resolve to die. I clenched my teeth and went on.”

Even when he was told he was doing perfectly fine without Kang Ho Dong, he confessed, “Of course, it’s a good thing that people are accepting it, but without him, I’m really lonely. I just can’t be smiling and feeling well. I feel alone and I really miss him sometimes. I just can’t laugh it off, you know?”