TV tribute

Pop stars explore Korean War

By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos courtesy of GMM International

To commemorate the Korean War, a crew from Korean TV station KBS recently visited war veterans in many different countries, including Thailand. Korean actor and singer Kim Jeong Hoon, 31, along with Thai singer Muenpair Panabut (Ging), 23, hosted the documentary that was filmed in Thailand.

The two stars visited a Korean War memorial in Chon Buri and talked with veterans who survived the war. As part of the project, Jeong Hoon and Ging also plan to travel to Seoul to record a song called "Peace," with lyrics to be written by Jeong Hoon.

Student Weekly recently met with Jeong Hoon and Ging at a group interview to ask them about the making of the documentary.

Question: How do you feel about making this documentary?

Jeong Hoon: I just finished my military service and I hadn't been to Thailand for years. It's an honour to work on such a meaningful project and to work with a pretty Thai singer like Ging.

Ging: It was a great opportunity. We went to Chon Buri yesterday and I learned that there are monuments in Korea and Thailand to commemorate the Thai and Korean soldiers who fought together during the war.

Question: Jeong Hoon, will you also be filming similar documentaries in other countries?

Jeong Hoon: I only present the part about the Thai-Korean relationship, but there are other Korean celebrities working on similar projects in other countries.

Question: Can you guys tell us about your song, "Peace"?

Jeong Hoon: I'll be writing the lyrics, but the melody will be written by somebody else. I learned how to write songs while I was working in Japan. It's fun, so I want to keep doing it.

Ging: After we met the war veterans, Jeong Hoon asked me if there was anything I wanted to mention in the song. I told him that I'd like to add something about love and friendship.

Question: Jeong Hoon, how was your visit to Chon Buri?

Jeong Hoon: I went to a Korean War museum and visited a veteran village. I felt sad to see how they live, but then I saw that they were happy spending time with their children and grandchildren. I just hope that there's no war in the future.

Question: Do you think this documentary can help to keep the world safe from war?

Jeong Hoon: The documentary shows how wars can start at any time. When I was training at a military camp, I learned that a soldier is there to protect their country, not to fight an enemy. I hope that this documentary can teach viewers something about war and peace in our world.