▲ Trot Prodigy Jung Dong-won

The South Korean TV show Mr. Trot brought a heat wave to trot, a genre of South Korean pop music by attracting 35.7% viewership. It drew up the hidden trot prodigies onto the surface and they are: Lim Young-woong the best, Yeong Tak the runner-up and Lee Chan-won the third as well as the promising Kim Ho Joong, Jung Dong-won, Jang Min-ho and Kim Hui-jae. Among the promising, Jung Dong-won made a strong impression and presence to the audience, pushing up the way to the finals. 

From the age of 3, Jung lived with his grandfather and enjoyed singing trot songs which his grandfather sang every now and then. His talent started to spread among residents of Hadong County and he surprised them by winning the runner-up prize at the 2018 National Sing Contest Hamyang County. He then made for SBS Einstein and KBS Screening Humanity before making for Mr. Trot.

At the third round final of Mr. Trot, Jung touched the audience with a sea of tears by singing Hope Song. It was not long after his grandfather passed away. People wondered how a 14 years old boy can sing the song in coolness even after losing his beloved grandfather. 

“I actually decided to make for Mr. Trot in tribute to my grandfather. I hope he likes my singing in the heaven. I would like to express my love and thanks to my grandfather from the bottom of my heart. I feel emotional thinking of him but I must not show my tears but pray hard for him and me” said Jung.

Awed, touched and proud of Jung, Hadong County appointed him as honorary ambassador and even named a street following his name. In fact, people already started to pay a visit to the county to see the place he lived and the landscape he grew up. Jungdongwon-gil is a must to walk preferably with the songs he sang on the stage.

Also worth paying a visit is Jungdongwon House which has been remodeled as a tea house on the first and second floors and the family space on the third floor. You might have to have in mind to wait to get into the tea house as lines are long and persistent. But you can see the studio Jung is working and airing his songs online over refreshments. 

Jung said that it was his dream to be a great trot singer.